Transient Occupancy Tax

Each guest staying at a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast in Long Beach pays Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT).

*IMPORTANT NOTICE - Effective July 1, 2020 the TOT rate has increased from 12% to 13%. Please click here for more information.

The current rate of tax is 13% of the rent, 7% of which goes to the General Fund and 6% is paid to the Special Advertising and Promotion Fund. 

TOT Ordinance

The tax is collected by the hotel when a guest pays for the room and then the hotel reports the tax and pays the tax to the City on a monthly basis using the forms below. 

Long Beach Tourism and Business Improvement Area 

In addition to TOT, some hotels and motels are subject to an additional assessment if they are located within the Long Beach Tourism and Business Improvement Area (LBTBIA).

 LBTBIA Ordinance and Boundaries

This assessment is managed by the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau and is used to administer marketing programs to promote the City of Long Beach as a tourism destination. For further information on assessment fees and the LBTBIA, please visit:

TOT Exemptions 

A guest who is considered a permanent lodger is exempt from paying TOT. A permanent lodger is defined as any occupant who, as of a given date, has occupied or has had the right of occupancy of any guest room in a hotel for at least thirty one (31) consecutive days. Unless there is a written agreement between the guest and the hotel prior to the stay, TOT must be charged until the guest has occupied or had the right of occupancy for at least thirty one (31) consecutive days. A written agreement must, at a minimum, contain the following information:

• Guest name
• Guest address
• Period of occupancy
• Rental amount
• Guest signature

The following persons are also exempt from paying TOT:

• Any federal or state of California officer or employee on official government business
• Employees of federal credit unions
• Employees of the Red Cross or U.S. Postal Service
• Insurance companies on official business

In order to receive exemption from the TOT as an employee of one of the entities listed above, the guest must provide the TOT Exemption Certificate along with acceptable proof of official government business. The guest may provide one of the following acceptable forms for proof of exemption:

1. A copy of the warrant or check drawn on the treasury of the United States or State of California made payable to the hotel;
2. A copy of the official travel orders from the official agency along with the person's full name; or
3. A copy of a letter on official agency letterhead listing the employee's name and that the stay is for official government business.

Payment for hotels using official government credit cards is not an acceptable proof of exemption.                                                         

Forms and Resources

TOT and LBTBIA Computation Forms

Each month, the City's Business License Division will mail forms to the hotel to report and make a payment for the prior month's TOT or LBTBIA. 

TOT Computation Form for June 2020 and Prior Months

TOT Computation Form for July 2020 and After

LBTBIA Computation Form

TOT Exemption Forms

Upon payment for the hotel room, a guest must claim the exemption using the form provided below. 

TOT Exemption Certificate
TOT Exemption Letter from the City Auditor's Office

Refund Policy

TOT Refund Policy

For Approved STR Hosts

Pay Transient Occupancy Tax

Questions? 

For further assistance regarding TOT or LBTBIA, please contact Business License staff at (562) 570-6211 or by email at FM-STR-TOT.