1. Legality verdict
Yes — short-term rentals are legal in Joshua Tree. Grade: B. The County permits STRs countywide in the Mountain and Desert Regions with no aggregate unit cap, but per-parcel density limits, non-transferable permits on sale, and an aggressive fine regime materially raise underwriting friction.
2. TL;DR
You must hold a Short-Term Residential Rental Unit Permit from San Bernardino County Land Use Services before accepting guests (str.sbcounty.gov). New-application cost is $1,144; renewal with no changes is $550, due annually (str.sbcounty.gov). The Transient Occupancy Tax is 7%, collected by Airbnb automatically but not by Vrbo (SBC Code §14.0203; airbnb.com/help/2469). Primary risk: permits do not transfer when the property sells — buyers re-apply from scratch (str.sbcounty.gov/faqs). Key restriction: one STR per parcel under 2 acres; two on ≥2 acres; max two permits per owner (SBC Code §84.28.040).
3. Quick facts
| Item | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| STR Definition | Residential dwelling rented for transient occupancy of 30 consecutive calendar days or less | SBC Code §84.28.020/.030 |
| Registration Required | Yes — Short-Term Residential Rental Unit Permit | SBC Code §84.28.040 |
| Permit Cost (new) | $1,144 ($600 app + $285 permit + $259 notification), effective July 1, 2025 | str.sbcounty.gov |
| Annual Renewal | Annually; $550 (no changes), up to $1,144 with modifications | SBC Code §84.28.050(g); str.sbcounty.gov |
| Occupancy Tax Rate | 7% TOT, unincorporated County | SBC Code §14.0203 |
| State/County Taxes | CA Tourism Assessment: 0.195% of assessable revenue; no state sales tax on lodging; CA income tax applies | tourism.ca.gov |
| Occupancy Cap | Studio/1BR: 4; 2BR: 6; 3BR: 8; 4BR: 10; hard cap 12 persons; plus 4 daytime guests | SBC Code §84.28.060 |
| Parking Requirement | 1 space per 2 bedrooms on-site, rounded up; +1 for daytime guests; street parking prohibited | SBC Code §84.28.060(c) |
| Primary Inspector/Department | San Bernardino County Code Enforcement, Land Use Services Division | str.sbcounty.gov |
| License Cap Y/N | No aggregate cap; per-owner cap of 2; per-parcel cap of 1 (<2 ac) or 2 (≥2 ac) | SBC Code §84.28.040 |
| Cap Details | Permits non-transferable on sale; new owner must re-apply | str.sbcounty.gov/faqs |
| Last Updated | April 22, 2026 | — |
4. Regulatory impact snapshot
The binding underwriting variables are not fees but permit non-transferability and the per-parcel density rule: sellers cannot market a property as “permit-attached,” so buyers should underwrite a 6–12 week re-permitting gap plus the 50+ day notification/appeal window before first guest night (str.sbcounty.gov/getting-started). Because no aggregate cap exists, there is no secondary-market license premium as seen in Palm Springs or Twentynine Palms — scarcity value accrues instead to parcels ≥2 acres that can host two permitted STRs under SBC Code §84.28.040.
5. FAQ
Basics
Is running an Airbnb legal in Joshua Tree? Yes. San Bernardino County Code Chapter 84.28 authorizes STRs in residential zones of the unincorporated Mountain and Desert Regions, which includes Joshua Tree, provided the owner holds a valid Short-Term Residential Rental Unit Permit (SBC Code §84.28.040).
How does unincorporated Joshua Tree differ from Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley? Joshua Tree is governed by San Bernardino County, not a city. Twentynine Palms caps STRs at 500 permits and charges 9% TOT plus 1.5% TBID; Yucca Valley caps at 10% of single-family housing stock. Different ordinance, different fee schedule, different tax stack (ci.twentynine-palms.ca.us; yucca-valley.org).
What counts as a short-term rental? Any residential dwelling — or portion thereof — rented for transient occupancy of 30 consecutive calendar days or less. Commercial use (weddings, retreats, corporate events, photo shoots) is prohibited under the STR permit (SBC Code §84.28.020).
Are ADUs and guest houses eligible? Single-family dwellings, duplexes, guest houses, condominiums, and some ADUs are eligible. Apartments and units in multi-family residential projects are not, nor are yurts, RVs, or tents (str.sbcounty.gov/about-str).
