Tax Results for the City of Santa Barbara

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Transient Occupancy Tax Results for the City of Santa Barbara – Month Ended November 30, 2023 and Month Ended December 31, 2023

The City of Santa Barbara collected $2.2 million in Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT) for November 2023, the fifth month in the City’s fiscal year, and $1.8 million in TOT for December 2023, the sixth month in the City’s fiscal year. Year to date, the City has collected $17.4 million in overall TOT, of which approximately $16.2 million came from hotels and $1.2 million from short-term rentals. Year to date, total TOT revenues are coming in 4.1% below 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 $33 million, of which $27.5 million is budgeted in the General Fund.

View the Transient Occupancy Tax Table. The City’s TOT tax rate is 12%, of which 10% goes to the City’s General Fund and the remaining 2% goes to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund.