Big Bear Lake Short-Term Rental Regulations
| Permit | ✓ Required · $605 |
| Permit renewal | Period: Renewal of the vacation rental license is required annually. |
| Tax | Combined rate: 13% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT): 10% Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District: 3% |
| Penalty | Maximum penalty: Renting or advertising a rental property without a valid current license: The first violation is $1,500, the second violation within 12 months is $2,500, and the third violation within 12 months is $5,000 (see Penalties) |
| Insurance | ✓ Required |
New to short-term rentals? Jump to the compliance checklist →
Permit & Licensing
Vacation Rental License
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial cost | $605 |
Renewal: Renewal of the vacation rental license is required annually.
Application Process
Submit a Vacation Rental Program Registration Application with supporting documentation online. New applicants are required to provide proof of ownership (recorded deed or final closing statement from escrow). If ownership is under a trust, LLC, etc., documentation must be included to show all people involved with that entity (operating agreement, trust documents, etc.). Applicants must also include proof of current liability insurance coverage for the vacation rental (insurance declaration pages). The documentation listed above must be attached during the online application process or the application will be denied. Pay the registration fee of $605 at the end of the online application. Note: Do not remit the application and payment if the home is not ready for an inspection process at the time of remittance. Once the City receives your initial application, you will be required to complete an inspection process. Please be advised, the registration and inspection process can take 2-4 weeks to complete. You are NOT allowed to rent your home during this period. All agents (check-in, 24/7 response, and management company staff) and owners (except those who hire a full-service management company and never rent the property on their own) must be certified by the City annually. Certification is currently in the form of a 25 question exam that must be passed with a 100% score.
Tax Obligations
| Tax | Rate | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) | 10% | City of Big Bear Lake |
| Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District | 3% | City of Big Bear Lake |
Combined rate: 13%
Collection: Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and the Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District assessment (BBLTBID) are remitted by the owner/operator to the City on a monthly basis. Click the link below to report your TOT/TBID and remit payment on our new online portal GovPilot! At this time, Airbnb agreed to collect and remit TOT Only. Therefore, owners utilizing Airbnb will still be required to remit BBLTBID forms and payments directly to the City. Evolve and VRBO/HomeAway.com have agreed to collect and remit both TOT and BBLTBID on behalf of their owners; however, owners/operators are still obligated to collect and remit TOT and BBLTBID directly to the City for reservations booked outside an online platform. Owners/operators are still required to submit an online TOT/BBLTBID form on a monthly basis to report the number of stays, number of nights booked, and gross income even if an online booking platform (i.e. AirBnB, VRBO, HomeAway, Evolve, etc.) remit all or some of the payments on their behalf. A form must also be remitted for months that have no income (zero remittance). If you need a paper remittance form, please email your request to [email protected].
Filing: TOT/BBLTBID remittances are due the last day of the month, following the end of the reporting month.
Occupancy & Density Limits
Occupancy shall not exceed two adults per bedroom, plus two additional adults, not including persons under eighteen (18) years of age: but the total number of persons, including persons under eighteen (18) years of age, may not exceed one person per two hundred (200) square feet of living space or sixteen (16) persons, whichever is less.
Insurance
Liability insurance is required for the property's use as a short-term rental.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
- Renting or advertising a rental property without a valid current license: The first violation is $1,500, the second violation within 12 months is $2,500, and the third violation within 12 months is $5,000. The fine structure related to violations of Section 4.01.060 Operational Requirements, is $500 for the first violation, $1,000 for the second violation within 12 months, and $1,500 for the third violation within 12 months.
Platform Requirements
The license shall be conspicuously posted inside of the vacation-rental property and the license number shall be included on all advertisements or solicitations for the vacation-rental property, including, but not limited to hosting sites, websites, social media postings, emails, and print ads.
Compliance Checklist
- Apply for the permit
- $605
- How to apply: Submit a Vacation Rental Program Registration Application with supporting documentation online. New applicants are required to provide proof of ownership (recorded deed or final closing statement from escrow). If ownership is under a trust, LLC, etc., documentation must be included to show all people involved with that entity (operating agreement, trust documents, etc.). Applicants must also include proof of current liability insurance coverage for the vacation rental (insurance declaration pages). The documentation listed above must be attached during the online application process or the application will be denied. Pay the registration fee of $605 at the end of the online application. Note: Do not remit the application and payment if the home is not ready for an inspection process at the time of remittance. Once the City receives your initial application, you will be required to complete an inspection process. Please be advised, the registration and inspection process can take 2-4 weeks to complete. You are NOT allowed to rent your home during this period. All agents (check-in, 24/7 response, and management company staff) and owners (except those who hire a full-service management company and never rent the property on their own) must be certified by the City annually. Certification is currently in the form of a 25 question exam that must be passed with a 100% score.
