Palm Springs, CA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration required
- With the Rent Review Commission, before any increase
- Timing
- At least 30 days before raising rent
- Initial fee
- $10.50 to $11.50 per unit, by portfolio size
- Required disclosure
- Base rent, current rent, date of last increase
- Effective since
- June 1, 1984
- Renewal registration
- City Council may require by resolution, own fee
Summary
Palm Springs landlords covered by the city's Chapter 4.02 rent control ordinance must register each rental unit with the Rent Review Commission and pay a per-unit registration fee, from $10.50 to $11.50 depending on portfolio size, before they can lawfully raise rent. Coverage is limited to units renting under $450 a month as of September 1, 1979.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all residential rental units located within the city renting for less than four hundred fifty dollars per month, except as provided in Section 4.02.030, as of September 1, 1979. ... Landlords shall register each rental unit subject to the provisions of this chapter with the rent review commission. ... On or after June 1, 1984, no landlord shall increase rent for any rental unit subject to the provisions of this chapter without first: ... Having registered said unit at least thirty days earlier with the rent review commission; and ... Notifying the tenant or the prospective tenant in writing of the base rent of said unit, and the present rent of said unit, and the date of the last previous rent increase; and ... Paying to the rent review commission the initial registration fee as provided in subsection (c) of this section. ... The landlord shall pay for each rental unit subject to the provisions of this chapter an initial registration fee according to the following schedule: Number of Units Per-Unit Fee 1—25 $10.50 26—100 10.80 101—250 11.00 250+ 11.50
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4923139; v14 updated 2026-06-24).
Full Breakdown
085(a) requires landlords to register each covered rental unit with the Rent Review Commission. 085(b) bars a landlord from raising rent on any covered unit unless the landlord has first registered the unit at least 30 days earlier, notified the tenant in writing of the unit's base rent, present rent and the date of the last rent increase, and paid the initial registration fee. 50 for more than 250 units. 085(d) lets the City Council require periodic renewal registration by resolution, and that resolution can set a renewal fee, add a rent surcharge tied to the renewal, and impose appropriate penalties on landlords who don't comply.
050, generally the monthly rent charged on September 1, 1979, which the landlord must disclose to the tenant as part of registration and which anchors every future increase calculation. 02: only residential units, including mobile home spaces, apartments, condominiums and single-family rentals, that were renting under $450 a month as of that 1979 date.
Violations & Fines
A landlord who raises rent without first registering the unit at least 30 days earlier, giving the tenant written notice of the base and current rent, and paying the initial registration fee under Section 4.02.085 cannot lawfully collect the increase. The City Council may also set penalties by resolution for failing to complete a required renewal registration under subsection (d), and Section 4.02.090 lets a tenant sue to recover any rent collected above what the chapter allows plus a $300 civil penalty and attorney's fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Palm Springs landlords have to register rental units with the city?
How much is the Palm Springs rental registration fee?
What has to be disclosed to the tenant before a Palm Springs landlord can raise the rent?
Can the city require Palm Springs landlords to re-register their units later?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Springs
California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Springs to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Rental Registration in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle rental registration.