TOT Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Local Ordinance (Chapter 5.40) provides that the County of Monterey collect Transient Occupancy Taxes for the unincorporated areas of the county. This tax is commonly known as “TOT” and is also called “Hotel tax”, “Room tax” or "Bed tax."

The unincorporated areas in the County of Monterey include popular tourist destinations such as: Pebble Beach, Carmel Valley and the Big Sur Coast.

TOT applies to transient stays up to 30 days.

The Monterey County Treasurer - Tax Collector (TTC) is responsible for collecting the TOT.

“Hotel” means any structure, or any portion of any structure, which is occupied or intended or designed for occupancy by transients for dwelling, lodging or sleeping purposes, and includes any hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel, time share or condominium conversion facility that is zoned “Visitor Serving”, studio, bachelor hotel, lodging house, rooming house, apartment house, dormitory, public or private club, mobile home or house trailer at a fixed location, or other similar structure or portion thereof.

“Occupancy” means the use or possession, or the right to the use or possession, of any room or rooms, or portion thereof, in any hotel for dwelling, lodging or sleeping purposes.

“Operator” means the person who is proprietor of the hotel, whether in the capacity of owner, lessee, sublessee, mortgagee in possession, licensee, or any other capacity. Where the operator performs functions through a managing agent of any type or character other than an employee, the managing agent shall also be deemed an operator for the purposes of this Chapter and shall have the same duties and liabilities as a principal. However, compliance with the provisions of this Chapter by either the principal or the managing agent shall be considered to be compliance by both. If a time share or condominium conversion allows or results in transient occupancy in a facility zoned “Visitor Serving, an onsite operator must be present. Such onsite operator shall be charged with all duties and responsibilities under this Chapter and shall serve as a single point of contact between transient occupants and the Tax Collector.

“Transient” means any person who exercises occupancy or is entitled to occupancy by reason of concession, permit, right of access, license or other agreement for a period of thirty (30) calendar days or less, counting portions of calendar days as full days. Any such person so occupying space in a hotel shall be deemed to be a transient until the period of thirty (30) days has expired unless there is an agreement in writing between the operator and the occupant providing for a longer period of occupancy.

(Ord. 5073 2007; Ord. 3668, 1993; Ord 3651 section 1, 1992)

“Rent” means the consideration charged, whether or not received, for the occupancy of space in a hotel valued in money, whether to be received in money, goods, labor or otherwise, including all receipts, cash, credits and property and services of any kind or nature, including but not limited to mandatory facility or grounds fees or mandatory gratuity or administrative fees retained by the operator, without any deduction therefrom whatsoever. Rent includes a nonrefundable deposit or guaranteed no-show fee paid by or on behalf of any person, whether or not the person actually exercises the right to occupancy by using or possessing any room or rooms, or portion thereof, in any hotel for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes. If a transient is not charged for occupancy of a time share or condominium conversion unit that is zoned “Visitor Serving”, rent shall be based on the then applicable daily rate for a comparable unit in the same facility.

Examples of fees subject to Transient Occupancy Tax include no-show fees, cancellation fees for group bookings, late check-out fees, extra person charges, resort fees, cleaning fees, surcharges, roll-away bed charge, pet fees, charges for amenities such as mini bar fees, telephone or internet fees and parking fees.

Yes. For the purposes of the TOT, any portion of a calendar day is considered a full day and is taxable.

Yes. A mobile home, recreational vehicle, or house trailer at a fixed location which you rent to a transient is subject to the TOT.

Yes, there are exemptions. The Local Ordinance states:

No tax shall be imposed upon:

1. Any person as to whom, or any occupancy as to which, it is beyond the power of the county to impose the tax provided for in this chapter;
2. Any officer or employee of a foreign government who is exempt by reason of express provision of federal law or international treaty;
3. Any person for whom emergency housing is provided pursuant to a voucher issued by a non-profit, tax exempt agency or organization;
4. Employees of insurance companies while performing insurance-related business. This exemption shall apply only to those insurance companies which do business in California and which pay the California State Gross Premiums Tax annually pursuant to California Constitution Article XIII, Section 28, in lieu of all other taxes.
5. Employees of federal credit unions while performing credit union business.

This exemption shall apply only to those credit unions organized and operating under the Federal Credit Union Act.

No exemption shall be granted except upon a claim for exemption made at the time rent is collected, and under penalty of perjury, upon the Monterey County Exemption form.

