Ridgecrest, CA Hotels & Lodging: Transient Occupancy Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Tax rate
- 10% of rent charged
- Applies to
- Hotels, motels, short-term rentals
- Registration
- Within 30 days of opening
- Late penalty
- 10% (25% for fraud)
- Failure to register
- Misdemeanor
Summary
Ridgecrest taxes transient hotel and short-term rental stays at 10% of the rent charged, collected by the operator and remitted monthly to the city.
For the privilege of occupancy in any hotel, each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount of ten percent of the rent charged by the operator. The 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 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.(b)The first 30 days of occupancy shall be taxed and paid as prescribed even if the taxpayer subsequently becomes a permanent resident. (Code 1980, § 3-4.103; Ord. No. 91-18, § 2)
State Law reference— Tax authorized, Revenue and Taxation Code § 7280.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Every transient occupying a hotel, motel, or other lodging in Ridgecrest for 30 consecutive days or fewer owes a 10% tax on the rent charged (§ 9-141). Operators collect the tax at the time rent is paid, hold it in trust, and remit it monthly to the tax administrator, after registering the hotel and posting a transient occupancy registration certificate within 30 days of opening (§ 9-143). A 'hotel' includes short-term rentals of any dwelling rented to transients; only a private home rented occasionally and incidentally by someone not regularly in the rental business is excluded (§ 9-140).
Violations & Fines
Late remittance draws a 10% penalty (25% if the city finds fraud) plus 0.5% monthly interest; failing to register, filing a false return, or refusing to remit is a misdemeanor (§ 9-146; § 9-147).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ridgecrest's occupancy tax apply to Airbnb-style short-term rentals?
What is Ridgecrest's hotel tax rate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgecrest
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Transient Occupancy Tax in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle transient occupancy tax.