Short-Term Rental Laws in Joshua Tree, California

Joshua Tree is unincorporated San Bernardino County — there is no Joshua Tree city government. The County's 2022 Short-Term Vacation Rental ordinance applies: registration + County TOT + safety inspection + designated local 24/7 contact. The County has implemented density caps and distance buffers in the Morongo Basin (Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms) — properties must maintain minimum spacing from other STR-permitted parcels, and the County may stop issuing new STR certificates in saturated areas.

Unincorporated San Bernardino County STR rules apply. Most residentially-zoned parcels in the Morongo Basin (RL Rural Living, RS Single-Residential, RM Multi-Residential) are eligible subject to the density and distance-buffer requirements. Properties within 1,500 ft of another STR-permitted parcel may be denied. The neighboring towns of Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms are incorporated municipalities with their OWN STR rules — Yucca Valley in particular has a 2023 cap and lottery system. Confirm whether your parcel is unincorporated Joshua Tree (county rules) vs Yucca Valley (city rules) before any offer.

Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.

San Bernardino County Land Use Services administers the STR certificate program. Annual renewal with re-certification of safety standards. Operating without certification: $1,000+ administrative penalty + back-TOT assessment + per-day continuing fines. Code Enforcement actively cross-references Airbnb/Vrbo listings against the STR certificate registry. The Morongo Basin enforcement unit is one of the County's more active STR-focused divisions.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Joshua Tree is approximately 10.000% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

California State (lodging exempt) + San Bernardino County Transient Occupancy Tax 7% + Morongo Basin tourism assessment 2.5% + small county options — combined ~10.0% on transient lodging

Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.