Important context: Highland, CA is a city within San Bernardino County. Within city limits, short-term rental (STR) operations are governed by the City of Highland’s municipal code; however, no Highland-specific STR regulations were provided in the content reviewed. In contrast, San Bernardino County (SBC) administers a mature STR program for properties in unincorporated mountain and desert regions of the county. Where city-specific rules are unavailable, county-level and state-level requirements apply. All information below is drawn strictly from the provided sources.

Overview and Explicit Allowability

• Are STRs allowed in Highland, CA?
  • City of Highland: The content reviewed does not include Highland’s municipal STR rules. If your property is within Highland city limits, contact the City of Highland directly to confirm whether STRs are permitted and what permits or business licenses are required.
  • Unincorporated San Bernardino County (SBC): Yes—STRs are allowed in the Mountain and Desert regions only, with a valid county permit, for occupancies of 30 days or less.
• SBC prohibits STRs in multifamily structures (e.g., apartments), yurts, travel trailers, and RVs. Whole-home, partial-home, ADUs (in some cases), guest houses, condominiums, and single-family or duplex units may be permitted subject to zoning and other codes.
• Transient occupancy is defined as 30 consecutive calendar days or less. An owner/manager must provide a 24/7 contact number for complaint resolution.

Sources:

• SBC STR portal (allowability, regions, definitions, structure restrictions) [Home] [About STR]
• Airbnb’s summary of SBC requirements and permit process for unincorporated communities [Airbnb Help – SBC]

How to Start an STR Business in This Market

The following steps reflect the SBC process for unincorporated mountain/desert properties. For Highland city properties, confirm local requirements with the city before proceeding.

• Step 1: Eligibility verification
  • Confirm your property is in an SBC unincorporated Mountain or Desert region (city limits do not qualify under SBC).
  • Confirm the unit type is allowed (single-family, duplex, condo, guest house, ADU in some cases; no apartments, yurts, travel trailers, RVs).
• Step 2: Prepare application and documentation
  • Submit an online application through the County’s portal and pay the $667 initial application fee.
  • Obtain a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Registration Certificate from the County Tax Collector to collect the 7% tax.
  • Owner must complete the Interior Checklist & Owner Acknowledgement to self-certify interior safety and compliance items.
• Step 3: Inspection
  • A Code Enforcement Officer will conduct an exterior inspection to verify compliance with applicable Fire, Building, Zoning, and Health & Safety codes.
• Step 4: Listing and ongoing obligations
  • Add your SBC permit number to your listing(s).
  • Renew annually with a $600 renewal fee and re-inspection.
  • Maintain the 24/7 complaint contact, comply with noise and occupancy limits, and avoid commercial activities (e.g., weddings, corporate retreats, parties) unless separately permitted.
• Step 5: Enforcement risk management
  • Operating without a permit can result in fines of $1,000 per day.

Sources:

• SBC permit and process details [About STR]
• SBC fees and permit renewal requirements, penalties, and TOT application [Airbnb Help – SBC]

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

• San Bernardino County (Unincorporated Mountain/Desert)
  • Short-Term Rental Permit (issued by Code Enforcement).
  • Interior Checklist & Owner Acknowledgement (self-certification of interior safety).
  • TOT Registration Certificate (7% tax collection).
  • Outdoor Noise Monitoring Program (if applicable, per SBC announcements).
• State of California
  • No state-level STR permit is required; however, operators must comply with local regulations and state-level requirements (e.g., tax remittance). If you lease, ensure subletting is permitted by your lease and/or HOA rules.
• Highland, CA (City)
  • City-specific licensing/permitting requirements are not available in the provided content. If operating within city limits, contact the City of Highland for its STR ordinance, permits, and business licensing rules.

Sources:

• SBC Interior Checklist link and inspection requirements [Airbnb Help – SBC]
• SBC application portal and permit process [Home]
• SBC TOT references and links [Airbnb Help – SBC]

Specific Regulations: City, County, and State

• City of Highland, CA
  • City-specific STR rules were not provided. Operators within city limits should confirm requirements with Highland municipal authorities.
• County (San Bernardino County – Unincorporated)
  • Allowed regions: Mountain and Desert only.
  • Permitted structures: Single-family dwellings, duplexes, condominiums, guest houses, a room in a dwelling, and some accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
  • Prohibited structures: Multifamily apartments, yurts, travel trailers, RVs.
  • Occupancy: 30 days or less.
  • Safety and operational standards:
    • Occupancy limits enforced.
    • Owner/manager 24/7 contact number required for complaint resolution.
    • Compliance with Fire, Building, Zoning, and Health & Safety codes.
    • Compliance with County Noise Ordinance (including outdoor noise monitoring program references).
    • No commercial activities (e.g., weddings, retreats, meetings, parties, filming) unless separately permitted.
  • Enforcement:
    • Annual permit renewal with $600 fee and re-inspection.
    • Operating without a permit: $1,000/day fine.
    • 24/7 complaint hotline: 1-833-SBC-STR1 (1-833-722-7871).
  • TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax): 7% on guest payments for stays under 30 days.
• State of California
  • No statewide STR permit; local rules (city or county) govern operations.
  • Tax obligations: Local TOT may apply (here, SBC’s 7% TOT).
  • Compliance with relevant health, safety, building, and zoning codes applies regardless of city or county jurisdiction.
  • If leasing, confirm subletting is allowed; comply with HOA/condo rules.

Sources:

• SBC definitions, permitted/prohibited structures, operational standards [About STR]
• Fees, penalties, TOT application process, listing inclusion, and annual renewal [Airbnb Help – SBC]
• 24/7 complaint hotline and inspection/enforcement information [Home]

Contact Information and Key Portals

• San Bernardino County Short-Term Rentals
  • Website: str.sbcounty.gov/
  • Email: shorttermrental@lus.sbcounty.gov
  • Physical Address: San Bernardino County Code Enforcement, 268 W. Hospitality Lane, Suite 300, San Bernardino, CA 92415
  • 24/7 Complaint Hotline: 1-833-SBC-STR1 (1-833-722-7871)
  • Permitted STR Map: str.sbcounty.gov/permitted-str-properties/
  • Apply for a Permit: ezop.sbcounty.gov/citizenaccess/
  • SBC Outdoor Noise Monitoring Program: str.sbcounty.gov/outdoor-noise-monitoring-system/
  • Subscribe to SBC STR updates: service.govdelivery.com/accounts/CASANBE/subscriber/new?topic_id=CASANBE_664
• County Tax Collector (TOT Registration Certificate)
  • Application link (per Airbnb Help): www.mytaxcollector.com/_content/TR/TOTApplication.pdf
  • TOT reference (per Airbnb Help): www.mytaxcollector.com/_content/TR/tot14-0203.pdf
• City of Highland, CA
  • City-specific STR contact details were not provided in the reviewed content. Highland is within San Bernardino County; if your property is within city limits, contact the City of Highland for municipal STR requirements.

Sources:

• SBC contact and hotline, permit portal, map [Home]
• TOT application and reference links (for county tax remittance) [Airbnb Help – SBC]

Source Pages

• San Bernardino County Short-Term Rentals – Home: str.sbcounty.gov/
• San Bernardino County Short-Term Rentals – About STR: str.sbcounty.gov/about-str/
• Airbnb Help – San Bernardino County, CA: www.airbnb.com/help/article/2469

Notes:

• City-specific Highland rules were not present in the provided content. Verify Highland municipal requirements before operating within city limits.
• SBC regulations only apply to unincorporated Mountain and Desert areas; properties in incorporated cities follow those cities’ rules.