Huntington Beach Night Caps Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

HBMC Chapter 5.110 addresses occupancy limits for short-term rentals as a central mechanism for preventing the party-house problems that have affected beach communities across Southern California. The standard overnight occupancy formula is two persons per permitted bedroom plus two additional persons (for example, a three-bedroom STR would be limited to eight overnight occupants). The STR permit specifies the exact maximum occupancy for each property based on the bedroom count verified during the safety inspection.

Daytime or event occupancy is also regulated. The ordinance establishes a separate daytime guest limit that is higher than the overnight cap but still meaningfully constrains the size of gatherings. This provision was adopted in response to problems with STR properties being used for large parties, wedding receptions, and other events that generate noise, parking congestion, and trash far beyond normal residential levels. Events exceeding the daytime occupancy limit are prohibited without exception.

Huntington Beach does not impose a traditional annual night cap limiting the number of nights per year that a property may be rented on a short-term basis. However, the combination of the annual permit requirement, TOT remittance obligations, local contact person requirement, occupancy limits, and aggressive complaint-based enforcement effectively constrains the volume and character of STR activity. Properties that generate three or more verified complaints within a permit year face permit revocation, which serves as a de facto operational limit on problematic operators. The City Council has periodically considered implementing a formal annual night cap, and operators should monitor any future amendments to Chapter 5.110.