Buying in La Quinta
Short term rental eligibility in La Quinta.
The short version
Since May 20, 2021, the City of La Quinta has not issued new short term vacation rental permits outside specifically exempt areas. Most of the city’s private golf communities are not on that list. Two narrow routes were added in January 2024: a homeshare permit, which requires you to be in the house while guests are, and a Large Lot exemption for parcels of 25,000 square feet or more, which requires City Council approval at a public hearing. Separately from all of that, the community’s own governing documents may prohibit the use even where the City would permit it. Both have to say yes. Eligibility turns on the specific address, not the neighborhood.
This page is a starting point for due diligence, not a substitute for it.
Rules change, exempt lists are revised, and permit status varies by parcel. Verify any specific address with the City of La Quinta Short Term Vacation Rental team and review the current governing documents for the community before relying on rental income in a purchase decision. We are not attorneys and this is not legal advice.
What happened in 2021
Ordinance 591, effective May 20, 2021, imposed a permanent ban on the issuance of new short term vacation rental permits in the City of La Quinta outside specifically exempt areas.
The word that matters is new. Properties that already held a valid permit at that point, and that have kept it continuously renewed since, may be treated differently. Properties that never held one, or whose permit lapsed, generally cannot obtain one in a non exempt area.
This is the single most consequential thing a buyer can misunderstand here, because it is easy to assume that a house which was rented before can be rented again.
The exempt areas
The City maintains a published list of areas where new permits remain available. The exempt developments we have confirmed include:
| Legacy Villas | Exempt |
| La Quinta Resort | Exempt |
| Puerta Azul | Exempt |
| Signature at PGA WEST | Exempt, also listed as Haciendas |
This is not necessarily the complete list, and the list can be revised. Confirm the current version with the City.
The Signature entry is worth pausing on, because it demonstrates the principle better than anything else on this page. PGA WEST as a whole does not appear on the exempt list. Signature at PGA WEST does. Two homes behind the same gate, minutes apart, with entirely different rental eligibility. That is why the address matters and the community name does not.
The two routes added in 2024
Since January 2024 the City has allowed two further paths, and neither is what most second home buyers are looking for.
Homeshare permits. These allow short term rental where the owner remains in occupancy throughout the guest stay. If your intention is to rent the house while you are elsewhere, this does not answer your question.
Large Lot Qualified and Certified. Owners of a single parcel of 25,000 square feet or more may apply for an exemption. Approval is not automatic. The property must meet the City’s criteria, and the exemption goes before the City Council at a public hearing before the owner can apply for a permit.
Twenty five thousand square feet is roughly 0.57 acres, and that threshold falls awkwardly across several private communities. At Tradition Golf Club homesites run from about a quarter acre to a full acre. At The Quarry they commonly run half an acre to an acre. At The Madison Club they run roughly half an acre to an acre and a half. In each of those, some parcels clear the threshold and many do not, which means eligibility genuinely varies house by house on the same street.
The private communities
Based on the City’s published exempt list, none of the following appear as exempt areas:
| Community | On the City exempt list | Large Lot route may apply |
|---|---|---|
| The Madison Club | Not listed | Some parcels exceed 25,000 sq ft |
| The Hideaway | Not listed | Verify by parcel |
| Tradition Golf Club | Not listed | Larger estate parcels may qualify |
| The Quarry | Not listed | Some estate homesites exceed 25,000 sq ft |
| Andalusia at Coral Mountain | Not listed | Most homesites fall below the threshold |
| PGA WEST | Not listed as a whole; Signature at PGA WEST is exempt | Varies by association and parcel |
Reflects the City’s published exempt list as understood at the time of writing. Confirm current status for any specific address with the City of La Quinta.
The second gate: association rules
City permission is necessary but not sufficient. Every private community here sets its own restrictions through its governing documents, and those are frequently stricter than City rules.
A community can prohibit short term rentals outright even where the City would issue a permit. Many do. At The Quarry, at least one recent listing was specifically marketed as not permitting short term rentals. At PGA WEST, community rules require any home used as a short term rental to hold a current City permit, to be registered with the Master Association, and to comply with the applicable residential association’s rules, which differ between them.
