Short-term rentals are legal in parts of Mammoth Lakes, but not everywhere. The town zoning code defines areas that allow transient rentals. A CPAN certification is required to advertise or rent stays under 31 days. BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7. The owner handles town certification, ads and taxes. Local contacts and cleaning services stay local.
The town states its zoning exclusions plainly.
“While the areas within Town that are zoned to allow Transient Rentals are expansive, there are important exclusions designated by TOML MC § 17.16 and the associated Town Zoning Map .”
Source: Zoning exclusions
What this means for you: Some areas in town are zoned to allow transient rentals. The zoning code and map also list exclusions. Check the zoning rules for your own address. Do not assume your building allows short stays.
A certification called a CPAN is the core town requirement.
“A Certified Property Authorization Number (CPAN) is required to advertise or rent any property for periods of less than 31 days. The CPAN verifies that the property has passed inspection and complies with all health, safety, zoning, and tax compliance standards in accordance with current TOML Municipal Code.”
Source: CPAN requirement and purpose
What this means for you: You need a CPAN to advertise or rent stays under 31 days. The CPAN verifies the property passed inspection by a town-approved inspector. The property must meet health, safety, zoning and tax standards. A pending application is not permission to host.
What Is Restricted in Mammoth Lakes
A CPAN is required to advertise or rent any property for periods of less than 31 days, and every individual property must be approved as a Certified Property.
“Every individual property that is intended for use as a Transient rental must be approved as Certified Property.”
Source: Every property needs approval
What this means for you: Each home or unit must be approved by the town. Approval for one unit does not cover another. Do not assume any address qualifies without town approval.
How to Check Your Address and Certification Path
Before you advertise or rent for less than 31 days, check whether your address is zoned for transient rentals.
“Check out the Town Zoning Map , the Zoning Reference Guide , or the interactive, online TOT Property Search Tool to find out if an address, APN, or complex is zoned for transient rentals.”
Source: Address zoning tools
What this means for you: You can check your address, APN or complex. Use the zoning map, the reference guide or the online tool. A tool result is only a starting point. The town still has to approve the property before you host.
The certification path starts with a self-check and an inspection.
“Complete a self-check using the Town’s Certified Property Inspection Checklist Schedule the required inspection by a Town-approved inspector”
What this means for you: First complete a self-check with the town checklist. Then schedule the required inspection by a town-approved inspector. Wait for real approval before you advertise the property.
What the City Requires Where Rentals Are Allowed
The application asks for local people and services.
“Contact information (including your 24-hour local contact and cleaning service businesses)”
What this means for you: You must give contact details in the application. Include a contact who can be reached 24 hours locally. Also include the cleaning service businesses you use.
A CPAN runs on the calendar year.
“A CPAN is valid throughout the calendar year and must be renewed annually.”
Source: Annual CPAN renewal
What this means for you: A CPAN stays valid throughout the calendar year. You must renew the certification every single year. Plan your renewal before the calendar year ends.
Renewal carries a fee.
“The annual cost to renew a certified property is $250.00”
What this means for you: Renewing a certified property costs money every year. The exact amount appears in the town quote above. Budget for this fee with your yearly renewal.
Ownership changes affect certification.
“a Certified Property Authorization Number (CPAN) is not transferable. If a property is sold, transferred, or changes ownership in any way, the new owner must submit a new application for certification and obtain a new CPAN. The original CPAN becomes invalid upon transfer of ownership.”
What this means for you: A CPAN cannot transfer to a different owner. Selling or transferring the property invalidates the original number. Any change of ownership also invalidates the old CPAN. The new owner must apply for a new CPAN.
Ads must show the CPAN.
“Currently the only number that is required to be posted in short-term rental ads is the CPAN. There is no longer a requirement to post the BTC, and doing so in place of a CPAN would be considered out of compliance with the Towns Municipal Code.”
Source: CPAN rather than BTC in ads
What this means for you: The CPAN is the number required in short-term rental ads. The BTC is no longer required in ads. Posting the BTC instead of a CPAN is noncompliant. Make sure each of your listings shows the CPAN.
Owners who run the rental business themselves have extra duties.
“If you, as the owner, elect to run the business of Short-Term Rentals at your own Certified Property then YES you will also need a Business Tax Certificate as you will then be responsible for the filing of, and remittance of all taxes due to the TOML related to such business activities on a monthly basis.”
What this means for you: This rule applies to owners running the business at their own certified property. Those owners also need a Business Tax Certificate for that work. They must file and remit all related town taxes monthly. This is one specific scenario, not a rule for every owner.
