North Lake Tahoe STR Regulations · Placer County
Placer County — the last real window on the CA side. For now.
Roughly 300–400 permits are left under the 3,900-permit cap as of mid-2026. I track this cap the same way I track off-market inventory — because it's the single biggest variable in whether a Placer County STR purchase pencils.
Where this applies: Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Tahoe Vista, Carnelian Bay, Homewood, part of Tahoma, Olympic Valley, Alpine Meadows, Northstar — Eastern Placer County, the jurisdiction behind most of North Shore's classic investor inventory.
The numbers I check before I write an offer
3,900 — total permit cap, countywide
~3,500 — issued as of mid-2026, leaving a few hundred open
No — permit does not transfer at sale; buyer applies fresh
None — no mandatory post-sale waiting period (unlike Truckee's 365 days)
10–13.5% — effective transient occupancy tax, depending on zone
What actually happens when you buy
The detail that catches out-of-area buyers most: a Placer STR permit dies the moment title transfers. The new owner applies as a fresh entrant — no waiting period like Truckee, but also no guarantee, since you're competing for whatever's left under the cap, not inheriting the seller's spot.
If a listing advertises "active STR income," I ask specifically whether the buyer needs a new permit at close, and I confirm the cap hasn't filled between offer and closing. That's a five-minute call that's saved my clients from a bad surprise more than once.
Occupancy & inspection rules
Nighttime occupancy runs 2 people per bedroom + 2, capped at 12 overnight guests (kids under 12 excluded). Daytime occupancy is 1.5× that. A passing defensible-space and fire-life-safety inspection is required within 12 months of application, then every 3 years. As of a January 2025 amendment, multiple STRs are now permitted on a single property under specific conditions — worth a second look if you're eyeing a multi-unit or duplex-style property.
Taxes — the number I model, not the number I quote
Tahoe Basin properties pay a 10% base TOT (8% countywide + 2% North Lake Tahoe surcharge). Add a TBID assessment — 2% in Zone 1 near the lake, 1% in Zone 2 — and a 1.5% MTC assessment for anything in the Olympic Valley/Alpine Meadows transit district. Depending on the parcel, your real guest-facing tax load runs 11–13.5%. I model the higher end until the zone is confirmed, not the headline 10%.
Bottom line
Placer is still the strongest remaining entry point on the California side — a real, finite number of slots, no post-sale wait working against you, and a liquid resale market for permitted STRs. The risk isn't red tape, it's timing. A property that pencils today assuming a permit is available may not pencil for the buyer who finds the cap just filled.
More county rules: All counties at a glance → · El Dorado County → · South Lake Tahoe →
Run your own numbers on the STR calculator →
Public regulatory information as of mid-2026, for general planning. Permit counts and rules change — confirm current status with Placer County before writing an offer. Not legal advice.