- Register for tax
- Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District: register with City of Big Bear Lake
- Collect and remit tax
- Combined rate: 13%
- Filing schedule: TOT/BBLTBID remittances are due the last day of the month, following the end of the reporting month.
- How the tax is collected: Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and the Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District assessment (BBLTBID) are remitted by the owner/operator to the City on a monthly basis. Click the link below to report your TOT/TBID and remit payment on our new online portal GovPilot! At this time, Airbnb agreed to collect and remit TOT Only. Therefore, owners utilizing Airbnb will still be required to remit BBLTBID forms and payments directly to the City. Evolve and VRBO/HomeAway.com have agreed to collect and remit both TOT and BBLTBID on behalf of their owners; however, owners/operators are still obligated to collect and remit TOT and BBLTBID directly to the City for reservations booked outside an online platform. Owners/operators are still required to submit an online TOT/BBLTBID form on a monthly basis to report the number of stays, number of nights booked, and gross income even if an online booking platform (i.e. AirBnB, VRBO, HomeAway, Evolve, etc.) remit all or some of the payments on their behalf. A form must also be remitted for months that have no income (zero remittance). If you need a paper remittance form, please email your request to [email protected].
- Renew your permit
- Renewal period: Renewal of the vacation rental license is required annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do you need a permit to run a short-term rental in Big Bear Lake?
Yes.
Permit: Vacation Rental License
How to apply: Submit a Vacation Rental Program Registration Application with supporting documentation online. New applicants are required to provide proof of ownership (recorded deed or final closing statement from escrow). If ownership is under a trust, LLC, etc., documentation must be included to show all people involved with that entity (operating agreement, trust documents, etc.). Applicants must also include proof of current liability insurance coverage for the vacation rental (insurance declaration pages). The documentation listed above must be attached during the online application process or the application will be denied. Pay the registration fee of $605 at the end of the online application. Note: Do not remit the application and payment if the home is not ready for an inspection process at the time of remittance. Once the City receives your initial application, you will be required to complete an inspection process. Please be advised, the registration and inspection process can take 2-4 weeks to complete. You are NOT allowed to rent your home during this period. All agents (check-in, 24/7 response, and management company staff) and owners (except those who hire a full-service management company and never rent the property on their own) must be certified by the City annually. Certification is currently in the form of a 25 question exam that must be passed with a 100% score.
- How much does a short-term rental permit cost in Big Bear Lake?
Initial fee (Vacation Rental License): $605
Renewal period (Vacation Rental License): Renewal of the vacation rental license is required annually.
- What taxes do you pay on a short-term rental in Big Bear Lake?
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT): 10%
Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District: 3%
Combined rate: 13%
Filing schedule: TOT/BBLTBID remittances are due the last day of the month, following the end of the reporting month.
How the tax is collected: Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and the Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District assessment (BBLTBID) are remitted by the owner/operator to the City on a monthly basis. Click the link below to report your TOT/TBID and remit payment on our new online portal GovPilot! At this time, Airbnb agreed to collect and remit TOT Only. Therefore, owners utilizing Airbnb will still be required to remit BBLTBID forms and payments directly to the City. Evolve and VRBO/HomeAway.com have agreed to collect and remit both TOT and BBLTBID on behalf of their owners; however, owners/operators are still obligated to collect and remit TOT and BBLTBID directly to the City for reservations booked outside an online platform. Owners/operators are still required to submit an online TOT/BBLTBID form on a monthly basis to report the number of stays, number of nights booked, and gross income even if an online booking platform (i.e. AirBnB, VRBO, HomeAway, Evolve, etc.) remit all or some of the payments on their behalf. A form must also be remitted for months that have no income (zero remittance). If you need a paper remittance form, please email your request to [email protected].
- What are the penalties for short-term rental violations in Big Bear Lake?
Maximum penalty: Renting or advertising a rental property without a valid current license: The first violation is $1,500, the second violation within 12 months is $2,500, and the third violation within 12 months is $5,000
Penalty: Renting or advertising a rental property without a valid current license: The first violation is $1,500, the second violation within 12 months is $2,500, and the third violation within 12 months is $5,000. The fine structure related to violations of Section 4.01.060 Operational Requirements, is $500 for the first violation, $1,000 for the second violation within 12 months, and $1,500 for the third violation within 12 months.
Tools for Short-Term Rental Hosts
AdServices that help hosts handle the legal, management, pricing, and cleaning side of a short-term rental.