Taxes
The town charges a transient occupancy tax.
“Transient Occupancy Tax, or TOT, is a 15% tax that is charged “for the privilege of occupancy of any transient occupancy facility” ( Town of Mammoth Lakes Municipal Code § 3.12 ). The tax is required to be paid by the guest to the operator of the transient facility at the time that the rent is paid. It is the operator’s responsibility to remit the TOT to the Town.”
Source: City TOT and remittance
What this means for you: TOT is a 15% tax charged for the privilege of occupancy. The guest pays it to the operator when rent is paid. The operator must then remit the TOT to the town. Collecting the tax is not enough by itself.
Required guest fees are taxable too.
“In addition to the rent paid for each night of a transient stay (less than 31 days) other fees are also subject to TOT. Any required fee that a guest must pay in order to stay at a transient facility is taxable.”
What this means for you: Stays under 31 days fall under this tax rule. Any required guest fee is also subject to the tax. Include those fees when you figure the TOT you owe.
The platform pages checked for this guide list no Mammoth Lakes city-specific tax entry. That absence does not prove either platform does not collect at your address. Check your own listing settings.
| Platform | Owner tax duty | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | “Hosts may need to manually collect and remit other applicable taxes on their stay or experience price.” (Source: Airbnb owner tax responsibility) | “If we collect taxes for your area, you’ll see a tax collection setting on the page. If there isn’t a section for local tax collection under Taxes , we don’t automatically collect and pay on your behalf for that listing.” (Source: Airbnb listing tax setting check) |
| VRBO | “You’re also responsible for collecting and remitting lodging taxes when we’re not liable to do so.” (Source: Vrbo owner tax responsibility) | Check your listing tax settings with VRBO |
What this means for you: Airbnb says hosts may need to collect and remit other applicable taxes. Those taxes apply to the stay or experience price. On Airbnb, look for a local tax section under Taxes. If that section is missing, Airbnb does not collect and pay for that listing. On VRBO, you collect and remit lodging taxes when VRBO is not liable.
If Your Address Qualifies: What BnBGenius Does
This section is for an owner who checked the address and local rules with the town. BnBGenius does not know local rules. BnBGenius does not issue licenses or permits. Local certification, advertising duties, taxes and required local people remain the owner’s responsibility.
Answers Guest Messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7
BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7.
If you want help with guest messaging, see the guide to automated Airbnb messages. VRBO hosts can read about automated VRBO messages. Late-night message habits are covered in this guide for hosts.
Requests a Review from the Guest and Publishes the Host’s Review
BnBGenius requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review.
Kent Morgan shared this on reviews.
“We went from reviewing 40% of stays to 100% overnight. The AI even thanked guests for things we fixed mid-stay. Our review-to-review rate jumped immediately.”
Source: Kent reviews
Read the reviews guide for more information.
Creates Cleaning and Repair Tasks After Checkout
BnBGenius creates cleaning and repair tasks after checkout.
Kent Morgan shared this on tasks.
“We used to find out about issues in post-stay reviews. Now BnBGenius flags them mid-stay, creates the task, and our cleaners respond in under 15 minutes.”
Source: Kent tasks
Read the tasks guide for more information.
Answers Guest Calls with a Voice AI Agent
BnBGenius answers guest calls with a voice AI agent.
Kent Morgan shared this on the voice agent.
“The concierge answered 84% of our after-hours calls last month without waking anyone up. Guests thought it was our in-house team the whole time.”
Source: Kent voice
Read the voice guide for more information.
Sells Gap Nights, Early Check-in and Late Checkout
BnBGenius sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout.
Is Run from Telegram
BnBGenius is run from Telegram.
Read the Telegram guide for more information. If you are weighing software choices, see whether you need an Airbnb PMS. Read the Airbnb accounting and tax software guide for more information.
Airbnb and VRBO
This table compares the two platforms for routine hosting work. Local duties stay with you in both cases.
| Task | Airbnb | VRBO |
|---|---|---|
| Guest messages | BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7. | BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and VRBO 24/7. |
| Reviews | BnBGenius requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review. | BnBGenius requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review. |
| Check-in and checkout | BnBGenius sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout. | BnBGenius sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout. |
| Listing details | The CPAN is required in ads; the BTC is not. | The CPAN is required in ads; the BTC is not. |
| Taxes | Check the local tax section under Taxes for your listing. | Collect and remit lodging taxes when VRBO is not liable. |
How to Start
Rules and rates last checked on 23 October 2026.
