Short Term Vacation Rental Permitting

All short-term vacation rentals are subject to following the regulations of Tehachapi Municipal Code Section 8.68. This includes provisions for permitting, compliance, enforcement and revocation of permits.

Adopted by the Tehachapi City Council in 2021, Ordinance No. 21-03-761 approved the regulation of short-term vacation rental properties within the City of Tehachapi. The permit process is active and permits are required for operation of properties as a short-term vacation rentals.

The City of Tehachapi is supportive of this business practice and is eager to embrace the growing tourism interest in our community while at the same time ensuring these properties are not a disruption to their neighbors. 

Below is an application to operate a short-term vacation rental along with a business license application which is also required to operate within the City of Tehachapi.  Potential short-term rental operators must fill out both applications and pay applicable fees in order to schedule the required habitability inspection through our building department. A checklist of items that will be inspected is included below to assist you with this process. All operators will be required to renew both the business license and short-term rental permit on a yearly basis. 

In addition to regulating the short-term rental business practice, transient occupancy tax (hotel tax) is also applicable to any short-term rental property offering lodging to five or more occupants. Consistent with the municipal code definition of a hotel, all short-term rentals with two or more bedrooms are deemed to be offering lodging to five or more persons and will be subject to transient occupancy tax payable to the City of Tehachapi. That form and payment, if applicable to your property, is also included below and can be remitted with the other items. 

Short Term Rental Permit Application

Business Tax Certificate (Business License) Application

Short Term Rental Inspection Checklist

For The Short-Term Rentals with two or more bedrooms:

Short Term Rental Quarterly Return Form