San Bernardino County Permit Requirements Rules (2026) — What You Need to Know

San Bernardino County's short-term rental program is governed by Chapter 84.28 of the Development Code and enforced through the county's dedicated STR portal at str.sbcounty.gov. A Short-Term Residential Rental Permit is required for any residential dwelling unit or portion thereof rented for 30 consecutive calendar days or less in unincorporated mountain and desert areas. The permit applies to entire homes, accessory dwellings, and individual rooms, but apartments within multi-family projects are not eligible.

The application process begins online through the county's EZ Online Permitting Portal with a $667 initial fee. Applicants must provide proof of ownership verified through county records, complete an Interior Checklist and Owner Acknowledgement for self-certification, and obtain a Transient Occupancy Tax Registration Certificate from the Tax Collector's Office. New applications trigger a mandatory 20-day notification period for surrounding property owners, with a $259 notification fee as of July 2025. A Code Enforcement Officer conducts an exterior inspection to verify compliance.

Permit limits depend on parcel size: one STR permit per parcel under 2 acres, and up to two permits for parcels of 2 acres or more. Each legal dwelling unit intended for STR use requires a separate permit. Permits are valid for one year and must be renewed annually (the code specifies a biennial renewal cycle with a $600 fee). Renewal requires re-inspection and continued compliance with all operating standards.

Operating standards include providing guests with the county's "Good Neighbor" brochure, maintaining a signed acknowledgement of rules, enforcing quiet hours between 10 PM and 7 AM, prohibiting on-street parking, and ensuring the 24-hour contact person can be physically present within one hour. The county operates a 24/7 complaint hotline at 1-833-SBC-STR1 (1-833-722-7871). STR permits are not transferable when a property is sold.