Short-Term Rental Regulations · Southern California and Coachella Valley
Is Coachella Valley short-term-rental friendly?
Ranges from permitted to banned
It depends on the city. Rancho Mirage bans short-term rentals, Cathedral City and La Quinta sharply limit new permits, and Palm Springs applies a 20% neighborhood cap. Indio, Coachella, Palm Desert, and unincorporated Riverside County allow rentals with permits and their own conditions. This page also covers Temecula, which bans them, plus Big Bear Lake, Yucca Valley, and Brentwood.
Last updated: . Every fact links to its official source.
Town-by-town rules
| Town | Permit required? | Annual cost | Primary-residence / night-cap limits | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside County (unincorporated, incl. Bermuda Dunes and Thermal) | A Short-Term Rental Certificate is required before advertising or operating in unincorporated Riverside County. The property also needs a Transient Occupancy Tax Certificate. (Riverside County STR program (opens in a new tab), Riverside County TOT (opens in a new tab)) | The County STR program page lists an initial application fee of $1,077 and annual renewal fee of $775 under the 2026 rules. The page also contains older fee text, so confirm the current portal amount. (Riverside County STR program (opens in a new tab)) | No residency cap specific to Bermuda Dunes or Thermal was stated. County restricted areas and parcel-specific rules may apply. (Riverside County STR program (opens in a new tab)) | Unincorporated Riverside County TOT is 10% of gross rent, including mandatory fees. Quarterly returns are required even when tax is collected by a platform. (Riverside County TOT (opens in a new tab)) |
| Cathedral City | A vacation rental unit permit is required before renting or advertising. Current applications are generally limited to qualifying common-interest developments in the Resort Residential zone and primary-residence home shares. (Cathedral City STVR program (opens in a new tab)) | No current permit fee is stated on the City's STVR page. (Cathedral City STVR program (opens in a new tab)) | New applications are restricted under CCMC 5.96. Home shares require the residence to be the owner's primary residence and an owner to occupy it during the rental contract. (Cathedral City STVR program (opens in a new tab)) | Cathedral City imposes a 12% TOT on stays of 29 nights or less. (Cathedral City TOT (opens in a new tab)) |
| Coachella | Owners cannot rent or advertise a short-term rental without an active City permit. A TOT certificate and reporting account are part of the program. (City of Coachella STR program (opens in a new tab)) | The cited page does not state the current STR permit fee. (City of Coachella STR program (opens in a new tab)) | No current residency cap was stated in the cited materials. (City of Coachella STR program (opens in a new tab)) | The City page states a 14% TOT in its owner registration section, while an FAQ on the same page says 13% for residential STRs. Confirm the current rate with the City. (City of Coachella STR program (opens in a new tab)) |
| Indio | A business license, STR permit, and TOT registration are required. The combined business license and STR permit renew annually. (City of Indio STR program (opens in a new tab)) | The City lists a $1,633 annual permit fee effective February 15, 2022, in addition to the business license fee and tax. (City of Indio STR program (opens in a new tab)) | No current residency cap was stated in the cited materials. (City of Indio STR program (opens in a new tab)) | The City lists a 13% TOT for residential STRs and a 1% Greater Palm Springs TBID assessment on qualifying gross revenue. (City of Indio STR FAQ (opens in a new tab)) |
| La Quinta | A permit and business license are required. New General and Primary permits are limited to exempt areas, Homeshare permits, and qualifying large-lot properties under the current program. (City of La Quinta STR application info (opens in a new tab)) | The City lists annual permit fees by type: Homeshare $315 or $577.50, Primary $787.50 or $1,312.50, General $1,050 or $1,312.50, with lower mitigated fees for listed projects. (City of La Quinta STR application info (opens in a new tab)) | No primary-residence requirement or annual rental-night cap was found in the cited materials. A permanent ban on new General and Primary permits applies except in exempt areas. Homeshare permits were exempted from the ban effective January 4, 2024. (City of La Quinta STVR quarterly report (opens in a new tab)) | The City administers TOT, but the cited pages do not state the current rate. (City of La Quinta STR application info (opens in a new tab)) |
| Palm Desert | A STR permit is required before advertising or renting. HOA approval is required annually where applicable. (City of Palm Desert STR program (opens in a new tab)) | New and renewed STR permit applications cost $29.00. (City of Palm Desert STR program (opens in a new tab)) | STRs are prohibited in R1 and R2 zones except for on-site owner permits. Other zones have distinct eligibility and HOA conditions. (City of Palm Desert STR program (opens in a new tab)) | Palm Desert requires 11% TOT and a 1% GPSTBID assessment on qualifying stays of 27 nights or less. (City of Palm Desert STR program (opens in a new tab)) |
