Short-term rental rules · Twentynine Palms, California
Short-term rentals in Twentynine Palms, explained properly.
The City of Twentynine Palms, California requires a Vacation Home Rental license for any rental of a detached single-family house for 1 to 30 consecutive nights. The City caps licenses at 500 citywide and at five per owner, requires a fire and safety inspection, $1 million of liability insurance and a transient occupancy tax registration, and lets the owner use an agent as long as a 24-hour contact answers within one hour. We haven't reviewed the zoning use tables, the transient occupancy tax chapter or the fee schedule yet, so confirm those with the City.
At a glance
What you need to know before you buy or list
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Are short-term rentals allowed? | Conditional: only with a Vacation Home Rental license, only in detached single-family houses, and only within a citywide cap of 500 licenses [1] ClauseConfirming |
| Is a Vacation Home Rental license required? | Yes: no owner may rent, offer to rent or advertise a vacation home rental without a valid license from the City; the license is issued only to the owner [1] Clause |
| Must the owner live at the property? | No: the owner may retain an agent or representative to comply with the chapter; a valid 24-hour contact telephone number for the owner or agent is required [1] Clause |
| City lodging tax (transient occupancy tax) | A vacation home rental is treated as a hotel for transient occupancy tax purposes under Chapter 3.24; the owner must register for the tax before starting and report and remit the tax; the rate is not shown here [1] ClauseConfirming |
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Detailed rules
The full picture, section by section
Eligibility & limits
| What counts as a vacation home rental? | A licensed short-term rental of a detached single-family dwelling, or any portion of one, for a minimum of one consecutive night and no more than 30 consecutive calendar days [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.015(D). A guest (occupant) is a person staying 30 consecutive calendar days or less, counting part days as full days; the person is a transient until the 30 days have passed unless the operator and occupant have a written agreement for a longer stay. Sec. 19.41.015(D) also treats a vacation home rental as a short-term rental for purposes of Chapter 3.24. |
|---|---|
| Is there a citywide cap on vacation home rental licenses? | Yes: 500 licenses citywide, for detached single-family houses; the cap is to be reevaluated in 2030 using 2030 U.S. Census data [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.013(A). A rental that has been inactive for 12 months or longer is withdrawn from the City's list of permitted vacation home rentals and no longer counts toward the citywide limit (Sec. 19.41.065(O)). Confirm with the City how many of the 500 licenses are still available before you buy. |
| Is there a limit on how many licenses one owner can hold? | Yes: no more than five (5) licenses for any one person, persons or business entity with a financial interest [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.013(B) limits the total number of licenses that one person, persons or business entity with a financial interest can own to five. |
| Can attached residential units be licensed? | Conditional: not in general; only a Conditional Use Permit approved by the Planning Commission can allow attached units judged to warrant consideration for their historic character or community value [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.020 limits the use to units not attached to or sharing a common wall with another residential unit. Subsection B lets the Planning Commission approve attached units under Chapter 19.42 (Conditional Use Permit) and the chapter's other requirements. |
| Can a rental that operated before the chapter claim legal nonconforming status? | No: the chapter says nothing in it is to be construed to classify an existing use as a legal nonconforming vacation home rental [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.010(B) says that before the chapter's adoption the City's Development Code and the County's land use regulations did not identify or allow a "vacation home rental" as a legally licensed land use, so no existing use counts as nonconforming under Chapter 19.142. |
| Is there a minimum or maximum stay? | Yes: a minimum stay of one consecutive night; a vacation home rental stay can be no more than 30 consecutive calendar days [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.065(G) sets the minimum stay at one consecutive night, and the definition in Sec. 19.41.015(D) sets the maximum at 30 consecutive calendar days. |
| Is there a guest limit? | Yes: two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons, not counting persons 5 years of age or younger [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.065(H) sets the maximum overnight occupancy. The rental agreement and a posted notice inside the unit must state the licensed maximum number of occupants (Sec. 19.41.070(D)(5)). |
Operating rules
| What must an application include? | Owner and agent contact details, a valid transient occupancy tax registration certificate and City business license, proof of $1 million general liability insurance with an indemnity agreement, a signed acknowledgement of the regulations, and a floor plan [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.035. The application goes to the Community Development Director on City forms, and the Director may require other information reasonably necessary. Sec. 19.41.065(Q) also requires evidence that the owner or agent has completed a live or virtual City-certified class on being a responsible vacation home rental host before a license is issued. |
|---|---|
| What does the license cost? | Set by City Council resolution; the amount is not shown here [1] ClauseConfirming Sec. 19.41.025 requires the application to be accompanied by a fee set by Council resolution, no greater than needed to cover the City's cost of administering the chapter. Renewal also carries a renewal fee (Sec. 19.41.060), and the pre-issuance fire and safety inspection has its own fee (Sec. 19.41.065(A)). The fee schedule hasn't been reviewed yet, so confirm current amounts and their effective date with the City. |
