Riverside County · checked 2026-09-13
Can you BnB it in Riverside?
AllowedRiverside allows rentals of 30 days or less anywhere a dwelling unit is legally permitted, with a city business tax certificate, transient occupancy tax at 13 percent, and operating standards such as two occupants per bedroom plus one and a posted local contact. The business tax certificate cannot be transferred, so a buyer registers again in their own name.
The rules, with their sources
Permit or licenseA permit or license is required before operating.L15.55.040 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Hosted onlyThe code does not limit rentals to hosted stays.L1RMC Chapter 5.55, Short-Term Residential Rentals, 5.55.010 to 5.55.070 (Ord. 7678, § 1 (Exh. A), 2024; 5.55.050 also Ord. 7757, § 108, 2026); RMC 5.04.180 (Ord. 7663, § 14, 2024; Ord. 6923, § 14, 2007; Ord. 5732, 1989; Ord. 5731, 1989; Ord. 3804, 1971); RMC 5.32.020 (Ord. 7111, 2011) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Primary residenceThe code does not require the rental to be the operator's primary residence.L1RMC Chapter 5.55, Short-Term Residential Rentals, 5.55.010 to 5.55.070 (Ord. 7678, § 1 (Exh. A), 2024; 5.55.050 also Ord. 7757, § 108, 2026); RMC 5.04.180 (Ord. 7663, § 14, 2024; Ord. 6923, § 14, 2007; Ord. 5732, 1989; Ord. 5731, 1989; Ord. 3804, 1971); RMC 5.32.020 (Ord. 7111, 2011) · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Transfer when the home sellsChapter 5.55 is silent on transfer. The required business tax certificate is expressly nontransferable under RMC 5.04.180 ('No certificate issued pursuant to this chapter shall be transferable.'), so a buyer registers for a new certificate and TOT account in their own name before renting. No family, trust, entity or grace period exceptions appear in 5.04.180; name changes are handled as amendments for a $2.00 fee.L15.04.180 · code text · checked 2026-09-13
Read the code text →
In the city's own words
5.55.040“The owner or owner's authorized agent is required to obtain a business tax certificate pursuant to Chapter 5.04 of this code before renting or advertising the availability of a short-term residential rental unit.” source
5.04.180“No certificate issued pursuant to this chapter shall be transferable.” source
5.55.020(G)“'Short-term residential rental' is defined as the rental of any legally permitted dwelling unit, as that term is defined in Chapter 19.910 of this code, or one or more portions of any legally permitted dwelling unit, for occupancy purposes for a period of 30 consecutive calendar days or less, counting portions of calendar days as full days.” source
5.55.050(N)“The number of occupants allowed to occupy any given short-term residential rental unit shall be limited to two people per bedroom plus one person per unit.” source
Citation: RMC Chapter 5.55, Short-Term Residential Rentals, 5.55.010 to 5.55.070 (Ord. 7678, § 1 (Exh. A), 2024; 5.55.050 also Ord. 7757, § 108, 2026); RMC 5.04.180 (Ord. 7663, § 14, 2024; Ord. 6923, § 14, 2007; Ord. 5732, 1989; Ord. 5731, 1989; Ord. 3804, 1971); RMC 5.32.020 (Ord. 7111, 2011)
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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.