Licensing
Is there a cap on STR permits in Joshua Tree? No aggregate countywide cap. The 2021–2029 Housing Element contemplated an interim cap by March 2023, but the Board of Supervisors received the Program 4 STR Study on June 11, 2024 and declined to cap, instead directing staff to augment affordable housing programs (str.sbcounty.gov/housing-element-program-4).
Is there a waitlist? No. Applications are processed on a rolling basis; typical processing runs 6–12 weeks from submission (str.sbcounty.gov/getting-started).
Does the permit transfer when I sell the property? No. Ordinance 4371 (2022) eliminated automatic permit transfer on sale. The new owner must submit a new application, inspection, and 20-day neighbor notification cycle (str.sbcounty.gov/faqs).
How many permits can one owner hold? A maximum of two STR permits per person, LLC, trust, or LLP. Pre-2022 holders above two may renew existing permits as legal nonconforming (SBC Code §84.28.040).
What’s the per-parcel density limit? One STR permit per parcel under 2 acres; two permits per parcel ≥2 acres (SBC Code §84.28.040).
Taxes
What’s the total tax I owe on each booking? 7% TOT on rent plus cleaning fees for stays of 30 nights or less (SBC Code §14.0203). The California Tourism Assessment adds 0.195% of gross travel revenue at the business level (tourism.ca.gov).
Do Airbnb and Vrbo remit TOT for me? Airbnb collects and remits 7% TOT automatically under a Voluntary Collection Agreement effective August 1, 2018 (airbnb.com/help/2469). Vrbo does not collect for unincorporated San Bernardino County — hosts must register with the County Tax Collector and remit directly (help.vrbo.com).
How often do I file TOT? Quarterly returns through the TouristExpress portal. Even when Airbnb remits, you must hold a TOT Certificate and file a zero-dollar return (sbcountyatc.gov; airbnb.com/help/2469).
What are the penalties for late TOT? 10% penalty on first delinquency, an additional 10% after 30 days, 25% for fraud, and 0.5% interest per month on unpaid balances (SBC Code §14.0203(e)).
Operations
What’s the occupancy limit? Four guests in a studio or one-bedroom, six in a two-bedroom, eight in a three-bedroom, ten in a four-bedroom, with a hard cap of 12 persons regardless of bedroom count (SBC Code §84.28.060).
Do I need a local contact? Yes. The owner or agent must be reachable 24/7, answer a call within 30 minutes, and be physically on-site within one hour of a complaint. A written complaint log must be kept for the term of the permit (SBC Code §84.28.070(g)).
What are the dark-sky lighting rules? Under Chapter 83.07, outdoor lighting must be shielded, capped at 3,000 Kelvin or less, extinguished by 11:00 p.m., and limited to 12-foot pole height in residential use. Joshua Tree is within the Mountain and Desert Region subject to the strictest standards (SBC Code §§83.07.040, .060).
What septic or water rules apply specifically to STRs? Chapter 84.28 does not impose STR-specific septic, well, or water-capacity thresholds beyond cross-reference to Title 6 Division 3 building and housing standards. Compliance with Environmental Health septic rules under Title 3 and Joshua Basin Water District service is required. Not specified in Chapter 84.28 beyond those cross-references.
What fire safety is required? Smoke detectors in each bedroom, hallway, and every floor; CO detectors where gas or attached garages exist; at least one 2A:10B fire extinguisher; operational egress from bedrooms; a heat-rated five-gallon metal ash container shown on the plot plan. Spas must be covered and locked when unused (str.sbcounty.gov Owner Acknowledgement; SBC Code §84.28.070).
Enforcement
How are complaints processed? Through the 24/7 hotline 1-833-SBC-STR1 (1-833-722-7871) or the online portal. Complaints route to Code Enforcement for review, with an after-hours team active Friday, Saturday, and holiday evenings (str.sbcounty.gov).
What are the fines? $1,000 first conviction, $2,000 second, $5,000 third within 12 months. Operating without a permit is a misdemeanor carrying $1,000 per day and up to six months in county jail (str.sbcounty.gov/faqs).
When is a permit revoked? Conditions include severe violations requiring vacation of the unit, uncorrected conditions within 60 days, recurrence within 12 months, two suspensions in 24 months, fraud, or permits issued in error. No new application may be filed within 12 months of revocation (SBC Code §84.28.100).
