Butte County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)
Key Facts
- Base Night Cap
- 90 nights/year for un-hosted stays
- Extended Cap
- 180 nights/year on 5+ acre parcels
- Applies To
- Un-hosted stays only, not hosted stays
- Governing Section
- § 24-172.1 I.7.b
- Enforcement
- Strike toward permit renewal/revocation
Summary
Un-hosted short-term rental stays in unincorporated Butte County are capped at ninety nights per calendar year under Section 24-172.1 I.7.b, unless the property sits on a five-acre-or-larger parcel in a zone with a five-acre minimum lot size, which raises the cap to one hundred eighty nights. Hosted stays, where a resident stays on-site, are not subject to this annual limit.
b.Maximum Annual Nights for Un-Hosted Stays. Un-hosted short-term rental stays shall not exceed ninety (90) nights per calendar year, except a one hundred eighty (180) nights per calendar year shall be allowed when, 1) the parcel is located in a zone with a 5-acre or greater minimum parcel size; and, 2) the applicable parcel is five (5) acres or greater in size.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).
Full Breakdown
5, can be rented out. The base limit is ninety nights per calendar year. A parcel qualifies for the higher one-hundred-eighty-night cap only if both conditions in the subsection are met: the applicable zone carries a minimum parcel size of five acres or more, and the specific parcel itself is five acres or larger. 7, which also caps rented bedrooms at five, sets floor-area minimums per bedroom, and limits overnight guests to fourteen on public sewer or ten on septic systems, excluding children under three.
4. a and the minor use permit eligibility under Subsection E, converting an un-hosted rental to a hosted one, or meeting the five-acre threshold, changes which limit applies. The Department of Development Services enforces the cap through the administrative permit and its on-site inspection or self-certification authority under Subsection I.
Violations & Fines
Renting an un-hosted short-term rental beyond the ninety-night annual limit, or beyond one hundred eighty nights on a qualifying five-acre parcel, violates Section 24-172.1 I.7.b and is enforceable under Section 24-5F and Chapter 41's code enforcement procedures. A verified violation counts as a strike; two strikes in 24 months blocks the annual permit renewal under Subsection F.1, and three strikes in 24 months triggers a cease-and-desist notice and permit revocation under Subsection J.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nights a year can I rent my Butte County short-term rental if I don't stay on-site?
Is there a night limit if I stay on-site during the rental?
What happens if I exceed the annual night cap on my short-term rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Butte County
California rules heatmap·Compare Butte County to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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