| Palm Springs | Vacation rentals require a Vacation Rental Registration Certificate and permit process. The program is limited to ancillary and secondary uses of single-family residential property, and apartments are prohibited. (City of Palm Springs vacation rentals (opens in a new tab)) | Effective December 1, 2025, the City lists $1,046 for Vacation Rental new or annual registration, $523 for Junior Vacation Rental, $261 for Homeshare, and $647 for an Estate Home Land Use Permit. (City of Palm Springs vacation rentals (opens in a new tab)) | The City states a 20% neighborhood cap based on organized neighborhood residential dwelling units. Occupancy and parking limits are based on bedrooms. (City of Palm Springs vacation rentals (opens in a new tab)) | Palm Springs TOT is 11.5% for vacation rentals and agencies. Monthly returns are required even with zero revenue. (City of Palm Springs TOT (opens in a new tab)) |
| Rancho Mirage | Short-term rental activity, including advertising or offering a dwelling unit for 27 days or less, is prohibited throughout the City as of July 1, 2022. (City of Rancho Mirage short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | No permit fee applies to prohibited short-term rental activity. (City of Rancho Mirage short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | Short-term rental of a dwelling unit in whole or in part is prohibited. Listings must be configured for stays of 28 days or more. (City of Rancho Mirage short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | A current short-term rental lodging tax rate is not applicable to prohibited activity and was not separately established in the cited source. (City of Rancho Mirage short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) |
| Temecula | Short-term rentals are prohibited in the City under TMC 17.06.030. (City of Temecula short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | No permit fee applies to prohibited short-term rental activity. (City of Temecula short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | No primary-residence requirement or annual rental-night cap was found in the cited materials. The City states that short-term rentals are prohibited, including whole homes and individual rooms. (City of Temecula short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | A current short-term rental lodging tax rate is not applicable to prohibited activity and was not separately established in the cited source. (City of Temecula short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) |
| Big Bear Lake | A Vacation Rental Program registration and license are required. The City requires ownership documentation, liability insurance, inspection, and annual renewal. (City of Big Bear Lake vacation rental program (opens in a new tab)) | The City lists a $635 registration fee. The registration and inspection process can take 2 to 4 weeks. (City of Big Bear Lake vacation rental program (opens in a new tab)) | No general residency cap was stated in the cited materials. (City of Big Bear Lake vacation rental program (opens in a new tab)) | Big Bear Lake requires 10% TOT plus a separate BBLTBID assessment. The official page says total monthly remittance is 13% of gross receipts. (City of Big Bear Lake vacation rental program (opens in a new tab), City of Big Bear Lake TOT and TBID (opens in a new tab)) |
| Yucca Valley | Short-term vacation rentals are regulated under Town Ordinance 312 and require permits obtained through the Planning Department. (Town of Yucca Valley STR page (opens in a new tab)) | No current permit fee was stated in the cited materials. (Town of Yucca Valley STR page (opens in a new tab)) | No current residency cap was stated in the cited materials. (Town of Yucca Valley STR page (opens in a new tab)) | The official Town TOT return calculates tax at 12% of taxable rent and provides quarterly reporting and platform deductions. (Town of Yucca Valley TOT return (opens in a new tab)) |
| Brentwood | A December 10, 2024 City Council agenda recommends adopting Ordinance 1079 to define and prohibit short-term rentals. Confirm with City Planning whether it was adopted and what rule applies now. (City of Brentwood December 10, 2024 Council agenda (opens in a new tab)) | No STR permit fee was found in the cited agenda. (City of Brentwood December 10, 2024 Council agenda (opens in a new tab)) | No primary-residence requirement or annual rental-night cap was found in the cited materials. The official agenda describes the amendment as prohibiting short-term rentals under Chapter 17.796. (City of Brentwood December 10, 2024 Council agenda (opens in a new tab)) | No STR lodging tax rate was found in the cited agenda. (City of Brentwood December 10, 2024 Council agenda (opens in a new tab)) |
"Not found" means the restriction was not located in the linked official materials reviewed as of the update date. It does not prove that no later, uncodified, parcel-specific, or special-district rule applies.
