SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The City of South Lake Tahoe City Council has adopted amendments to the Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Ordinance, removing the previously required buffer between VHR properties and establishing a cap of no more than 900 VHR permits in residential areas.
The amended ordinance also includes:
- A minimum age of 25 is established to rent a VHR.
- Allows attached condominiums to get VHR permits unless the applicable homeowners’ association rules prohibit VHRs;
- Requires advertising platforms to include “family-friendly” language for VHRs in residential areas;
- Appeals of permit denials go to an independent hearing officer instead of the Planning Commission.
- Commercial and recreational areas are regulated with rules applicable to the Tourist Core Area Plan;
- Room night reporting is required; and
- The prohibition on permit transfers is clarified to match existing practice, where a permit may be transferred into a family trust in which an owner is a trustee for estate planning purposes.
These amendments, combined with regulations in the 2025 adopted ordinance, include strict regulations to address community concerns with VHRs operating in residential neighborhoods.
The amended ordinance will take effect on April 23, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. Applications eligible under the amended ordinance will be accepted starting on the effective date. Applicants eligible under the current ordinance may submit an application at any time. Applications not eligible under the current ordinance and submitted before the effective date will be rejected.
Those who were previously disqualified due to the 150-foot buffer can reapply starting April 23, and not before.
For more information about the updated Vacation Home Rental Ordinance, please visit the City of South Lake Tahoe’s official website at: Vacation Home Rentals | South Lake Tahoe, CA – Official Website