Huntington Beach, CA Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- STR permit fee
- Set by City Council resolution, cost-recovery only
- Permit term
- 2 years, renewable annually
- TOT obligation
- Collected/remitted under Ch. 3.28 on every stay
- Fine per violation
- $1,000 per day
- Revocation trigger
- 3 fines within 12 months
- Re-registration bar after revocation
- 12 months
Summary
Every Huntington Beach short-term rental host or operator must hold a City-issued STR permit paid for with a Council-set fee, and must collect and remit Transient Occupancy Tax on every booking under Chapter 3.28. Skipping the permit fee or TOT triggers a $1,000-per-day fine.
An application for a STR permit shall be accompanied by a fee established by resolution of the City Council, provided, however, the fee shall be no greater than necessary to defer the cost incurred by the City in administering the provisions of this chapter. ... Transient occupancy taxes shall be collected on all STRs pursuant to Huntington Beach Municipal Code Chapter 3.28. If a hosting platform does not collect payment for the rental, hosts or operators are solely responsible for the collection of all applicable TOT and remittance of the collected tax to the City in accordance with Chapter 3.28 (Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4954605; v17 updated 2026-06-16).
Full Breakdown
030(B)). 030(D)); missing the renewal deadline by 30 days voids the permit outright. 28 on every stay, and if a hosting platform such as Airbnb collects the rent, the platform, host, and operator all share legal responsibility for remitting the TOT and any Business Improvement District assessment under Streets and Highways Code § 36600. 070: unpaid TOT or an unregistered advertisement is treated the same as any other chapter violation, drawing a $1,000 fine per violation per day (after a 30-day warning window for unpermitted advertising).
Three fines against one host or operator within twelve months triggers permit revocation or suspension by the Community Development Director, with a 12-month bar on re-registering. 070(E)).
Violations & Fines
Failing to pay the STR permit fee or collect and remit TOT is a chargeable violation under § 5.120.070: $1,000 per violation, with each day treated separately. A third fine in 12 months means revocation or suspension of the permit and a 12-month re-registration bar; a conviction or adverse civil/administrative finding also requires reimbursing the City's enforcement costs and repaying all unpaid TOT.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Huntington Beach charge a separate STR permit fee on top of the hotel tax?
Who is responsible for collecting the occupancy tax on an Airbnb in Huntington Beach?
What happens if an STR host in Huntington Beach doesn't pay the required taxes or fees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Huntington Beach
How Huntington Beach compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·California rules heatmap·Compare Huntington Beach to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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