What to Check Before Buying a Big Bear STR Property

What should you verify before buying a short-term rental in Big Bear Lake?

Before you buy a Big Bear property to run as a short-term rental, confirm one thing first: whether it sits inside the City of Big Bear Lake (zip 92315) or in unincorporated San Bernardino County (much of Big Bear City 92314, Fawnskin, Sugarloaf, and Erwin Lake). The two jurisdictions have completely different permit programs, occupancy limits, and taxes. From there, verify that the home can actually be permitted, that any existing permit does not transfer with the sale, and that the occupancy, parking, and septic realities support the nightly numbers you are counting on.

By Rachael Smith-Meadors | August 2026

Buying a vacation rental in Big Bear is not the same as buying a cabin you love. You are buying a small business, and the rules that govern that business change depending on which side of an invisible line the front door sits on.

I walk investors through this every week, and the pattern is always the same. People fall for the house, then find out later that it can't be permitted the way they assumed, or that the seller's active permit evaporates the day escrow closes. The good news is that all of this is knowable before you write an offer. Here's exactly what to check.

First question: city or county?

This is the single most important fact about any Big Bear STR, and it is the one buyers get wrong most often.

City of Big Bear Lake (92315) runs its own Transient Private Home Rental (TPHR) program with its own license, its own occupancy math, and its own lodging tax. Unincorporated San Bernardino County — which covers a large share of Big Bear City, plus Fawnskin, Sugarloaf, and Erwin Lake — runs a separate county Short-Term Residential Rental permit program with different limits and a different tax rate.

A "Big Bear" address tells you almost nothing on its own. Two homes a few hundred feet apart can fall under different governments with different rulebooks. Before you get attached to a property, confirm the jurisdiction with the parcel number, then map that to the correct program. I keep a running list of Big Bear STR-eligible homes so buyers can start from properties that can actually be permitted, rather than falling for one that can't.

Here is how the two programs compare on the points that decide your deal:

City of Big Bear Lake (92315)

• A TPHR license is required. An owner may hold no more than two licenses (owners who held more than two as of September 16, 2021 may keep renewing those).
• Occupancy runs two adults per bedroom plus two additional adults, not counting anyone under 18 — capped at one person per 200 square feet of living space, or 16 people, whichever is fewer.
• Lodging tax is 10% Transient Occupancy Tax (as of January 1, 2025) plus a 3% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment, for 13% total collected from guests.
• All guest parking must fit in legal on-site spaces. Street parking for guests is prohibited.
• Quiet hours run 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., including spa use.

Unincorporated San Bernardino County (much of 92314, Fawnskin, Sugarloaf, Erwin Lake)

• A county Short-Term Residential Rental permit is required. Recent county fees run about $1,144 for a new permit (effective July 1, 2025) with a lower annual renewal.
• Permit limits are parcel-based: generally one permit per parcel under two acres, two per parcel of two-plus acres, with owners capped around two active permits.
• Overnight occupancy is capped near 12 guests, scaled to the size of the dwelling.
• County Transient Occupancy Tax is 7%. Watch for changes — county measures have been proposed that could raise that rate.
• Operating without a valid permit carries penalties in the range of $1,000 per day.

Ordinances in both jurisdictions change, sometimes fast. Treat every number above as a starting point to confirm, not gospel — verify the current rules directly with the City of Big Bear Lake and San Bernardino County before you commit. My overview of Big Bear short-term rental rules stays current, but the government sources are the final word.

The permit does not come with the house

This is the trap that costs buyers the most.

In both the city and the county, an STR permit is tied to the owner, not the property. When the home sells, the seller's license automatically expires, and you — the new owner — have to apply for your own. A listing that advertises "active STR permit" or "grossed $90K last year" is describing the seller's business, not a license you inherit.

So the question is never "does this house have a permit?" The real question is "can I get a permit for this house, at the occupancy I need, on my timeline?"

That distinction matters most where programs are near their limits or where a specific parcel has compliance history. Confirm the property is eligible, confirm no code violations or revocations are attached to it, and confirm you can apply and be approved before your first booked weekend. My guide to how Big Bear STR permits work breaks the application steps down for both jurisdictions.

Your pre-purchase STR due-diligence checklist

Run these steps in order, before you remove contingencies.

