Where short-term rentals are allowed in La Quinta, CA
La Quinta's municipal code puts a permanent ban on new permits in the General and Primary categories. Two exemptions took effect on January 4, 2024. Homeshare permits are exempt, as are certified large lots of at least 25,000 square feet.[4]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.
Can you rent short term in La Quinta?
Your zoning decides
What you apply for: Short-term vacation rental permit
- Seasonal homes
- 6,852
- Housing units
- 24,770
- Residents
- 38,707
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleAllowed by zone
- City feeNone published
- Tax on each stay10%
- Seasonal homes277 per 1,000
La Quinta short-term rental permit
A La Quinta short-term vacation rental permit is required before you rent a dwelling for 30 consecutive days or less. The owner also needs a city business license. Since May 20, 2021, the city processes no application for a new permit outside the exemptions of Section 3.25.055. Homeshare permits and renewals of existing permits are not affected. Both the permit and the license last one year. Renting with no valid permit is fined $1,500 the first time, $3,000 the second and $5,000 the third. The owner also loses eligibility for a permit for all time.[7]
What La Quinta asks of you
Section 3.25.055 imposes a permanent ban on new permits in the General and Primary categories.[4]
New permits can be issued in exempt areas such as Legacy Villas, Puerta Azul and SilverRock Resort. The city lists 19 exempt areas and verifies each address by email.[6]
A new owner may not renew the previous owner's permit and must apply for a new one.[7]
A Homeshare permit costs $315 a year for a home with fewer than 5 bedrooms. With 5 bedrooms or more it costs $577.50.[5]
A Primary permit costs $787.50 a year below 5 bedrooms, against $1,312.50 for larger homes.[5]
A General permit, for a second home or investment property, costs $1,050 a year under 5 bedrooms. The larger-home amount is $1,312.50 as well.[5]
A Primary permit requires the county assessor's record to identify the property as the owner's primary residence.[7]
With a Homeshare permit, the owner must occupy the dwelling during the stay.[7]
A three-bedroom home may host 6 to 8 overnight occupants, counting children regardless of age.[7]
Under the code, sound equipment falls silent outdoors from 10:00 p.m. onward. It may be heard again once 7:00 a.m. has passed.[7]
The local contact person must be able to reach the property within thirty minutes, at any hour of any day.[7]
The person who signs the rental agreement must be at least twenty-one years of age.[7]
Each advertisement states the permit number and the authorized bedroom count at its top, unless the platform provides a designated field.[7]
An estate home, meaning five bedrooms or more, must keep a noise monitoring device operable at all times.[7]
Two violations within one year at the same dwelling bring an immediate suspension of the permit.[7]
On-site parking is limited to an approved driveway, garage or carport.[7]
No apartment is eligible for a short-term vacation rental permit.[7]
What California asks wherever you host
These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.
No state license exists for short-term rentals in California. The state's 2025 act on booking platforms says it does not preempt a local short-term rental ordinance.[1]
Since July 1, 2024, every mandatory fee has to sit inside the rate you advertise. Only government taxes and fees may be added later.[2]
State law caps city fines when a short-term rental violation threatens health or safety. The first ceiling is $1,500. A second violation within the year reaches $3,000, each later one $5,000.[3]
What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in La Quinta
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| La Quinta transient occupancy tax[8] | 10% | The city |
| Total on a taxable stay | 10% |
A return is filed monthly even for a month with no rental. Unreported tax for the previous calendar year blocks the renewal of the permit.[7]
Airbnb taxes for hostsWhat the census counts
How much of La Quinta is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 6,852 of La Quinta's 24,770 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 277 out of every 1,000. It ranks La Quinta 6th of the 37 California cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 6th of 37
- Share of housing
- 277 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $661,600
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where La Quinta sits among its neighbors
Riverside County, CA
Permit required
Unincorporated land only. Idyllwild and Wine Country are capped. New certificates there go through a lottery.
Riverside County short-term rental rulesIndian Wells, CA
Allowed by zone
2,253 seasonal homes, 443 per 1,000 housing units.
Indian Wells short-term rental rulesPalm Springs, CA
Capped
9,975 seasonal homes, 271 per 1,000 housing units.
Palm Springs short-term rental rulesPalm Desert, CA
Permit required
9,988 seasonal homes, 270 per 1,000 housing units.
Palm Desert short-term rental rulesFAQ
La Quinta short-term rental questions
Can I get a new short-term rental permit in La Quinta?
How much does a La Quinta STVR permit cost?
What is the fine for renting without a permit in La Quinta?
What is the transient occupancy tax rate in La Quinta?
Sources
- Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025 (SB 346), Government Code sections 50990 to 50996, California Legislative Information, read on October 1, 2026
- Business and Professions Code section 17568.6, lodging price display, California Legislative Information, read on October 1, 2026
- Government Code section 36900, fines for city ordinance violations, California Legislative Information, read on October 1, 2026
- Short-Term Vacation Rentals, City of La Quinta, read on October 1, 2026
- STVR Account Login & Application Info, City of La Quinta, read on October 1, 2026
- New STVR Permit Exemptions, City of La Quinta, read on October 1, 2026
- La Quinta Municipal Code, Chapter 3.25, Short-Term Vacation Rentals, City of La Quinta, read on October 1, 2026
- La Quinta Municipal Code, Chapter 3.24, Transient Occupancy Tax, City of La Quinta, read on October 1, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 1, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb cleaning checklist generator
Build a printable turnover checklist by room, with restock, photos to take and a place for the cleaner to sign. Free PDF, no sign-up.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.