Occupancy Limits: Oceanside vs San Diego
How do occupancy limits rules compare between Oceanside, CA and San Diego, CA?
Oceanside and San Diego have similar restriction levels.
Oceanside, CA
San Diego County
Oceanside limits STR maximum occupancy to 14 people per dwelling unit with a maximum of 5 bedrooms. Occupancy limits must be posted in the rental unit and communicated to guests before booking.
View full Oceanside rules →San Diego, CA
San Diego County
San Diego's Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) ordinance under SDMC Chapter 5, Article 10, Division 1 establishes occupancy limits tied to the license tier. A two-night minimum guest stay is required for Tier 2 (home-sharing), Tier 3 (whole-home), and Tier 4 (Mission Beach whole-home) licenses. Hosts must post exterior signage with TOT certificate number, STRO license number, and contact information. Good Neighbor policies apply to all tiers.
View full San Diego rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Oceanside | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Max Occupancy | 14 people per unit | - |
| Max Bedrooms | 5 | - |
| Posting | Must be posted in unit | - |
| Pre-Booking | Must communicate before booking | - |
| Code Reference | Chapter 24 | - |
| Code Section | - | SDMC Ch. 5, Art. 10, Div. 1 |
| Minimum Stay | - | 2-night minimum for Tiers 2, 3, and 4 |
| Tier 1 | - | Part-time; max 20 days/year aggregate |
| Tier 3 | - | Whole-home; host not onsite; 90-day min utilization |
| Signage | - | Exterior posting of TOT and STRO license numbers required |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Oceanside FAQ
How many guests can stay at an Oceanside STR?
Maximum occupancy is 14 people per dwelling unit with no more than 5 bedrooms.
Do I have to tell guests about occupancy limits?
Yes. Limits must be communicated before booking and posted in the rental unit.
What if guests exceed the occupancy limit?
Exceeding limits is a permit violation that may result in enforcement action, fines, and potential permit suspension.
San Diego FAQ
Is there a maximum guest count per STR unit?
Occupancy must comply with the building's permitted occupancy load. Good Neighbor requirements prohibit exceeding safe occupancy and require quiet hours compliance.
Can I rent my ADU as a short-term rental?
ADUs may be eligible for STRO licensing depending on the tier. Check with the City Treasurer's office for current eligibility requirements.
Compare other topics
See how Oceanside and San Diego compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool