Palm Springs, CA Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration fee basis
- Cost-recovery only, set by council resolution
- TOT return
- Monthly, filed even if unrented that month
- TOT reference
- Municipal Code Chapter 3.24, Sec. 3.24.080
- Late payment penalty
- Set by council resolution, plus interest
- TOT non-payment consequence
- 12-month certificate suspension
Summary
Registering a Palm Springs vacation rental costs a city council-set fee capped at the city's actual administration cost under Sec. 5.25.060(b). Owners must also file a monthly transient occupancy tax return every month, rented or not, under Sec. 5.25.070(q), and late fees or charges under the chapter draw an added penalty plus interest.
The registration of a vacation rental 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. ... The owner shall comply with all provisions of Chapter 3.24 of the Municipal Code concerning transient occupancy taxes, including, but not limited to, submission of a monthly return for each vacation rental in accordance with Section 3.24.080. The monthly return shall be filed each month regardless of whether the vacation rental unit was rented or not during each such month. ... Any person who fails to pay any fee or charge provided in this chapter within the time required, shall pay a penalty in the amounts established by the city council by resolution.
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
Vacation rental registration in Palm Springs isn't free, but the ordinance limits what the city can charge for it. Sec. 060(b) requires that "the registration of a vacation rental 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," meaning the fee is cost-recovery only, set by council resolution rather than fixed in the code itself. 25 folds in the city's separate transient occupancy tax program: Sec.
" Registration itself requires evidence of a valid transient occupancy registration certificate before a vacation rental certificate can issue. Any fee or charge under the chapter that isn't paid on time, whether the registration fee, a renewal fee, or another chapter charge, draws a penalty set by city council resolution plus accruing interest, so a missed payment compounds rather than simply carrying over.
Violations & Fines
Failure to pay any fee or charge required by Chapter 5.25 within the required time draws a penalty in an amount set by city council resolution, plus interest from the due date until payment, under Sec. 5.25.090(g). Separately, failing to remit transient occupancy tax after written notice to do so results in a 12-month suspension of the vacation rental registration certificate under Sec. 5.25.090(b), independent of the general three-strikes suspension that applies to other chapter violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a vacation rental permit cost in Palm Springs?
Do I have to file a tax return every month for a Palm Springs vacation rental even if it's empty?
What happens if I don't pay my Palm Springs vacation rental taxes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Springs
How Palm Springs compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Springs to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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