Petaluma, CA Hotels & Lodging: Transient Occupancy Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Tax rate
- 10% of rent charged
- Covered stays
- 30 consecutive days or less
- Registration deadline
- 30 days after starting business
- Monthly remittance due
- 15 days after month end
- Late penalty
- 10%, plus 10% more after 30 days
- Fraud penalty
- Additional 25% of tax due
- Interest on unpaid tax
- 0.5% per month
Summary
Petaluma imposes a 10% transient occupancy tax on rent charged for stays of 30 consecutive days or less in any hotel, motel, inn, or campground, collected by the operator and remitted monthly to the city's tax administrator under PMC Chapter 4.24.
For the privilege of occupancy in any hotel or private campground, each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount of ten percent of the rent charged by the operator as of November 5, 1990. Such tax constitutes a debt owed by the transient to the city which is extinguished only by payment to the operator of the hotel or campground at the time the rent is paid.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2931 NCS, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020 to include hotels, motels, inns, tourist homes, mobile homes and house trailers at a fixed location, apartment houses, dormitories, and similar structures) and campgrounds, for occupancy of 30 consecutive calendar days or less. 030, each transient pays a tax of 10% of the rent charged, a rate that has stood as of November 5, 1990; the tax is a debt owed by the transient to the city, extinguished only by payment to the operator at the time rent is paid. 060). 070); all tax collected is held in trust for the city until remitted. 120). 140). 150).
Violations & Fines
Any operator who fails or refuses to register, fails to remit a required return, or files a false or fraudulent report or claim is guilty of a misdemeanor under PMC § 4.24.210. Short of criminal exposure, unpaid tax accrues a 10% original delinquency penalty, an added 10% penalty after 30 days of continued delinquency, a 25% penalty on fraudulent nonpayment, and interest of 0.5% per month, all of which become part of the tax debt owed to the city (§§ 4.24.080-4.24.120).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Petaluma's hotel occupancy tax rate?
Does the tax reach short-term vacation rentals?
What happens if an operator does not remit the tax on time?
Can an operator appeal a tax assessment?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Petaluma
California rules heatmap·Compare Petaluma to another location·View the California hotels & lodging overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Transient Occupancy Tax in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle transient occupancy tax.