Good to know
- Riverside County (unincorporated, incl. Bermuda Dunes and Thermal): Bermuda Dunes and Thermal are in unincorporated Riverside County. Confirm the parcel is not inside a city. (Riverside County STR program (opens in a new tab))
- Cathedral City: A city permit page does not mean new permits are broadly available. The current processing limits are material. (Cathedral City STVR program (opens in a new tab))
- Coachella: The City's page lists both 13% and 14% for TOT, so get the current rate from the City before listing. (City of Coachella STR program (opens in a new tab))
- Indio: The fee comes from a dated City page, so confirm the current fee schedule with the City. (City of Indio STR program (opens in a new tab))
- La Quinta: La Quinta has permit-type and geographic eligibility restrictions. Confirm the exact parcel before describing a new permit as available. (City of La Quinta STR application info (opens in a new tab))
- Palm Desert: Palm Desert uses a 27-night threshold, which differs from many neighboring cities. (City of Palm Desert STR program (opens in a new tab))
- Palm Springs: Palm Springs adopted Ordinance 2133 in July 2026. Check current administrative rules before listing. (City of Palm Springs vacation rentals (opens in a new tab))
- Rancho Mirage: The prohibition includes advertising even when no guest occupies the property. Penalties typically start at $5,000 and escalate for later occurrences. (City of Rancho Mirage short-term rentals (opens in a new tab))
- Temecula: The City states fines can be up to $1,000 per day. Unincorporated Temecula Wine Country is governed by Riverside County instead. (City of Temecula short-term rentals (opens in a new tab))
- Big Bear Lake: Big Bear Lake is in San Bernardino County, not Riverside County. (City of Big Bear Lake vacation rental program (opens in a new tab))
- Yucca Valley: Yucca Valley is in San Bernardino County, not Riverside County. (Town of Yucca Valley STR page (opens in a new tab))
- Brentwood: The official source is a Council agenda recommending the ordinance, so confirm the codified text for the exact address. (City of Brentwood December 10, 2024 Council agenda (opens in a new tab))
FAQ
Do the same rules apply across the Coachella Valley?
No. Each city, town, and unincorporated Riverside County sets its own rules, so confirm which jurisdiction governs the parcel.
Are short-term rentals banned anywhere in the Coachella Valley?
Yes. Rancho Mirage and Temecula prohibit short-term rentals. Cathedral City and La Quinta materially restrict new permits.
What is the lodging tax in the City of Coachella?
The City's page lists both 14% and 13%, so confirm the current rate with the City.
Can I get a new permit in La Quinta or Cathedral City?
Only in limited cases. La Quinta limits new General and Primary permits to exempt areas and qualifying large-lot properties, and Homeshare permits remain available. Cathedral City generally limits new applications to qualifying common-interest developments in the Resort Residential zone and primary-residence home shares.
General information, not legal advice. Short-term rental rules change, so verify current requirements with the jurisdiction before listing.