Federal employees on official business are eligible for exemption from the tax. The exemption claim shall not be approved unless the person requesting the exemption shows satisfactory credentials reflecting current performance of official duties.

1. A copy of the credentials of the person requesting the exemption shall be attached to each exemption claim;
   
   Federal Law prohibits the copying of military identification cards/badges in U.S. Code Part 1, Title 18, Chapter 33, Section 701. Acceptable credentials for the purpose of the County of Monterey Exemption Claim form are photocopies of a passport, a State issued drivers license or other form of photo identification, a business card or a copy of their federal orders with the name and title of the traveler.

1. separate exemption claim must be filed for each occupied room subject to rental for which the exemption is requested.
   
   State and local government employees, contractors, federal government chartered companies, and subcontractors of any level of government are not eligible for exemption from the tax.
   
   

   In accordance with Monterey County Code 5.40.140(A), an operator must retain the completed exemption form for a period of three years. These records shall be available during reasonable business hours for inspection or audit by the Tax Collector or the County Auditor-Controller.

Any person who has a written agreement with the operator, entered into within the first thirty (30) days of the person's occupancy, which states the person will stay for more than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days is exempt from the TOT, for the first 30 days of the person’s stay. Only in this instance is the first thirty (30) days of this person’s stay not taxable.

In accordance with Monterey County Code 5.40.140(A), an operator must retain the completed 30-day exemption form and the written agreement for a period of three years. These records shall be available during reasonable business hours for inspection or audit by the Tax Collector or the County Auditor-Controller.

The TTC makes available to all operators the required Monterey County Exemption Claim form through which eligible transients may claim an exemption from the TOT. The form should be completed by the transient and filed with the operator before the time rent is collected from the transient. Original exemption claim forms and all supporting documents must be retained by the operator for a period of three years in accordance with Section 5.40.140 of the Local Ordinance.

No exemption shall be granted except upon a claim for exemption made at the time rent is collected, and under penalty of perjury, upon the Monterey County Exemption form.

Each operator should collect the TOT at the same time the rent is due from each transient guest. The amount of TOT should be separately stated from the amount of the rent charged, and the transient should receive a receipt for payment from the operator.

Yes. For compliance and recordkeeping purposes, each operator shall list the amount of the tax separately from the amount of the rent on the registration card.

Every operator liable for the collection and remittance of the TOT to the TTC is required to keep and preserve all records necessary to determine the amount of tax for which it is liable.

Yes. Prior to commencement of business, each operator shall register said hotel with the tax collector and obtain from the tax collector a business license and a transient occupancy registration certificate, both shall at all times be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises.

Each operator, on or before the last day of the month following the close of each calendar quarter, or at the close of any shorter reporting period which may be established by the tax collector, shall make a return to the tax collector, on forms provided by the TTC, of the total rents charged and the amount of tax imposed thereon by Section 5.40.030 of the Local Ordinance. The tax must be received by the tax collector’s office by the due date. A postmark will not be accepted as timely remittance. At the time the return is filed, the full amount of such tax shall be remitted to the tax collector. The tax collector may establish shorter report periods for any certificate holder if it is determined necessary to ensure collection of the tax and additional information may be required beyond what is required by the return.

Returns and payments are due immediately upon cessation of business for any reason. All taxes collected by operators shall be considered public monies at the time of collection and separate property of the county and shall be held in trust for the account of the county until payment thereof is made to the tax collector.

In the event a federal, state or local declared disaster affecting the unincorporated area of Monterey County results in the physical impairment of public infrastructure, including, but not limited to, roads, streets, and other public highways, and such impairment prevents public access to hotel facilities covered by this chapter, the tax collector may extend the period of time, without penalty, for reporting and remitting taxes. In such instances, the reporting date and payment date shall extend to the end of the month after the next succeeding calendar quarter following the expiration date of the declared disaster.

Below is a quick reference of the fiscal quarters and the corresponding tax payment due dates for transient occupancy tax, which you may find helpful.

(Ord. 3759, 1994; Ord. 3668, 1993; Ord. 1607 (part), 1968; Ord. 1404 Section 7, 1965.)

You should mail your payment, along with a completed Transient Occupancy Tax Quarterly Return Form, to:

Monterey County Treasurer - Tax Collector
P.O. Box 891
Salinas CA 93902

Please make your check payable to the Monterey County Treasurer - Tax Collector.

