Ahwahnee, California

Short term rentals are legal in Ahwahnee, an unincorporated community governed by Madera County rather than a city government. STRs are permitted in all residential zone districts; a 2017 county clarification confirmed that renting an entire single-family dwelling is a permitted use regardless of tenure or length of stay, and there is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement for standard STRs. Bed and breakfast operations are a separate category and do require an owner or manager living on-site.

Operators must register annually for a Transient Occupancy Tax certificate and obtain a county business license, renewed each year. The occupancy tax rate is 9%, and combined with a 2.5% Tourism Business Improvement District assessment (per the county’s regulations summary), the total guest facing tax load runs to 11.5% on stays of 30 days or less. New applicants must also pass a paid fire inspection, priced at $196 for 2026, before a permit is processed.

Enforcement is rated moderate. It is complaint driven, but the county has hired an outside firm to identify unlicensed listings and send compliance letters, and code enforcement responds to noise, trash, and parking complaints with administrative citations for unregistered or non-compliant operators.

Note for buyers: a stricter dedicated short-term vacation rental permit ordinance was in draft as of a Planning Commission workshop on August 6, 2025, proposing occupancy limits, parking, noise, trash, and fire safety standards plus a new non-transferable permit. As of the last update, this draft ordinance had not been adopted by the Board of Supervisors, so buyers should confirm current status directly with the Madera County Planning Division before purchasing.