Occupancy Limits: New Haven vs West Haven
How do occupancy limits rules compare between New Haven, CT and West Haven, CT?
New Haven has fewer restrictions than West Haven.
New Haven, CT
New Haven County
New Haven has not adopted a short-term-rental-specific occupancy cap. Overnight occupancy is governed instead by the city's general Housing Code sleeping-room standards and by zoning compliance verified through the City Plan Department, while the Connecticut Room Occupancy Tax under CGS 12-407 applies to stays of thirty days or fewer.
View full New Haven rules →West Haven, CT
New Haven County
Connecticut has no statewide STR occupancy cap and New Haven County (abolished 1960) has no operational government to set one. Each of the 27 New Haven County municipalities sets its own overnight-occupancy rule through local zoning regulations or housing ordinances, typically anchored to the Connecticut State Building Code's bedroom floor-area minimums (70 sq ft for the first occupant, 50 sq ft per additional).
View full West Haven rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | New Haven | West Haven |
|---|---|---|
| STR-Specific Cap | None adopted | - |
| Sleeping Room Min | 70 sq ft + 50 sq ft each addl | - |
| Housing Code | Title V | - |
| Rental License | Ch. 17 Art. XIV | - |
| State Lodging Tax | 15% (CGS 12-407) | - |
| County Authority | - | None (abolished 1960) |
| Statewide STR Cap | - | None |
| Default Bedroom Min | - | 70 sq ft + 50 sq ft each addl |
| Building Code | - | CGS Sec. 29-252 (IRC/IBC) |
| New Haven Rule | - | Rental Licensing via LCI |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
New Haven FAQ
How many guests can stay in a New Haven Airbnb?
New Haven has not adopted a short-term-rental-specific overnight occupancy cap. The Title V Housing Code sets the practical limit by requiring at least seventy square feet of sleeping-room floor area for the first occupant and fifty additional square feet for each additional occupant, and the use must be permitted in the property's zoning district.
Do I need a New Haven license to host short-term rentals?
Single-family short-term rentals are exempt from New Haven's Residential Rental Business License under Chapter 17 Article XIV. Non-owner-occupied two- and three-family rentals and properties with four or more units must be licensed through the Livable City Initiative; all hosts must collect the fifteen-percent state Room Occupancy Tax under CGS 12-407.
West Haven FAQ
How many people can stay in a New Haven County Airbnb?
There is no county or state numeric cap. Each New Haven County town sets its own STR overnight-occupancy rule under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 8-2. The practical default is the Connecticut State Building Code minimum bedroom size: 70 square feet for one occupant, plus 50 square feet for each additional occupant. New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, and other towns layer additional housing-code or zoning conditions on top.
Why does occupancy vary so much by town?
Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving all land-use authority with the 27 New Haven County municipalities under the home-rule zoning enabling act. There is no statewide STR preemption, so each town adopts its own occupancy rule. Confirm with the planning, zoning, or building department in the town where you intend to operate.
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