Transient Occupancy Tax Results For the City of Santa Barbara – December 31, 2025
The City of Santa Barbara collected $2.3 Million in Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT) for December 2025, the sixth month in the City’s fiscal year.
Year to date, the City has collected $20.1 Million in overall TOT, of which approximately $17.6 Million came from hotels and $2.5 Million from short-term rentals. Year to date, total TOT revenues are coming in 4.5% above budget.
The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is a tax on “transient” guests staying in any hotel, inn, motel, or other commercial lodging establishment for a period of less than 30 days.
The City’s adopted TOT budget for all funds is $35.5 Million, of which $29.5 Million is budgeted in the General Fund.
View the Transient Occupancy Tax Table. The City’s TOT tax rate is 12.0%, of which 10.0% goes to the City’s General Fund and the remaining 2.0% goes to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund.
For additional current and historical financial data, visit the City’s Budget & Reporting webpage.
Thank you to Air BnB helping keep the cash flowing into the city debt machine.
$4 million/year from STRs.
With a deficit of $7m? $11m?
Good thing they will eliminate that $4 m in revenue.
Like eliminating prop taxes on buildings the government acquires.
Sound finance.
Bored and drinking again this evening?