Short version of the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules: Indio and unincorporated Riverside County are the most open. Desert Hot Springs is open but capped at 4%, and Palm Desert depends on the zone. La Quinta and Cathedral City are closed to most new permits, and Rancho Mirage is closed.
We are Al and Elissa. We’ve managed vacation homes in the Coachella Valley since 2021, and these are the rules we check before we take on a home. We read the official city and county pages in September 2026. Rules change, and this is not legal advice.
Coachella Valley short-term rental rules, city by city
There is no single set of Coachella Valley short-term rental rules. Every city writes its own, and the differences are big enough to decide whether a house makes sense as a vacation rental at all. Before you buy, renew or switch managers, find your city below. Each section links to the official page we used, and anything we could not confirm on an official source says “check with the city” instead of guessing.
If you already own a rental here and want a second set of eyes on it, our free Coachella Valley Revenue Rescue Audit checks your home against the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules and reviews your pricing in one call.
Indio
Indio: permitted, no citywide cap, changes proposed
Indio is the festival city, and under today’s Coachella Valley short-term rental rules it is one of the more open markets in the valley. Owners need a Short-Term Rental Permit on top of a business license; since 2017 the city issues them as one document that renews annually. The current rules are Ordinance 1766, adopted in December 2021 (Chapter 37 of the municipal code, current to February 4, 2026).
Verdict: Open, changes proposed
- Permit: Short-Term Rental Permit combined with the business license, renewed annually. The permit has been $1,633 a year since February 15, 2022, plus business license fees and taxes.
- Caps: Chapter 37 does not set a citywide cap or density limit.
- Occupancy: overnight (10 p.m. to 8 a.m.) is four people plus two per bedroom. Gatherings of 25 or more need a special event permit; lots of 14,500 sq ft or more can host up to 40 without one.
- Local contact: 15 minutes by phone or text, 45 minutes if an in-person response is needed.
- Quiet hours: no amplified sound audible past the property line from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday to Thursday and 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
- Taxes: 13% TOT for short-term residential rentals; register with the city for TOT before you rent.
Official sources: City of Indio: Short-Term Rentals (permit & fee) · Indio Municipal Code Ch. 37, Regulation of Short-Term Rentals (Ord. 1766) · City of Indio: Transient Occupancy Tax · Citizen Portal: Indio proposed short-term rental changes (2026)
La Quinta
La Quinta: new permits banned outside exempt areas
La Quinta has the strictest new-permit rule of the cities that still allow rentals. Municipal Code section 3.25.055 is a permanent ban on new General and Primary STVR permits, so for most La Quinta addresses the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules start with one question: is the home in an exempt area?
Verdict: Closed to most new permits
- Where new permits are possible: the city’s exempt areas (many are resort or HOA communities, check the city’s list), Homeshare permits where the owner lives on site for the whole stay, and Large Lot parcels of 25,000 sq ft or more (in effect since January 4, 2024).
- Annual permit fees (city schedule): General $1,050 (under 5 bedrooms) or $1,312.50 (5+); Primary $787.50 or $1,312.50; Homeshare $315 or $577.50. Renewals open in your online account 60 days before expiry; approvals can take up to 30 days.
- Taxes: 10% TOT on hotel occupancy, which includes short-term vacation rentals (Municipal Code §3.24.030).
- Occupancy, local contact response time and quiet hours: check with the city. We could not verify these numbers on an official page in September 2026.
Official sources: City of La Quinta: Short-Term Vacation Rentals · City of La Quinta: STVR Account Login & Application Info (permit fees) · La Quinta Municipal Code §3.24.030, Transient Occupancy Tax
Rancho Mirage
Rancho Mirage: banned in every zone
Of all the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules, Rancho Mirage’s are the simplest: short-term rentals (27 consecutive days or less) have been prohibited in every zone of the city since July 1, 2022. There is no permit to apply for.
Verdict: Closed
- Advertising counts: listing a home for short-term rental is itself a violation, whether or not anyone books it.
- Fines: typically start at a $5,000 citation to the owner and rise to $10,000 for each occurrence after that, with possible liens, injunctions and prosecution.
- Options: rentals longer than 27 days are outside the definition. Talk to the city before assuming any specific arrangement is allowed.
Official sources: City of Rancho Mirage: Short-Term Rentals
Cathedral City
Cathedral City: phased out in most neighborhoods
Cathedral City is where the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules changed most in recent years. Voters passed Measure B in 2021 and the city phased out traditional vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods; existing permits there terminated January 1, 2023. What remains is narrower.
Verdict: Mostly closed; HOA and home share only
- Still allowed: home sharing, and STVRs in common interest developments (HOA communities) whose CC&Rs do not prohibit them, per Chapter 5.96. The city’s information page also references the Resort Residential zone. Check your address with the city.
