Riverside County · checked 2026-09-13
Can you BnB it in Hemet?
AllowedHemet allows rentals of less than 30 days on residentially zoned property with an annual short-term lodging permit, a 25 year minimum renter age, and a local contact within 25 miles who answers within 30 minutes. A valid permit can move to a buyer if the buyer files a transfer application within 60 days of taking title; trusts, business entities and immediate family get 365 days and heirs get 90 days after the estate closes.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L1Sec. 18-703 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1HMC Chapter 18, Article XVIII, Short-Term Lodging, Secs. 18-700 to 18-716 (Ord. No. 2060, § 1, 6-24-25); TOT at Chapter 74, Article III, Sec. 74-72 (Ord. No. 2037, § 2, 11-5-24) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L1HMC Chapter 18, Article XVIII, Short-Term Lodging, Secs. 18-700 to 18-716 (Ord. No. 2060, § 1, 6-24-25); TOT at Chapter 74, Article III, Sec. 74-72 (Ord. No. 2037, § 2, 11-5-24) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Transfer when the home sellsSec. 18-708(a): a valid permit that has not been abandoned under 18-705(b) to (f) may be transferred: (1) to an inter vivos, family or similar trust if a transfer application under 18-705 is filed within 365 days of the title transfer; (2) to a corporation, LLC, partnership or similar business entity, application within 365 days; (3) to an immediate family member (spouse, domestic partner, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, in-laws, grandparent, great-grandparent, siblings including half and step siblings and in-laws, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or first cousin), application within 365 days; (4) to a bona fide purchaser for value, application within 60 days of the date title is transferred; (5) to heirs once the estate is closed and assets distributed, application within 90 days of the heirs becoming owner. Sec. 18-708(b): missing the deadline waives the authorization and the permit is deemed abandoned unless the administrative services director finds good cause to extend. These deadlines do not extend the abandonment deadlines in 18-705(b) to (f) (renewal within 30 days of expiration, reinstatement within 30 days, incomplete applications completed within 30 days of notice). A transfer application fee applies (Sec. 18-707).L1Sec. 18-708(a)(4) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
Sec. 18-703“No owner of a lodging unit shall advertise for rent or rent a lodging unit located within the city for a short term without a valid short-term lodging permit.” source
Sec. 18-702“Only properties zoned residential under chapter 90 shall be eligible for a short-term lodging permit.” source
Sec. 18-708(a)(4)“If the owner sells the lodging unit to a bona fide purchaser for value, a valid short-term lodging permit may be transferred to the purchaser, if an application to transfer a valid permit is filed in accordance with section 18-705, within 60 days of the date title is transferred to the purchaser.” source
Sec. 18-708(a)(5)“If the owner is deceased, the short-term lodging permit for the short-term lodging unit may be transferred to the heir(s) once the estate is closed and the assets distributed, if an application to transfer a valid permit is filed in accordance with section 18-705, within 90 days of the date the heir(s) becomes the owner of the short-term lodging unit.” source
Citation: HMC Chapter 18, Article XVIII, Short-Term Lodging, Secs. 18-700 to 18-716 (Ord. No. 2060, § 1, 6-24-25); TOT at Chapter 74, Article III, Sec. 74-72 (Ord. No. 2037, § 2, 11-5-24)
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How this page was verified
Verified from the municipal code (level 1), checked on 2026-09-13 by the CanIBnB research desk. Research is AI assisted and human reviewed; the method, the level system, and the re-check schedule are on the How we verify page. If anything here is wrong, report it and it goes in the public corrections log.