Coachella, California

Short-term rentals are permitted in Coachella, and a permit is required. The city eliminated the separate STR permit and mandatory property inspections, so operators now need a city business license. The application fee is $100, and the license renews annually. The city also refunded a prior $60 fee. There is no owner-occupancy requirement and no primary-residence requirement, and no cap on rental nights per year, which makes non-owner-occupied investor properties workable. Zoning is permissive. STRs are generally allowed across residential, mixed-use and commercial zones, with no density caps or permit moratoria at the city level. HOA covenants may still restrict STRs at individual properties, so buyers should check them. A 13% Transient Occupancy Tax applies to gross rents, including cleaning, pet and pool-heating fees. Operators must also report and remit a Tourism Business Improvement District assessment each month. Platforms do not collect that assessment, even when they collect the occupancy tax. Monthly tax reporting is required regardless of booking activity, records must be kept for three years, and reporting runs through the city’s Deckard STR portal. Each STR must designate a local emergency contact responsible for noise and ordinance compliance, permits are not transferable across owners, entities or parcels, and a minimum renter age of 21 applies. Enforcement is rated moderate, driven mainly by complaints and tax compliance, with citations, fines and possible license suspension for violations. The city loosened its rules ahead of festival season, and it remains more permissive than neighboring valley cities that have banned or capped non-owner-occupied rentals.