Palm Desert, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

Palm Desert Municipal Code § 25.34.030.F sets two rules that govern renting an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU), and both apply to every Class 1 and Class 2 unit.

The first is the rental term. No ADU or JADU can be rented for a term that is shorter than 30 days. The prohibition applies regardless of when the ADU or JADU was created, so units permitted before the current code are covered too. A short-term rental of a guest house to vacationers is therefore not available in the City of Palm Desert, even though the city is a resort market.

The second is no separate conveyance. An ADU or JADU can be rented, but, except as otherwise provided in Government Code Section 66341, no ADU or JADU can be sold or otherwise conveyed separately from the lot and the primary dwelling on a single-family lot, or from the lot and all of the dwellings on a multifamily lot. A direct utility connection is required for separate conveyance of an ADU only when the code allows it.

For a JADU the restriction is also built into the recorded deed restriction. Before the certificate of occupancy is issued, a deed restriction must be recorded in the County Recorder's office and a copy filed with the Director. It must say the JADU may not be sold separately from the primary dwelling, that it is restricted to its approved size and attributes, and that it runs with the land and binds future owners.

Owners can rent either the ADU or the main house under a standard long-term lease. The code does not impose an owner-occupancy condition on ADUs, though JADUs have one with listed exceptions.