Des Moines lodging guests pay a combined ~13% tax: 7% city hotel-motel tax plus Iowa's 6% state sales tax, with revenues funding tourism, convention center, and Iowa Events Center operations.
Iowa Code §423A authorizes cities to levy a hotel-motel tax up to 7%, and Des Moines applies the maximum 7% rate. Combined with the 6% Iowa state sales tax, lodging guests pay approximately 13% on rooms. Some hotels in the downtown TIF district may collect additional self-supported municipal improvement district fees. Revenue funds Catch Des Moines tourism marketing, the Iowa Events Center, and Polk County convention infrastructure. Short-term rentals like Airbnb collect the same combined rate. Hotels file remittance through the Iowa Department of Revenue, which forwards the city share quarterly.
Tax assessments with interest, civil penalties, business-license suspension for chronic non-remitters, possible Iowa DOR fraud referrals.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has no city ordinance restricting lawn ornaments on residential property. Chapter 60 (Housing) requires reasonable property maintenance and could ...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has no city ordinance regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Chapter 48 (Noise) standards could theoretically apply to overnight blow...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has no municipal ordinance regulating residential holiday lights. Display timing, brightness, and animation are governed primarily by HOA and cond...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines requires building permits for permanent outdoor kitchen installations with gas lines, electrical wiring, plumbing, or structural roofs under Chapt...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has no smoker-specific ordinance. Open burning is regulated under Chapter 70 (Fire Prevention) and Iowa Code 100B with cooking-fire exemptions. Io...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines Fire Code under Chapter 26, Article XII adopts the International Fire Code (IFC). IFC 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking devices and LP-gas tank...
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