Lake County
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Lodging Unit?
A Lodging Unit, also known as a vacation rental, is the rental of a legally licensed dwelling for periods of less than 30 consecutive days per occurrence.
What is Lodging tax?
This is a 5% bed tax on your gross lodging rents that you collect from your guests and remit to Lake County. Hotels also pay this tax. Gross rent includes all consideration received for occupancy including all non-optional fees (other than taxes) such as booking/reservation fees, cleaning fees, pet charges, fees for extra vehicles, people & beds, etc.
When is the Lodging tax due?
Lodging tax payments are due monthly no later than the 30th of the month (or the last day of the month if there are not 30 days within that month) following the end of the prior month. If there was no rental activity for the entire month, you are still required to submit the completed Lodging Tax Form.
Is this a new tax that Lake County is collecting?
No. This is not a new tax. This bed tax has been in effect since 1989. Lake County has implemented a new software program to help us with the collection of this bed tax. This is a tax you will be charging to your guests upon their stay of 30 days or less and remitting to Lake County via this new website.
Why do I have to pay taxes on my personal property when renting it to others?
When you are renting out any portion of your home to guests, you are now running a business out of your house and bed taxes must be collected from your guests and remitted back to Lake County.
How are penalties and interest calculated on late payments?
Penalties: If you are delinquent one month, the penalty is 10% of the tax due
Interest: 3% of taxes due per month beginning the first day of delinquency
What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover & American Express with a convenience fee of 2.5% of the tax remitted or a minimum of $2.00, whichever is less.
Additionally, we accept e-check payments. A convenience fee will not be assessed for e-check transactions.
I need to close my account. What do I do?
Please email Nicole.scheibelhoffer@lakecountyohio.gov with your closure date and the reason you are closing your account.
Can I manage multiple properties with one login?
Yes. To do so, click “Add Accounts” from your user login under “Manage Your Accounts”. You will need your 6-digit account number and your activation code to connect to an existing property record.
Can a property have more than one user?
Yes. Each property can have an unlimited number of users. Each user is required to provide the 6-digit account number and the activation code to be authorized to connect to an existing property record.
Can I get my activation code if I misplaced my information?
Yes. Please email Nicole.scheibelhoffer@lakecountyohio.gov for assistance. You will need to confirm account details to be verified for the account. To protect the security of your account, you will need written permission from the registered owner of the property for us to provide you with the activation code.
I forgot my password. What do I do?
From the Login page, click the “Forgot your Password” link and follow the instructions that will be emailed to the User’s registered email address.
If you have any questions not answered above, please go to the following link:
https://www.lakecountyohio.gov/LodgingUnit/
For WEBSITE Assistance ONLY, Contact
GovOS Support
Blt.str.support@govos.com
(888)751-1911
When contacting support, be sure to include the jurisdiction (Lake County) and your account number in all emails or voicemails. This will help them assist you as promptly as possible.
