Ceres, CA Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Tax rate
- 10% of rent charged
- Registration
- Required within 30 days of renting
- Filing
- Quarterly return to Finance Director
- Late penalty
- 10%, plus 10% more after 30 days
- Enforcement
- Infraction; willful violation is misdemeanor
Summary
Ceres charges a 10 percent transient occupancy tax on rent paid by guests staying 30 days or less, collected by hosts and remitted quarterly to the city's Finance Director.
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. This 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. 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.
(Ord. No. 2020-1058, § 4, 3-23-2020)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Ceres defines "hotel" broadly enough to cover any structure rented to transients for lodging, so short-term rental hosts renting for 30 days or less owe the same 10 percent transient occupancy tax as motels. Operators must register with the Finance Director (the city's Tax Administrator) within 30 days of starting to rent, post a registration certificate on the premises, collect the tax when rent is paid, and file a quarterly return remitting all tax collected. Late remittance draws a 10 percent penalty, plus another 10 percent after 30 days delinquent, and 25 percent for fraud.
Violations & Fines
Failing to register, collect, or remit the tax is an infraction; willful violations, including filing a false return, are a misdemeanor, on top of penalties up to 25 percent for fraud plus 0.5 percent monthly interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ceres' transient occupancy tax apply to Airbnb-style short-term rentals?
Who collects and remits Ceres' short-term rental tax?
What happens if a host doesn't register or pay the tax on time?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ceres
How Ceres compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·California rules heatmap·Compare Ceres to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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