Short-term rental rules in Riverside, CA
Any legally permitted dwelling unit in Riverside may serve as a short-term rental, under a chapter the city adopted in 2024 as Ordinance 7678. Homes with affordable-housing deed restrictions are left out. The chapter does not override private CC&Rs that bar short-term rentals on a property.[4]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 2, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Riverside?
Register before you list
What you apply for: Business tax certificate
- Seasonal homes
- 558
- Housing units
- 99,910
- Residents
- 319,069
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleRegistration required
- City feeNone published
- Tax on each stay13%
- Seasonal homes6 per 1,000
Riverside short-term rental rules
No Riverside owner may rent or advertise a short-term residential rental without first obtaining a business tax certificate. That term covers any stay of 30 consecutive days or less in a legally permitted dwelling unit. Up to two people may stay per bedroom, plus one more per unit. The owner names two local contacts, one of whom must respond at the unit within 30 minutes of a complaint. The on-call contact's name and phone number are posted on the outside of the home. Before occupancy, each renter signs an acknowledgment of the city's Good Neighbor Brochure. Any violation of the chapter is an infraction.[4]
What Riverside asks of you
Section 5.55.040 requires a business tax certificate before an owner rents a short-term residential rental unit, or advertises its availability.[4]
A short-term residential rental means a stay of up to 30 consecutive calendar days in a legally permitted dwelling unit, or part of one.[4]
A lease first written for more than 30 days still counts when it is cut short to 30 days or less.[4]
Units with deed restrictions for affordable housing cannot be rented short term. Units barred by government conditions of approval are excluded as well.[4]
Section 5.55.050 says its operating requirements shall be provided for in a short-term residential rental permit. The chapter has no section on issuing that permit.[4]
An owner may name an authorized agent in writing, yet remains personally liable for any violation at the unit.[4]
The owner designates at least two local contacts. One is available around the clock to respond at the unit within 30 minutes of a complaint.[4]
The on-call contact's name and number are posted outside the unit. The type must be at least 14 points, or one-quarter inch high.[4]
The owner logs each renter's name, address and phone number before the stay begins.[4]
The renter receives the Good Neighbor Brochure and signs an acknowledgment of it. The owner keeps these records for three years.[4]
Maximum occupancy is two people per bedroom, plus one more person per unit.[4]
Guests may park only on approved driveway, garage or carport areas.[4]
The unit may not serve as an event venue contrary to the city code. It is used for residential purposes only.[4]
The Community & Economic Development Director may impose additional conditions on a given unit.[4]
Each violation of the chapter counts as an infraction. The owner or renter may also be billed for a repeat police response to an event.[4]
A broker that collects revenue from a booking has primary responsibility for collecting the occupancy tax and sending it to the city.[4]
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 Riverside
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside transient occupancy tax[5] | 13% | The city |
| Total on a taxable stay | 13% |
Monthly returns are filed by the 15th of the next month, including months with no tax due. Penalties start at 10% on the first day late, then reach 25% and 50%.[5]
Airbnb taxes for hostsWhat the census counts
How much of Riverside is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 558 of Riverside's 99,910 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 6 out of every 1,000. It ranks Riverside 37th of the 42 California cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 37th of 42
- Share of housing
- 6 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $584,800
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Riverside 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 rulesTemecula, CA
Allowed by zone
197 seasonal homes, 5 per 1,000 housing units.
Temecula short-term rental rulesIndio, CA
Permit required
3,987 seasonal homes, 107 per 1,000 housing units.
Indio short-term rental rulesSanta Rosa, CA
Capped
382 seasonal homes, 5 per 1,000 housing units.
Santa Rosa short-term rental rulesFAQ
Riverside short-term rental questions
Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Riverside?
How many guests fit in a three-bedroom Riverside rental?
Does the platform or the owner handle Riverside's occupancy tax?
How fast must a Riverside host answer a complaint?
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
- City Code, Chapter 5.55: Short-Term Residential Rentals, City of Riverside, read on October 2, 2026
- Transient Occupancy Tax (T.O.T.), City of Riverside, read on October 2, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 2, 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 house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.