City expands Transient Room Tax audit to include vacation rentals

The City of Bend is conducting an independent audit of Transient Room Tax (TRT) collection.  TRT is the tax paid when someone stays at a hotel, motel or rental property in Bend.  This year, the audit will be expanded to include vacation rental properties that are not registered with the City in an effort to increase awareness and compliance with the TRT code.  These types of rental properties are typically advertised on websites like VRBO, Craigslist and AirBnB.  Currently, 189 vacation rental properties are registered with the City and are collecting and remitting TRT taxes.

The City has contracted with an independent firm, MuniServices, specializing in tax compliance audits for local governments, to perform a compliance audit and establish a comprehensive list of vacation rentals currently out of compliance with the TRT code.  The audit is scheduled to take place through August.  Following this initial audit, the City will continue efforts to enforce TRT compliance amongst rental properties. 

If you own a vacation rental and are currently not registered or unaware of the City’s TRT code, please visit bendoregon.gov/roomtax.