- Minimum stay: four days, except home shares and HOA-community properties.
- Local contact: available 24/7 and responding within 30 minutes.
- Noise: no outdoor amplified sound at any time; noisy outdoor amenities are off-limits 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Paperwork: every rental contract is filed with the city before occupancy or within 24 hours, and TOT is filed monthly even in months with no bookings.
- Taxes: 12% TOT plus a 1% TBID assessment on vacation rental stays under 28 days (since July 1, 2021), 13% in total.
- Fees: the city lists $415 a year (Resolution 2017-10); check with the city for the current figure.
Official sources: City of Cathedral City: Short-Term Vacation Rental Information · Cathedral City Municipal Code Ch. 5.96, Short-Term Vacation Rental Units · City of Cathedral City: Transient Occupancy Tax
Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs: 4% citywide cap and spacing rules
Desert Hot Springs is open, but it is one of the few places where the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules include a hard citywide cap. The city updated its vacation rental ordinance with new rules in effect February 19, 2026.
Verdict: Open, but capped
- Permit: every vacation rental needs a city-issued permit, and permits are non-transferable, so a buyer does not inherit the seller’s permit.
- Cap: vacation rentals may not exceed 4% of developed housing parcels citywide.
- Spacing: at least 250 feet between vacation rentals citywide, or 500 feet in Rolling Hills, DHS 41 and Hacienda Heights.
- Training: owners and/or agents must complete a city-certified training course.
- Taxes: 12% TOT.
- Fees, occupancy, local contact response time and quiet hours: check with the city.
Official sources: City of Desert Hot Springs: Vacation Rentals · City of Desert Hot Springs: Vacation Rental Ordinance Update (in effect Feb. 19, 2026)
Palm Desert
Palm Desert: zone matters, and an HPR deadline is coming
Palm Desert’s part of the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules is all about zoning. The city requires a Short-Term Rental Permit for any stay of 27 nights or less, one per property, non-transferable. Whether a home qualifies depends heavily on its zone and whether the owner is on site.
Verdict: Depends on the zone
- Off-site (owner not present) rentals: allowed in RE, R-3, DEO, DE and Downtown zones, and in HPR or PR zones only if a functioning HOA permits them. New off-site permits in the HPR zone are prohibited and existing ones terminate December 31, 2026 under the code text we read.
- Minimum stay: three days, two nights.
- Occupancy: two per bedroom overnight; daytime (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) also two per bedroom, capped at 20 guests for five or more bedrooms.
- Local contact: available 24/7 and responding within 30 minutes.
- Quiet hours: no outdoor sound audible beyond the property line from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
- Taxes and fees: 11% TOT plus 1% TBID. The city lists the permit at $29 a year. Fines run up to $1,000, $3,000 and $5,000 for repeat citations; operating without a permit is $5,000 per citation.
Official sources: City of Palm Desert: Short-Term Rentals · Palm Desert Municipal Code Ch. 5.10, Short-Term Rentals
Unincorporated Riverside County
Unincorporated Riverside County: Ordinance 927
If your home is outside city limits, in places like Bermuda Dunes, Thousand Palms or Thermal, the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules come from the county, not a city: Riverside County’s Ordinance 927 applies. You cannot advertise or operate without a Short-Term Rental Certificate.
Verdict: Open with a certificate
- Certificate fees: $1,077 initial and $775 renewal (the county lists these as effective October 25, 2026).
- Renewals: Ordinance 927.3, effective September 24, 2026, removed the renewal grace period. Renew before the expiration date.
- Occupancy: 10 guests on a half acre or less, 16 on a half acre to 2 acres, 20 on 2+ acres.
- Responsible operator: must deal with a violation promptly, which the county defines as within 60 minutes, including contacting the guest and visiting if needed.
- Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. under Ordinance 847.
- Caps: specific certificate caps apply in Idyllwild and Temecula Wine Country, not the Coachella Valley. A moratorium in Thousand Palms and B Bar H Ranch ran through February 28, 2026; check with the county on its current status.
- Taxes: 10% TOT on gross rent, including cleaning and other mandatory fees, filed quarterly with the Treasurer-Tax Collector.
