Short-term rental rules · Joshua Tree, California
Short-term rentals in Joshua Tree, explained properly.
Joshua Tree is unincorporated, so short-term rentals are governed entirely by San Bernardino County's countywide STR program for Mountain and Desert areas — not by any city ordinance. STRs are permitted, but capped at 2 per owner (1 per parcel under 2 acres), with a detailed application, inspection and neighbor-notification process.
Draft. These rules were compiled from the official sources listed below but have not yet been checked line by line. Confirm with the city before making decisions.
At a glance
What you need to know before you buy or list
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Are short-term rentals allowed? | Yes — Joshua Tree falls within San Bernardino County's Mountain and Desert areas, where the county's STR program permits short-term rentals of 30 days or less[1] |
| Permit required? | Yes — a county short-term rental permit is required, obtained through the online EZ Online Permitting (EZOP) system[2] |
| New application fee | $1,144 total ($600 application + $285 permit + $259 neighbor notification fee), effective July 1, 2026[2] |
| Permit cap per owner/parcel | Maximum 2 STR permits per owner; a parcel under 2 acres may have only 1 permit, a parcel of 2+ acres may have up to 2[3]Confirming |
| Occupancy limit | Each permit specifies an approved maximum occupancy (generally up to about 12 overnight guests depending on dwelling size); exceeding it can result in expulsion, fines, or both[2][3]Confirming |
| Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) | 7% of gross rental revenue for stays of 30 nights or less in the unincorporated county[3]Confirming |
| 24/7 local contact requirement | The owner or manager must provide a 24-hour phone number for complaint resolution, respond within 30 minutes, and be able to be physically present within about an hour of a complaint[1][3]Confirming |
| Annual renewal fee | $550 with no changes; $885 with physical changes; $859 with management/occupancy changes; $1,144 if both types of changes apply[2] |
| Penalty for operating without a permit | Administrative fines up to $1,000 per violation per day, or up to six months in county jail; criminal conviction fines escalate: $1,000 first offense, $2,000 second, $5,000 third[3]Confirming |
| Last researched | September 25, 2026 |
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Detailed rules
The full picture, section by section
Eligibility & zoning
| STRs limited to Mountain and Desert regions | San Bernardino County's STR program covers only the Mountain and Desert regions (which include Joshua Tree, Morongo Valley, and unincorporated Big Bear areas); the Valley region prohibits STRs entirely, and incorporated cities like Big Bear Lake, Yucca Valley, and Twentynine Palms have their own separate rules[3]Confirming |
|---|---|
| Eligible and ineligible structure types | Single-family dwellings, duplexes, individual rooms, guest houses, condominiums, and some ADUs are allowed; multi-family apartments, yurts, travel trailers, and RVs are not eligible for STR permits[3]Confirming |
Licensing & application
| Application process and timeline | The process includes application review (about 1 week), an exterior property inspection, a 20-day project notice period for neighbor comments, and a 30-day permit-issuance appeal period before the permit is issued[2] |
|---|---|
| Required application documents | Applicants must submit an Owner Acknowledgement and Safety Requirements form, Transient Occupancy Tax certification, a plot plan, and rental rules/regulations for renters[2] |
Operations & requirements
| Outdoor noise monitoring program | The county offers an outdoor noise monitoring device program; installing one earns a one-time $150 credit toward permit fees[2]Confirming |
|---|---|
| Late renewal closes the permit | Renewal payments more than 45 days late result in the permit being closed, requiring a fresh new-application process to resume operating[3]Confirming |
Taxes & fees
| TOT certification required at application | Applicants must submit Transient Occupancy Tax certification as part of the permit application, in addition to remitting the 7% tax on rental revenue on an ongoing basis[2] |
|---|
Changes
Recent and pending changes
San Bernardino County's STR program has been actively evolving — fees listed here are effective July 1, 2026, implying a recent fee schedule update, and the county has been rolling out an outdoor noise monitoring device program. The county's own site (str.sbcounty.gov) is the most current source; the county code (Chapter 84.28 of the County Code, via amlegal.com) is the underlying primary ordinance text but its full section text could not be extracted during this research pass — only the table of contents was retrieved.
Sources
Every rule above links to one of these
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This page is general information compiled from official sources, not legal or tax advice. HOA rules, deed restrictions and zoning for a specific property can be stricter. Confirm with the local permitting office and a qualified professional before buying or listing a property.