How is the County tracking unpermitted listings? San Bernardino County uses Rentalscape (Deckard Technologies) to monitor platform listings. In 2024, the County processed approximately 1,880 STR-related complaints through the system (str.sbcounty.gov).
6. Deep dive
Permit process, step by step
Begin at the County’s EZOP portal (wp.sbcounty.gov/ezop), which issues the Special Use Permit – Short-Term Rental. You submit a plot plan showing parking, trash storage, ash-disposal container, and utility shutoffs, plus the Owner Acknowledgement and Safety Requirements form attesting to smoke and CO detectors, fire extinguishers, and egress. The County inspects the exterior and sends a 20-day surrounding-property-owner notification within 500 feet, which triggers a 30-day appeal window. Fees totaling $1,144 — $600 application, $285 permit, $259 notification — are due at submission (str.sbcounty.gov/getting-started). Typical end-to-end processing is 6 to 12 weeks. On approval, you receive a permit number that must be posted adjacent to the front door along with the Good Neighbor Brochure, emergency contacts, occupancy/parking limits, and an evacuation map (SBC Code §84.28.070(e)).
Zoning: where STRs work in Joshua Tree
STRs are authorized only in the Mountain and Desert Regions of unincorporated San Bernardino County, of which Joshua Tree is part (SBC Code §84.28.010). The Joshua Tree Community Plan (Chapter 82.29) maps most developable land into Rural Living (RL) at 5, 10, or 20-acre minimum parcels and Single Residential (RS) from roughly 10,000 sq ft to 1 acre, with smaller pockets of Resource Conservation and Rural Commercial (Joshua Tree Community Plan). Density is binding: one permit on parcels under 2 acres, two on ≥2 acres, and a maximum of two permits per owner across the County (SBC Code §84.28.040). Apartments and multi-family units are categorically ineligible. Fire Safety overlay parcels (FS1/FS2/FS3) under Chapter 82.13 require additional defensible-space and construction compliance.
Taxes and remittance
The County imposes a flat 7% Transient Occupancy Tax on rent charged for stays of 30 nights or less under SBC Code §14.0203. Operators must register with the County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector at 268 W. Hospitality Lane and file quarterly returns via the TouristExpress portal at sanbernardino-ca.county-taxes.com/tourist (sbcountyatc.gov). Airbnb collects and remits the 7% automatically, but operators must still file zero-dollar returns (airbnb.com/help/2469). Vrbo does not collect for unincorporated San Bernardino County, making direct remittance the host’s responsibility (help.vrbo.com). There is no TBID in unincorporated Joshua Tree, in contrast to neighboring Twentynine Palms (1.5%) and Palm Springs (1%). Late remittance triggers 10% penalty, escalating to 20% after 30 days, plus 0.5% monthly interest (SBC Code §14.0203(e)).
Enforcement climate
The enforcement posture is aggressive and complaint-driven. The County operates a 24/7 hotline with dedicated after-hours response on high-risk nights, and since 2023 has used Deckard Technologies’ Rentalscape to scrape platform listings for unpermitted activity. Tiered fines start at $1,000 and rise to $5,000 for a third strike within 12 months; operating without a permit is a misdemeanor carrying $1,000/day and up to six months in county jail (str.sbcounty.gov/faqs; SBC Code §84.28). In 2024 the County processed roughly 1,880 STR-related complaints. Hi-Desert Star has reported on individual cases, including an Indian Cove-area operator who negotiated a potential revocation down to a $500 fine (hidesertstar.com). No mass sweep or litigation loss against the County has been publicly reported in the 2024–2026 window.
Recent changes and pending legislation
The defining recent vote was June 11, 2024, when the Board of Supervisors accepted the Program 4 STR Study and declined to impose a cap, directing staff to expand affordable housing programs instead (str.sbcounty.gov/housing-element-program-4). On November 5, 2024, voters defeated Measure K 56.77% to 43.23%, which would have raised TOT from 7% to 11% (uploads.rov.sbcounty.gov). A new fee schedule took effect July 1, 2025 raising the new-application total to $1,144 (str.sbcounty.gov). At the state level, SB 346 (Durazo) was signed October 13, 2025 and took effect January 1, 2026, empowering local agencies to compel STR platforms to share address, APN, listing URL, TOT certificate, and license data with fines up to $10,000/day (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). San Bernardino County has not yet adopted an implementing ordinance, but enactment is the primary 2026 regulatory risk to watch. The Morongo Basin Conservation Association continues to push the Board for a cap, and the Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council was rebooted in 2024 with a Joshua Tree seat (z1077fm.com).
