Ventura Municipal Code Ch. 10.550 Hotel and Motel Registers 10

10 Editor’s note(s): Ord. No. 2000-10, Section 2, adopted April 17, 2000, amended Chapter 10.550 in its entirety, in effect repealing and reenacting said chapter to read as herein set out. The former Chapter 10.550, Sections 10.550.010 through 10.550.040, pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Code 1971, Sections 6242 through 6244.

Unless the contrary is stated or clearly appears from the context, the following definitions will govern the construction of the words and phrases used in this chapter:

“Guest” means any person or persons seeking to rent or let a hotel room or suite within the city’s jurisdiction.

“Hotel” means a hotel, motel, lodging house, rooming house, or other, similar, business that provides lodging to transient guests for compensation.

“Official identification card” means a driver’s license or other official picture identification card issued by a government entity.

“Responsible person” means any owner, manager, or proprietor of a hotel. (Ord. No. 2000-10, § 2, 4-17-00)

Every responsible person will keep a guest register for registering guests. The guest register will be preserved for at least two years and will be subject to inspection by any law enforcement officer. A responsible person may not let, rent, or furnish any hotel room to any guest who fails to register in the guest register as required by this chapter. (Ord. No. 2000-10, § 2, 4-17-00)

A. Each guest register will contain:

1. The name, address, and date when a guest registered;

2. The hour that the guest arrived and the time the guest departed or, if the exact time of departure is unknown, the date and time that the responsible owner ascertained the guest departed;

3. The number of the room or suite assigned to the guest;

4. If the guest has a motor vehicle, the vehicle license number, the name of the state issuing such license, the year, make, and model of the vehicle; and

5. The guest’s signature.

B. The responsible person must verify that the information entered in the guest register corresponds with the guest’s official identification card.

C. No person may erase or alter any entry on a guest registry or allow erasure or alternation to occur. (Ord. No. 2000-10, § 2, 4-17-00)

It is unlawful for a guest to provide false information, register under a fictitious name, or show or use a forged, altered, or counterfeit official identification card when renting a room. (Ord. No. 2000-10, § 2, 4-17-00)