1. Confirm the jurisdiction. Use the parcel number to establish whether the home is in the City of Big Bear Lake or unincorporated county. Everything else depends on this answer.
2. Confirm permit eligibility. Verify with the correct agency that a new permit can be issued for this specific parcel — not just that permits exist in the area generally.
3. Check the per-owner and per-parcel caps. If you already hold Big Bear licenses, or the parcel already carries the maximum, a second permit may not be available to you.
4. Do the occupancy math yourself. Apply the correct formula to the actual bedroom count and square footage. Your revenue model lives and dies on the guest count you can legally sleep.
5. Verify bedrooms against septic. Many Big Bear homes are on septic, not sewer. A room marketed as a bedroom only counts if the septic system and permits support it. Confirm the septic-rated bedroom count, request recent pumping and inspection records, and match that to your advertised occupancy.
6. Measure the parking. Both programs require guests to park on-site in legal spaces. Count the legal spaces in winter conditions, when snow storage eats driveways. Too few spaces can cap your occupancy or draw complaints.
7. Read the HOA and CC&Rs. A city or county permit means nothing if the HOA bans short-term rentals or sets a minimum stay. Some Big Bear associations restrict or prohibit nightly rentals outright. Get the CC&Rs in writing during your contingency period.
8. Pull the compliance history. Ask whether the parcel has any STR violations, revocations, or open code cases that could complicate a new application.
9. Model realistic revenue. Build your numbers on conservative occupancy and the correct tax rate for your jurisdiction, then subtract the real costs.
10. Verify current rules at the source. Confirm every regulation with the City of Big Bear Lake or San Bernardino County the same week you write your offer, because these ordinances move.

Run realistic revenue numbers — not the highlight reel

I can't promise you what a property will earn, and you should be skeptical of anyone who does. Rental income depends on the calendar, the competition, your management, the weather, and rules that can shift mid-year. What I can tell you is how to pressure-test a number so it holds up.

Start with the occupancy you can legally advertise, not the number of beds you can cram in. A home you thought sleeps 12 might cap at 8 once you apply the correct formula and the septic reality — and that changes your nightly rate and your whole model.

Then subtract the full cost stack: the correct lodging tax for your jurisdiction, permit and renewal fees, management (typically 20% to 30% if you don't self-manage), cleaning, utilities in a climate that swings from summer heat to hard winter, snow removal, higher insurance for a rental, and ongoing maintenance on a house that hosts strangers every weekend.

Location inside Big Bear matters too — proximity to the slopes, the lake, and the Village drives demand differently across neighborhoods. If you're weighing where to buy, my breakdown of the best Big Bear STR neighborhoods walks through how location shapes both permitting and bookings.

This is exactly the kind of analysis I run with clients before they write an offer — matching a specific parcel to its jurisdiction, its permit path, its legal occupancy, and a revenue model that survives a slow February.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a short-term rental permit transfer to me when I buy the property?

No. In both the City of Big Bear Lake and unincorporated San Bernardino County, the permit is tied to the owner and expires when the home is sold. As the new owner, you must apply for your own permit before renting, regardless of the seller's history.

Can every home in Big Bear be used as a short-term rental?

No. Eligibility depends on the jurisdiction, per-owner and per-parcel permit limits, and any HOA rules. A property in the city, the county, or an HOA can each carry restrictions that block or cap nightly rentals, so eligibility has to be confirmed parcel by parcel before you buy.

What's the difference between renting in the City of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City?

The City of Big Bear Lake (92315) is an incorporated city with its own TPHR license, its own occupancy formula, and a 13% total lodging tax. Much of Big Bear City (92314) is unincorporated San Bernardino County, with a separate county permit, different occupancy caps, and a 7% county tax. They are different governments with different rules.

How many guests can a Big Bear short-term rental sleep?

It depends on the jurisdiction and the home. The City of Big Bear Lake allows two adults per bedroom plus two more, capped at one person per 200 square feet or 16 people, whichever is fewer. The county caps overnight occupancy near 12, scaled to dwelling size. Septic capacity can lower those numbers further.

Do I have to worry about septic when buying a Big Bear STR?

Often, yes. Many Big Bear homes run on septic rather than sewer, and the septic-rated bedroom count can limit how many guests you can legally host. Confirm the septic capacity, permits, and recent service records during your contingency period, and match them to your advertised occupancy.

If you're weighing a Big Bear STR purchase, I'm happy to walk you through the specific property — jurisdiction, permit path, legal occupancy, and a revenue model that holds up. Reach out anytime at 909.744.2190 or www.buyinbigbearlake.com, and verify current rules with the City of Big Bear Lake and San Bernardino County before you commit.

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About Rachael Smith-Meadors
Rachael Smith-Meadors is a Broker Associate with RE/MAX Big Bear, serving buyers, sellers, and STR investors across Big Bear Lake and the surrounding mountain communities. With 10+ years in the business and a YouTube channel followed by 160,000+ people researching the market, she helps clients understand what's actually happening in Big Bear before they buy, sell, or list. Connect with her at buyinbigbearlake.com.