| What inspections are required? | A fire and safety inspection before the license is issued, a septic system certification before the first license, and a safety and compliance inspection every three years [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.065(A) requires the owner to request, and pay for, an inspection by the City's Building & Safety Division of smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers before issuance. Sec. 19.41.065(B) requires a certification from a state-licensed septic inspector dated within one year of the application, before the initial license for a property. Sec. 19.41.060 requires a safety and compliance inspection of the house every three years before the renewal anniversary date. |
| How is a license application decided? | The Director finds that the site is adequate and that the license won't harm the neighborhood, after mailing notice to owners within 300 feet at least 10 days before the decision; a complete application cannot be denied [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.040 lists the two findings. Sec. 19.41.045 requires first-class mail notice to owners within 300 feet at least 10 days before the final determination. Sec. 19.41.050 says an application or renewal is not denied if it meets the license conditions, and a license or renewal cannot be issued to the same owner if the license for that location was revoked within one year of the application date or is being revoked. Appeals are filed within 10 days of the date of notice (Sec. 19.41.055). |
| Is a 24-hour contact required? | Yes: a valid 24-hour contact telephone number for the owner or agent, who must act within one hour of a complaint notice [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.065(C) and Sec. 19.41.070(B). Failing to maintain a valid 24-hour number is a violation and grounds to revoke the license. Sec. 19.41.070(A)(6) requires immediate action within one hour of notification to prevent a recurrence of unreasonable noise, disorderly conduct or other violations. The contact and 911 information must appear in each rental agreement and in a notice posted inside the unit (Sec. 19.41.070(D)(5)). |
| Must ads show the license number? | Yes: all advertising for the short-term rental must include the City-issued license number [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.065(F). The one permitted on-site exterior sign (1 to 2 square feet) shows only a 24-hour contact number for the owner or agent and the license number (Sec. 19.41.065(I)). |
| Is a noise mitigation plan required? | Yes: each permitted rental must keep a Noise Mitigation Plan on file with the City: a sign next to the evacuation map and a good neighbor brochure listing the rules [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.065(P) and the definition in Sec. 19.41.015(G). The owner or agent must keep occupants from creating unreasonable noise or disturbances and must act within one hour of a complaint notice (Sec. 19.41.070(A)(5)-(6)). The rental agreement must tell guests they are subject to the local Noise Control Ordinance (Sec. 19.41.070(D)(3)). We haven't reviewed the City's noise ordinance yet, so the specific quiet hours aren't shown here. |
| Parking rules | At least two off-street, on-site spaces; one more 19-foot by 9-foot stall for each bedroom or sleeping area beyond four; vehicles cannot exceed the number of spaces [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.065(D). No required stall may sit in a required front or street side yard setback, and stalls must meet Chapter 19.82. Sec. 19.41.070(E) also requires driveways and accesses to stay clear and bars parking commercial vehicles of 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or more on the site (pickup trucks and lighter vehicles excepted), except briefly for loading or unloading. |
| What records and rental agreement are required? | Keep guest records for three years and give them to the City within five working days of a written request; use a written rental agreement for every rental, before occupancy [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.070(C)(1) and (D). The owner must get the name, address and driver's license number or passport copy of the primary responsible adult occupant. The agreement must disclose that off-road vehicle riding is restricted to approved OHV areas, that animals must be cared for under City and County animal standards, and the posted disclosures on occupancy, parking, trash days, possible fines and the contact person. |
| What safety and property standards apply? | Working fire extinguisher, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (one per bedroom plus one in each hallway), an evacuation map in each sleeping room, and one kitchen only; trash kept out of public view [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.070(A) and (F). Alterations must fit a single-family character, and licenses are not issued to structures altered without a building permit. Outdoor lights must reflect away from neighbors and public rights-of-way (Chapter 19.78). Pools and spas must be kept clean and meet the City, San Bernardino County and State codes. Failure to restore a neglected property within 30 days of notice is grounds for revocation. |
| What happens to a rental that is inactive for 12 months? | It is withdrawn from the City's list of permitted vacation home rentals and stops counting toward the citywide limit; an active rental must be rented at least one day a year [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.065(O) measures the one-day requirement from license issuance or each renewal anniversary. |
Penalties & enforcement
| Penalties for violations | Operating without a license: warning, then $2,500, then $5,000 plus $5,000 a day while rental continues. Unabated disturbance or safety violation: $500, $1,000, then $2,000 within 12 months [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.080(B). Procedural and minor nuisance violations are cited under Chapter 19.144 (Administrative Citations). The disturbance penalties apply when the owner or agent has not abated the problem within one hour. An event (day) may include more than one violation but counts as one step toward revocation. Failing to pay fines within 30 days of notification is itself a violation (Sec. 19.41.080(A)(3)). |
|---|---|
