Indio, CA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Unlike many California cities that restrict short-term rentals to a host's primary residence, the City of Indio imposes no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement in Chapter 37. Section 37.002 defines OWNER as "the person(s), corporation(s) or other legal entity(ies) that hold(s) legal and/or equitable title to the property used as a short-term rental," and Section 37.005(C)(3) expressly requires applicants to disclose any limited liability companies or personal or family trusts that hold a financial interest in the property. This structure plainly contemplates investor-owned and entity-owned rentals, which is consistent with Indio's role as a major Coachella and Stagecoach festival market. There is no requirement that the owner live on site or in the unit; the operational controls instead run through the responsible person and a 24-hour local contact person who must reside in the Coachella Valley (Section 37.002, Section 37.012(H)). Note that a draft amendment discussed by the City Council (proposed Section 37.018) contained placeholder limitations - a percentage cap on the number of citywide short-term rentals and a 500-foot separation between rentals - but those provisions were marked "PLACEHOLDER FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION" with the percentage left blank, so they are not part of the currently enacted code. Owners should verify the latest adopted version, since this is an actively evolving ordinance. Section 37.005(D) does require that, where CC&Rs apply, the HOA confirm short-term rentals are not prohibited, so an HOA can independently bar them.