Cap mechanics
Technically, Joshua Tree has no aggregate permit cap — so there is no waitlist and no secondary-market “license premium” of the type that inflates Palm Springs listings in capped neighborhoods. What binds is the per-parcel density rule (1 on <2 acres, 2 on ≥2 acres) and the per-owner cap of 2 permits (SBC Code §84.28.040). The operative scarcity play is parcels ≥2 acres, which can support two STRs under common ownership. Because permits are non-transferable on sale (str.sbcounty.gov/faqs), buyers of existing STR properties face a full re-application cycle — $1,144 in fees, exterior inspection, 20-day neighbor notification, 30-day appeal window, and 6–12 week processing — meaning underwriting models should zero out revenue for roughly 50–90 days post-close. County permit volume fell from a July 2022 peak of 7,749 unique STRs to approximately 6,395 in September 2023 per the PlaceWorks Technical Memorandum (lus.sbcounty.gov), a market-driven contraction that further weakens any case for scarcity pricing.
8. Sources and last updated
- San Bernardino County Code, Chapter 84.28 (Short-Term Residential Rentals): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sanbernardino/latest/sanberncty_ca/0-0-0-172387
- San Bernardino County Code §14.0203 (Transient Occupancy Tax): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sanbernardino/latest/sanberncty_ca/0-0-0-150741
- San Bernardino County Code Chapter 83.07 (Glare and Outdoor Lighting): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sanbernardino/latest/sanberncty_ca/0-0-0-169787
- San Bernardino County STR Program Portal: https://str.sbcounty.gov/
- STR Getting Started / Fees: https://str.sbcounty.gov/getting-started/
- STR FAQs: https://str.sbcounty.gov/faqs/
- STR Housing Element Program 4 Study (2024): https://str.sbcounty.gov/housing-element-program-4-short-term-rental-study-2024/
- EZOP Permit Application: https://wp.sbcounty.gov/ezop/permits/special-use-permit-short-term-rental-application/
- PlaceWorks Technical Memorandum (May 2024): https://lus.sbcounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/48/Planning/SBC-STR-TechMemo-May2024-Final.pdf
- Joshua Tree Community Plan: https://lus.sbcounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/48/CommunityPlans/JoshuaTreeCP.pdf
- San Bernardino County ATC — Tax Collector: https://www.sbcountyatc.gov/Divisions/TaxCollector
- TouristExpress TOT Portal: https://sanbernardino-ca.county-taxes.com/tourist
- Measure K Official Results (Nov 2024): https://uploads.rov.sbcounty.gov/ROV/Elections/2024/1105/Measures/SBCounty/4474/AIF_SBCounty.pdf
- California SB 346 (Durazo, 2025): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB346
- California Tourism Assessment Program: https://tourism.ca.gov
- Airbnb — San Bernardino County Tax Collection: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2469
- Airbnb — California Occupancy Taxes: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2297
- Vrbo — US Tax Jurisdictions: https://help.vrbo.com/articles/vrbo-stay-taxes-lodging-taxes-united-states-a-e
- Z107.7 FM — BOS STR Coverage: https://z1077fm.com/do-short-term-vacation-rentals-affect-affordable-housing-in-the-morongo-basin-county-comes-back-with-second-opinion/
- Z107.7 FM — Light Trespass Ordinance: https://z1077fm.com/board-of-supervisors-passes-light-trespass-ordinance/
- Hi-Desert Star — Joshua Tree Community STR Meeting: https://www.hidesertstar.com/deserttrail/locals-tell-of-evictions-lack-of-housing-due-to-short-term-rentals/article_d373c9a4-48f8-11ee-a640-2fe2475ad4e0.html
This page is research, not legal advice. Consult local counsel before acquiring or operating a short-term rental in San Bernardino County.
9. Next steps for investors
See Joshua Tree revenue data → /airbnb-analytics/joshua-tree-ca