| Can a license be revoked or suspended, and how? | Yes: the approval authority may revoke or void a license for noncompliance, and the Community Development Director may instead suspend it for up to 12 months [1] Clause Sec. 19.41.080 follows the procedure in Sec. 19.28.160 (Revocation or Modification). Violations include failing to meet the license conditions or operating standards, failing to pay fines within 30 days, and failing to pay or report transient occupancy tax on time. The owner can appeal a suspension at an advertised revocation hearing. After a revocation, no license or renewal may be issued to the same owner for that location for one year from the application date (Sec. 19.41.050). |
State law that also applies
| Who sets lodging taxes on short stays in California? | Each city or county: state law lets them levy a transient occupancy tax on stays of 30 days or less [2] Clause California Revenue and Taxation Code section 7280 lets the legislative body of any city, county, or city and county levy a tax on the privilege of occupying a room or other living space in a hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel or other lodging, unless the stay is longer than 30 days. A county's tax applies only in its unincorporated areas. The rate, registration and filing rules are set by each city or county, so the local tax is shown in the city's own section of this page. |
|---|---|
| Can cities make booking platforms report rentals and show local license numbers? | Yes, where the city or county opts in by ordinance (Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025, in force January 1, 2026) [3] Clause 1 Clause 2 Clause 3 Clause 4 Government Code sections 50990 to 50996 (Senate Bill 346, 2025) apply only in a city or county that adopts an ordinance making them apply. Where they apply, a booking platform must, on the local agency's request, report the physical address with nine-digit ZIP code of each short-term rental it facilitated (no more often than every 3 months, or monthly if the local tax is remitted monthly), and must include in each listing any applicable local license number and any transient occupancy tax certification issued by the local agency. The local agency may fine a platform that does not report. The act does not stop a city or county from regulating short-term rentals, platforms or tax collection in other ways. |
| Short-term rentals in ADUs and junior ADUs under state law | Junior ADUs, and ADUs approved under the state's by-right path, must be rented for more than 30 days; for other ADUs a city may require 30-day-plus rentals [4] [5] [6] Clause 1 Clause 2 Clause 3 Government Code section 66333(g) requires a city's junior accessory dwelling unit ordinance to require that a rental of a junior ADU be for a term longer than 30 days (as amended by Assembly Bill 1154, in force January 1, 2026). Section 66323(e) requires a city to require that a rental of an ADU created under that section (the ministerial, by-right approvals) be for a term longer than 30 days. For other ADUs on a lot with a single-family home, section 66315 bars standards beyond section 66314, including owner occupancy, except that a city may require that the property be used for rentals of terms 30 days or longer. Cities can be stricter in their own codes; see the city section. |
| Can an HOA or condo association ban short-term rentals? | Yes: associations may prohibit rentals of 30 days or less, though they cannot ban or unreasonably restrict longer rentals [7] Clause Civil Code section 4741 says an owner in a common interest development is not subject to a governing-document provision that prohibits, has the effect of prohibiting, or unreasonably restricts renting or leasing a separate interest, ADU or junior ADU, and an association may not cap rentals below 25 percent of the separate interests. The same section says it does not prohibit an association from adopting and enforcing a provision that prohibits transient or short-term rental of a separate property interest for 30 days or less. Check your association's governing documents. |
| Are short-stay guests covered by California landlord-tenant law? | Not by the Civil Code chapter on renting homes while the stay is subject to a local occupancy tax [8] Clause Civil Code section 1940 applies the chapter on hiring of real property (Civil Code sections 1940 to 1954.071) to tenants, lessees, boarders, lodgers and others who hire dwelling units, but excludes a person in transient occupancy in a hotel, motel, residence club or other facility when the stay is or would be subject to a transient occupancy tax under Revenue and Taxation Code section 7280 (stays of 30 days or less). Stays longer than that are not covered by this exclusion. |
| Short-term rental rules in the coastal zone | Local short-term rental rules in the coastal zone go through the local coastal program or a coastal development permit; the Coastal Commission has not supported blanket bans [9] Clause In a December 6, 2016 letter to coastal cities and counties, the California Coastal Commission said that regulating short-term or vacation rentals in the coastal zone must happen within the local coastal program or under a coastal development permit, because it changes the intensity of use and access to the shoreline and so counts as development under the Coastal Act. The Commission said it does not believe outright bans adopted outside that process are legally enforceable in the coastal zone, that it has not historically supported blanket bans, and that it has supported limits such as caps on numbers by area, limits on days, occupancy limits, 24-hour response, parking, noise and signage rules and payment of transient occupancy tax. This applies only to places inside the coastal zone. |
Changes
Recent and pending changes
We read Chapter 19.41 (Vacation Home Rental, Secs. 19.41.010 to 19.41.080) of the Twentynine Palms Development Code and the Municode front page, version July 14, 2026, codified through Ord. No. 328 (passed June 9, 2026), captured on October 19, 2026. The page gives two dates for Ordinance No. 299, which enacted the current chapter: 2-24-2022 in each section's history note and May 24, 2022 in the chapter's editor's note. We haven't settled which is correct, so no adoption date is stated here. The front page lists Ordinances 329, 320, 319 and 301 as adopted but not yet codified; their titles cover the fire code, the home occupation permit chapter, site development chapters and the administrative code. We haven't reviewed the zoning use tables, Chapter 3.24 (transient occupancy tax), the fee resolution or City Council agendas yet, so we will watch the code and the not-yet-codified list for changes.
Sources
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This page is general information compiled from public 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.