So there are two questions, answered by two different parties, and both have to be yes:
| First | Is this exact address eligible for a City of La Quinta short term vacation rental permit? |
| Second | Do the community’s current governing documents permit the intended use, and on what conditions? |
If rental income is part of the plan
The Coachella and Stagecoach weeks generate real demand, and the equestrian and polo seasons generate a longer, quieter version of the same thing. Buyers reasonably factor that into what they can afford.
The mistake is factoring it in before confirming it. A house bought partly for festival income that turns out to be ineligible is a considerably more expensive house than it looked, and the discovery usually happens after closing.
Treat eligibility as property specific due diligence, on the same footing as an inspection. Confirm the parcel size and permit status with the City, obtain and read the current governing documents, and do both before the offer rather than during escrow.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a new short term rental permit in La Quinta?
In most residential areas, no. Under Ordinance 591, effective May 20, 2021, the City of La Quinta imposed a permanent ban on issuing new short term vacation rental permits outside specifically exempt areas. Since January 2024 two further routes exist: a homeshare permit, which requires the owner to occupy the property throughout the guest stay, and a Large Lot Qualified and Certified exemption for parcels of 25,000 square feet or more, which is not automatic and goes before the City Council at a public hearing. Verify eligibility for a specific address directly with the City.
Which La Quinta communities are exempt?
The City maintains a published list of exempt areas. Those we have confirmed include Legacy Villas, La Quinta Resort, Puerta Azul and Signature at PGA WEST, also referred to as Haciendas. The list may include others and may change, so confirm the current version with the City rather than relying on any third party summary, including this one.
Can I rent my home in a private golf community during Coachella?
Generally not on a new permit. The Madison Club, The Hideaway, Tradition Golf Club, The Quarry and Andalusia at Coral Mountain do not appear on the City's exempt list. PGA WEST as a whole does not appear either, though Signature at PGA WEST does. Beyond City rules, these communities set their own restrictions through their governing documents, and those are frequently stricter. Both have to permit the use.
What is the Large Lot exemption?
Since January 2024, owners of a single parcel of 25,000 square feet or more may apply for a Large Lot Qualified and Certified exemption. Approval is not automatic: the property must meet the City's criteria and the exemption is considered by the City Council at a public hearing before the owner can apply for a permit. Twenty five thousand square feet is roughly 0.57 acres, which cuts through the middle of homesite ranges in several private communities.
What is a homeshare permit?
A homeshare permit allows short term rental where the owner remains in occupancy throughout the guest stay. It is a different product from renting the whole house while you are elsewhere, and for most second home owners it does not answer the question they are asking.
I am buying a home that has been rented before. Can I keep renting it?
Do not assume so. A property holding a valid permit that has been continuously renewed may be treated differently under City rules, but a permit does not automatically survive a sale, and lapsed permits generally cannot be reinstated where new ones are banned. If rental use is part of your purchase decision, confirm the current permit status for that specific address with the City before you write an offer, not during escrow.
Do HOA rules override City rules?
They operate alongside them, and both have to permit the use. A community can prohibit short term rentals even where the City would allow a permit, and many do. At The Quarry, at least one recent listing was specifically marketed as not permitting short term rentals. Review the current governing documents for the specific community as part of due diligence.
What about other Coachella Valley cities?
Each city sets its own rules, and they differ substantially. Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indio, Palm Springs and the unincorporated county areas all have separate ordinances with their own exemptions, caps and enforcement. This page covers the City of La Quinta only. For a property in another city, verify with that city directly.
Community detail
Each guide covers the rental position for that community alongside membership, orientation and current market figures.
The Madison Club · The Hideaway · Tradition Golf Club · PGA WEST · The Quarry · Andalusia · all community guides
Last updated: August 2, 2026
Written by Laurie McLennan, Founder, The McLennan Team at Desert Sotheby’s International Realty
California DRE #01424382
Regulations summarized here are subject to change and this page is not legal advice. Verify current requirements with the City of La Quinta and the relevant homeowners association before relying on them.