Official sources: Riverside County Planning: Short-Term Rental Program (Ord. 927) · Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector: Transient Occupancy Tax · Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector: Short-Term Vacation Rentals
At a glance
Coachella Valley short-term rental rules compared
The one-screen version. Scroll sideways on a phone. “Check with city” means we could not verify the number on an official page in September 2026.
| City | Permit | Cap or ban | Booking limits | TOT | Local contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indio | Yes, permit + license | None in code (changes proposed) | None in code | 13% | 15 min phone / 45 min on site |
| La Quinta | Yes | New General/Primary banned outside exempt areas | Check with city | 10% | Check with city |
| Rancho Mirage | Not available | Banned citywide | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Cathedral City | Yes (limited) | HOA communities and home shares only | 4-day minimum stay | 12% + 1% TBID | 30 min |
| Desert Hot Springs | Yes | 4% citywide; 250 to 500 ft spacing | Check with city | 12% | Check with city |
| Palm Desert | Yes | By zone; HPR off-site ends 12/31/2026 | 3-day, 2-night minimum | 11% + 1% TBID | 30 min |
| Unincorporated county | Yes, certificate | None in the Coachella Valley areas we checked | Occupancy by lot size | 10% | 60 min |
For owners
What this means for your revenue
The Coachella Valley short-term rental rules are not just a compliance box. They set the ceiling on what a home can earn.
Under the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules, response time is the other quiet revenue lever. A 15-minute phone window in Indio means someone local has to actually pick up at 1 a.m., every night a guest is in the house. Missed calls turn into citations, and citations can turn into lost permits. That is a big part of what our full-service property management covers: we are the local contact, we file the TOT, and we set minimum stays and occupancy to match each city’s rules.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules in 2026?
Every city sets its own. Indio and unincorporated Riverside County are the most open, with a permit or certificate, occupancy limits, 24/7 local contact and 10% to 13% TOT. Desert Hot Springs caps rentals at 4% of homes, Palm Desert allows them only in certain zones, La Quinta and Cathedral City have closed most neighborhoods to new permits, and Rancho Mirage bans them outright.
Do the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules require a permit in every city?
Yes, wherever short-term rentals are allowed. Indio, La Quinta, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs and Palm Desert each run their own permit and tax registration, and homes outside city limits need a Riverside County certificate under Ordinance 927. Rancho Mirage issues no permits because rentals of 27 days or less are banned.
Which Coachella Valley cities ban short-term rentals?
Rancho Mirage bans them in every zone. Cathedral City phased them out of most residential neighborhoods, leaving home shares and HOA communities that allow them. La Quinta bans new General and Primary permits outside its exempt areas, with exceptions for homeshares and lots of 25,000 sq ft or more.
Does a property manager count as the 24/7 local contact?
Under most of the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules, the owner can designate an agent or local contact, and that person has to meet the city’s response time: 15 minutes by phone in Indio, 30 minutes in Cathedral City and Palm Desert, and 60 minutes in unincorporated Riverside County.
Who pays the transient occupancy tax?
The guest pays it, but the owner or operator collects and remits it and files the returns: monthly in Cathedral City (even with no bookings) and quarterly in unincorporated Riverside County. Rates run from 10% in La Quinta and the county to 13% in Indio and Cathedral City.
Can I buy a home and keep the seller’s vacation rental permit?
Usually not. Desert Hot Springs and Palm Desert say permits are non-transferable, and La Quinta and Cathedral City restrict new permits. Check eligibility for the specific address with the city before you make an offer.
Find out what your rental is really worth
Send us your address and we will check the Coachella Valley short-term rental rules that apply to it, whether your permit and minimum stays are set up right, and where your pricing is leaving money on the table. No cost, no obligation, and an honest answer if the numbers do not work.
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Sources and disclaimer. Checked September 2026 against the official city and county pages below. The Coachella Valley short-term rental rules change often, and pending amendments may not be reflected here. This guide is general information for owners, not legal or tax advice; confirm current requirements with the city or county before buying, applying or renewing.
- City of Indio: Short-Term Rentals (permit & fee)
- Indio Municipal Code Ch. 37, Regulation of Short-Term Rentals (Ord. 1766)
- City of Indio: Transient Occupancy Tax
- Citizen Portal: Indio proposed short-term rental changes (2026)
- City of La Quinta: Short-Term Vacation Rentals
- City of La Quinta: STVR Account Login & Application Info (permit fees)
- La Quinta Municipal Code §3.24.030, Transient Occupancy Tax
- City of Rancho Mirage: Short-Term Rentals
- City of Cathedral City: Short-Term Vacation Rental Information
- Cathedral City Municipal Code Ch. 5.96, Short-Term Vacation Rental Units
- City of Cathedral City: Transient Occupancy Tax
- City of Desert Hot Springs: Vacation Rentals
- City of Desert Hot Springs: Vacation Rental Ordinance Update (in effect Feb. 19, 2026)
- City of Palm Desert: Short-Term Rentals
- Palm Desert Municipal Code Ch. 5.10, Short-Term Rentals
- Riverside County Planning: Short-Term Rental Program (Ord. 927)
- Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector: Transient Occupancy Tax
- Riverside County Treasurer-Tax Collector: Short-Term Vacation Rentals
