Chino, CA Hotels & Lodging: Transient Occupancy Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Tax rate
- set by council resolution
- Transient threshold
- 30 days or less
- Late penalty
- 10% plus 10% more
- Criminal penalty
- misdemeanor, up to $500
- Remitted by
- operator, quarterly
Summary
Every hotel, motel, or short-stay lodging operator in Chino must collect a transient occupancy tax from guests staying 30 days or less, at a rate the city council sets by resolution rather than a fixed code number.
For the privilege of occupancy in any hotel, each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount equal to the percentage of the rent charged by the operator as prescribed by resolution. Any surcharges added to the room fee by the operator to recover unanticipated cost increases become part of the rent, and as such, are also subject to this tax. Such tax constitutes a debt owed by the transient to the city, which is extinguished only by payment to the operator or to the city. The transient shall pay the tax to the operator of the hotel at the time the rent is paid. If the rent is paid in installments, a proportionate share of the tax shall be paid with each installment. The unpaid tax shall be due upon the transient's ceasing to occupy space in the hotel. If for any reason the tax due is not paid to the operator of the hotel, the tax administrator may require that such tax shall be paid directly to the tax administrator.
(Ord. 2001-05 § 1 (part), 2001: Ord. 78-13 § 8, 1978: prior code § 22-12.)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Chino Municipal Code § 3.20.030 imposes the Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax on every "hotel", defined in § 3.20.020 to include motels, inns, and any structure rented to "transients" for stays of 30 consecutive days or less, as a percentage of rent "prescribed by resolution" of the city council, not stated as a fixed rate in the code itself. Operators must register for a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate (§ 3.20.040), collect the tax at the time rent is paid, and remit it quarterly to the tax administrator (city clerk). Enacted originally under Ord. 78-13, § 8 (1978); prior code § 22-12.
Violations & Fines
Late remittance draws a 10% penalty plus another 10% after 30 days, 25% for fraud, and 0.5% monthly interest (§ 3.20.090); willful noncompliance is a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine, six months' imprisonment, or both (§ 3.20.140).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chino's transient occupancy tax rate?
Does the tax apply to short-term rentals like Airbnbs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino
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Transient Occupancy Tax in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle transient occupancy tax.