Short-Term Rentals in Fairfield, CA (2026)
6 verified short-term rentals rules for Fairfield, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Permit Requirements
Fairfield does not allow whole-home short-term rentals of fewer than 30 days in residentially zoned districts. The City's Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 25 of the Fairfield Municipal Code) does not list 'vacation rental,' 'transient rental,' or 'short-term lodging' as permitted residential uses, and the City's Code Enforcement unit has treated sub-30-day Airbnb-style rentals in residential zones as zoning violations. Rentals of 30 days or longer are permitted and trigger a Certificate of Rental Occupancy (CRO). A limited number of transient lodging uses (hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts) are allowed only in commercial and mixed-use zoning districts subject to use permit review.
Fairfield Short-Term Rental Permits (Prohibited in Residential Zones Under Chapter 25)
Heavy RestrictionsNoise Rules
Because Fairfield does not separately permit sub-30-day rentals in residential zones, the City has no STR-specific noise schedule. Any lawful transient lodging (hotel, motel, B&B) and any 30+ day rental remains subject to the citywide noise ordinance in Chapter 25, Article X of the Municipal Code, which prohibits noise levels at neighboring properties exceeding the limits in Table 25.1401 (generally 55 dBA daytime / 50 dBA nighttime at residential property lines, with 10 PM-7 AM treated as the nighttime period). 'Unnecessary noises' that are annoying to persons of ordinary sensitivity are independently actionable as a nuisance.
Fairfield STR Noise Rules (Citywide Noise Ordinance, Chapter 25 Article X Applies)
Heavy RestrictionsTaxes & Fees
Any lawfully operating transient lodging in Fairfield (hotel, motel, B&B, or any rental of 30 days or fewer in a non-residential zone where allowed) must register with the City Finance Department, collect a 12% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and a 3% Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) assessment on lodging receipts, and remit monthly. The 12% TOT rate took effect January 1, 2025 following voter approval of Measure M in November 2024, replacing the prior 10% rate established in 1984. The combined effective lodging tax burden in Fairfield is 15% of room rent.
Fairfield STR Taxes & Fees (12% TOT + 3% TBID — Measure M Effective Jan. 1, 2025)
Some RestrictionsParking Rules
Because Fairfield's Zoning Ordinance does not separately permit short-term rentals in residential zones, the City has no STR-specific parking standard. Any lodging use in commercial zones must satisfy the parking requirements for hotels/motels/B&Bs under Chapter 25 of the Municipal Code (generally 1 space per guest room plus 1 per employee on the largest shift, plus standards for accessory dining/meeting spaces). Long-term rentals (30+ days) are subject to the underlying residential parking requirements (typically 2 covered spaces per single-family dwelling, with reduced standards for multifamily).
Fairfield STR Parking (No STR-Specific Standard — Underlying Residential Parking Rules Apply)
Few RestrictionsCal. Veh. Code Sec. 22651 (Removal of Vehicles - Peace Officer Authority)
22651. A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which th...
Occupancy Limits
Fairfield does not impose a per-bedroom or per-unit short-term rental occupancy cap because it does not separately permit sub-30-day rentals in residential zones. The default ceilings are: (1) California Uniform Housing Code occupancy standards adopted via the California Building Code (typically 2 persons per bedroom plus 1, with minimum floor-area standards) and (2) the international fire/building code load limits in California Building Code Chapter 10 for any lodging-classified use. Long-term rentals must comply with state HCD habitability standards.
Fairfield STR Occupancy (No STR Cap — California Building Code + UHC Apply)
Few RestrictionsCal. Health & Safety Code Sec. 17920.3 (Substandard Building - Habitability/Occupancy)
17920.3. Any building or portion thereof, regardless of zoning designation or approved uses of the building, including any dwelling unit, guestroom or suite of rooms, or the premises on which the same is located, in which there exists any of the following listed conditions to an extent that endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety, or welfare of the occupants of the building, nearby r...
Insurance Requirements
Fairfield does not require short-term rental hosts to carry a specific insurance policy or minimum liability limit because the City does not separately permit STRs as a residential use. Permitted lodging uses (hotels, motels, B&Bs in commercial zones) are subject to standard commercial general liability expectations as a condition of use permit approval, but no fixed statutory minimum applies. Statewide, hotels and innkeepers are subject to California Civil Code §§1859-1865 (innkeeper liability for guest property) and general tort/negligence law.
Fairfield STR Insurance (No Local Mandate — California Civil Code §1864 Hotel Liability Default)
Few RestrictionsLooking for Solano County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fairfield city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Solano County →