If you send your payment by a courier service that does not deliver to a United States Postal Service Post Office Box, you should send your payment, along with a completed Transient Occupancy Tax Quarterly Return Form, to:

Monterey County Treasurer - Tax Collector
168 West Alisal St, 1st Floor
Salinas CA 93901

Please make your check payable to the Monterey County Treasurer - Tax Collector.

Original Delinquency: Any operator who fails to remit any tax imposed by this Chapter within the time required shall pay a penalty of ten (10) percent of the amount of the tax in addition to the amount of the tax.

Continued Delinquency: Any operator who fails to remit any delinquent remittance on or before a period of thirty (30) days following the date on which the remittance first became delinquent shall pay a second delinquency penalty of ten (10) percent of the amount of the tax, calculated on a non-compounding basis, in addition to the amount of the tax and the ten (10) percent penalty first imposed.

Fraud: If the Tax Collector determines that the nonpayment of any remittance due under chapter is due to fraud, a penalty of twenty-five (25) percent of the amount of the tax shall be added thereto in addition to the penalties stated in Subsections A and B of this Section of the Local Ordinance.

Interest: In addition to the penalties imposed, any operator who fails to remit any tax imposed by this Chapter within thirty (30) day of delinquency shall pay simple interest at the rate of one and one half percent per month or fraction thereof on the amount of the tax, exclusive of penalties, from the date on which the remittance first became delinquent.

Penalties Merged With Tax: Every penalty imposed and such interest as accrues under the provisions of this Section shall become a part of the tax required by this Chapter of the Local Ordinance to be paid.

(Ord 5073, 2007; Ord. 3668, 1993; Ord. 1404 Section 8, 1965.)

Any operator aggrieved by any decision of the tax collector with respect to the amount of tax, interest and penalties, if any, due under this chapter of the Local Ordinance may appeal to the Board of Supervisors by filing a notice of appeal with the county clerk within fifteen days of the serving or mailing of the determination of tax due. The Board of Supervisors shall fix a time and place forhearing such appeal, and the county clerk shall give notice in writing to such operator at the last known place of address. The finding of the Board of Supervisors shall be final and conclusive and shall be served upon the appellant in the manner prescribed by this chapter of the Local Ordinance for service of notice of hearing. Any amount found to be due shall be immediately due and payable upon the service of notice.

(Ord. 3668, 1993; Ord. 1404, Section 12, 1965.)

The Operator may appear at a hearing and offer evidence why such specified tax, interest and penalties should not be so fixed. After the hearing, the tax collector shall determine the proper tax to be remitted and shall thereafter give written notice to the person in the manner prescribed in this chapter of the Local Ordinance of such determination and the amount of such tax, interest and penalties. The amount determined to be due shall be payable after fifteen days unless an appeal is taken as provided in Section 5.40.130 of the Local Ordinance.

(Ord. 3668, 1993; Ord. 1404 Section 1965.)

Whenever the amount of any tax, interest or penalty has been overpaid or paid more than once or has been erroneously or illegally collected or received by the county, it may be refunded as provided in subsection B and C of this section of the provided a claim in writing, stating under penalty of perjury the specific grounds upon which the claim is founded, is filed with the tax collector within three years of the date of payment. The claim shall be on forms furnished by the tax collector.

An operator may claim a refund or take as credit against taxes collected and remitted the amount overpaid, paid more than once or erroneously or illegally collected or received when it is established in manner prescribed by the tax collector that the person from whom the tax has been collected was not a transient; provided, however, that neither a refund nor a credit shall be allowed unless the amount of the tax so collected has either been refunded to the transient or credited to rent subsequently payable by the transient to the operator.

A transient may obtain a refund of taxes overpaid or paid more than once or erroneously or illegally collected or received by the county by filing a claim in the manner provided in subsection A of this section of the Local Ordinance, but only when the tax was paid by the transient having paid the tax to the operator establishes to the satisfaction of the tax collector that the transient has been unable to obtain a refund from the operator who collected the tax.

If any operator liable for any amount under this chapter sells or quits their business, the successors or assignees shall withhold a sufficient portion of the purchase price to cover the amount for which the operator is liable until the former owner produces either a receipt from the tax collector showing that payment has been made or a certificate stating that no amount is due.

(Ord 3668, 1993; Ord. 1404, Section 10, 1965.)

If you have further questions or need additional assistance, do not hesitate to contact the Treasurer – Tax collector at (831) 755-5057, Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm PT, or submit an e-mail to taxcollector@countyofmonterey.gov.