Rancho Cucamonga, CA Hotels & Lodging: Transient Occupancy Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Tax rate
- 12% of rent charged
- Taxable stay
- 30 consecutive days or less
- Registration deadline
- Within 30 days of opening
- Operator collection allowance
- 4% of tax collected
- Late penalty
- 10% + 10% (30 days) + 25% fraud
- Interest on unpaid tax
- 1% per month
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Rancho Cucamonga charges a 12 percent transient occupancy tax on every hotel stay of 30 consecutive days or less, collected by the operator at the time rent is paid under RCMC § 3.40.020. Late remittance draws stacked penalties, and operators must register with the finance department within 30 days of opening.
For the privilege of occupancy in any hotel, each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount of 12 percent of the rent charged by the operator. Said 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.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4999536; v21 updated 2026-07-15).
Full Breakdown
34, and a "transient" as anyone occupying space for 30 consecutive calendar days or less. 020 sets the tax itself: 12 percent of the rent charged, paid by the transient to the operator at the time rent is paid, with a proportionate share due on each installment if rent is paid in installments. The debt is extinguished only when it reaches the city, so if an operator fails to collect it, the tax administrator, the director of finance or a designee, can require the transient to pay the city directly.
060 and post the resulting transient occupancy registration certificate conspicuously on the premises. 040 lets each operator retain four percent of the total tax collected as an administrative allowance. 030 limited to foreign or federal/state officials on official business and food and beverage sales already taxed under the Sales and Use Tax Law. 160.
Violations & Fines
Late remittance under § 3.40.080 draws a 10 percent penalty for the original delinquency, a further 10 percent if still unpaid 30 days later, a 25 percent penalty on top of both if the tax administrator finds fraud, and 1 percent monthly interest on the unpaid tax. Separately, § 3.40.150 makes it a misdemeanor to violate the chapter, including failing to register, failing to file a return, or filing a false return, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to six months in county jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rancho Cucamonga's hotel occupancy tax rate?
Does the transient occupancy tax apply to short-term rentals, not just hotels?
How long does a hotel operator have to register with the city?
What happens if an operator pays the occupancy tax late?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rancho Cucamonga
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Transient Occupancy Tax in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle transient occupancy tax.