Short-Term Rentals in Riverside, CA (2026)
8 verified short-term rentals rules for Riverside, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
Riverside requires every short-term rental to designate at least two local contacts, one always reachable, and to post the on-call contact's name and phone number on the unit's exterior in large, bold type visible to the public.
Riverside STR Local Contact Posting Rule
Some RestrictionsRiverside Municipal Code §§ 5.55.020(B), 5.55.050(E)
(B)"Designated Local Contacts" means at least two persons, one of whom shall be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week... (E)The owner and, if applicable, the owner's authorized agent shall post the name and telephone number of the designated local contact who is on-call that day on the exterior of the unit in plain and conspicuous view for the public. The name and telephone number sha...
Noise Rules
Occupants and guests of a Riverside short-term rental cannot generate loud and unnecessary noise, a standard that ties directly into the City's general noise chapter, and hosts who allow event-type gatherings can be billed for the police response.
Riverside Short-Term Rental Noise Rule
Some RestrictionsRiverside Municipal Code § 5.55.050(H)-(I)
(H)Occupants of the short term residential rental unit shall not generate loud and unnecessary noises inconsistent with Chapter 9.04.700 of this code.(I)The short-term rental unit shall comply with Chapter 19.150.020.A—Permitted Land Uses/Assemblies of People-Entertainment, and Chapter 5.80.010—Entertainment Permit of this code. No use of the short-term rental unit as an event venue contrary to...
Taxes & Fees
Riverside requires every short-term rental owner to hold a business tax certificate before listing a stay, and to collect and remit the same transient occupancy tax hotels pay. RMC § 5.55.040 conditions advertising on the certificate, and § 5.55.050(A) makes the owner responsible for Chapter 5.32 TOT compliance, with booking brokers on the hook for the money they collect.
Riverside STR Business Tax and TOT Duty
Some RestrictionsCity of Riverside, CA, Municipal Code §§ 5.55.040, 5.55.050(A) (Short-Term Residential Rentals)
5.55.040 - Business Tax Certificate required. The owner or owner's authorized agent is required to obtain a business tax certificate pursuant to Chapter 5.04 of this code before renting or advertising the availability of a short-term residential rental unit. ... 5.55.050(A): The owner and, if applicable, the owner's authorized agent shall ensure that the provisions of Chapter 5.32 of this code ...
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Guests at a Riverside short-term rental must park only in the unit's approved driveway, garage, or carport, and any oversized vehicle must meet the City's separate oversized-vehicle parking standard.
Riverside Short-Term Rental Parking Rule
Some RestrictionsRiverside Municipal Code § 5.55.050(M)
(M)On-site parking shall be allowed on approved driveway, garage, and/or carport areas only. Parking of over-sized vehicles must comply with the provisions of § 19.580.070 of this code.
Occupancy Limits
Riverside caps overnight guests at any short-term residential rental at two people per bedroom plus one additional person per unit. The limit is written into the short-term rental permit itself and applies on top of any lease or booking-platform listing capacity.
Riverside STR Occupancy: 2 Per Bedroom Plus One
Some RestrictionsRiverside Municipal Code § 5.55.050(N)
The number of occupants allowed to occupy any given short-term residential rental unit shall be limited to two people per bedroom plus one person per unit.
Host Presence Rule
Riverside does not require the owner to stay on-site, but a designated local contact must be reachable and able to reach the property within 30 minutes, 24 hours a day, every day the unit is rented.
Riverside STR 24/7 Local Contact Rule
Some RestrictionsRiverside Municipal Code § 5.55.050(D)
(D)While a short-term residential rental unit is rented, at least one designated local contact person shall be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The owner and, if applicable, the owner's authorized agent shall be responsible for making sure that at least one designated local contact is always available and that any person who attempts to contact the designated local contact can e...
Host Platform Liability
Booking platforms that collect payment for a Riverside short-term rental carry primary responsibility for collecting, paying, and transmitting the City's transient occupancy tax, on top of the owner's own duty to ensure the tax is remitted.
Riverside STR Broker TOT Collection Duty
Some RestrictionsRiverside Municipal Code § 5.55.050(A)
(A)The owner and, if applicable, the owner's authorized agent shall ensure that the provisions of Chapter 5.32 of this code regarding the collection and remittance of transient occupancy taxes are complied with for the short-term residential rental unit. A broker that collects any revenue from arranging or listing a short-term rental unit shall have primary responsibility for collecting, paying...
Looking for Riverside County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Riverside city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Riverside County →