Anaheim's Hotels & Lodging: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles hotels & lodging a little differently. In Anaheim, California, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Hotel Living Wage

Measure L (2018) requires Anaheim Resort hospitality employers receiving city subsidies to pay a living wage starting at $15/hour, indexed annually to inflation, now exceeding $20/hour for covered hotel workers.

Key details: Authority: Measure L 2018. Code section: AMC Chapter 1.05. Coverage: Subsidized resort employers. Indexing: Annual CPI adjustment. Enforcement: Private right of action.

Workers may sue for unpaid wages, equal liquidated damages, attorney fees, and reinstatement; willful violations also trigger civil penalties enforced by the City Attorney.

Transient Occupancy Tax

Anaheim charges a 15% transient occupancy tax on rent paid by any guest staying under 30 consecutive days in a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or short-term rental. Operators collect the tax with rent and remit it to the License Collector, who enforces the chapter alongside Code Enforcement.

Key details: Tax rate: 15% of rent. Stay length covered: Under 30 consecutive days. Late interest: 1.5% per month, no waiver. Late penalty: 10%/month, capped at 50%. Enforcing officials: License Collector, Code Enforcement Manager.

Late tax carries interest of 1.5 percent per month from the due date until paid, and this interest may not be waived under Section 2.12.050.010. A separate penalty of 10 percent accrues for each month or partial month the payment is overdue, capped at 50 percent of the tax owed, and penalties likewise cannot be waived. If an operator fails to collect or report tax, the License Collector determines the amount due under Section 2.12.060, and unpaid interest and penalties keep accruing until the balance is paid in full.

The Bottom Line

Anaheim's hotels & lodging rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Anaheim is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Anaheim's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.