Allentown, PA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- STR-Specific Guest Cap
- None set by City
- B&B Room Cap
- Max 10 guest rooms (660-37.I)
- B&B Stay Limit
- No rental over 14 consecutive days
- B&B Owner Rule
- Owner/operator must live on-site full-time
- Rooming Unit Occupancy
- Max 2 adults; 250/350 sq ft min; 6 units/lot
- ADU Lots
- Short-term rental prohibited (660-49)
Summary
Allentown sets no STR-specific guest cap, but its 2025 Zoning Ordinance (eff. Jan 1, 2026) caps a Bed and Breakfast Inn at 10 guest rooms with a 14-consecutive-day limit and on-site owner/operator, and limits rooming/boarding rental units to a maximum of 2 adults each (250 sq. ft. minimum, 6 units per lot).
Bed and Breakfast Inn. A detached house in which a full-time resident and owner/operator offers 2 or more guest rooms for overnight lodging and meal service for compensation. ... [1] Bed & breakfast inns may contain no more than 10 guest rooms. [2] Guest rooms may not be offered for rental for periods of more than 14 consecutive days. [3] The owner/operator of the bed & breakfast inn must occupy the subject property as their principal full-time residence. Rooming or Boarding Houses ... [1] Each rental unit must have a minimum floor area of 250 square feet for one occupant or 350 square feet for 2 occupants. [2] No more than 6 rental units are allowed on a single lot. [3] Rental units are limited to a maximum occupancy of 2 adults. [4] The building containing the rental units must be occupied by a resident manager.
Full Breakdown
Because Allentown has no dedicated STR ordinance, occupancy is governed by the Zoning Ordinance's lodging-use standards plus the building/fire occupant-load limits applied through the rental inspection. Under the 2025 Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. I) is 'a detached house in which a full-time resident and owner/operator offers 2 or more guest rooms for overnight lodging and meal service for compensation,' and the supplemental use regulations cap it at no more than 10 guest rooms, bar rental of guest rooms 'for periods of more than 14 consecutive days,' and require the owner/operator to occupy the property as their principal full-time residence.
D, 660-54) -- a building where lodging is provided for 3 or more persons not in the operator's household for compensation -- must provide a minimum floor area of 250 square feet for one occupant or 350 square feet for 2, is capped at 6 rental units per lot, limits each rental unit to a maximum occupancy of 2 adults, and must be occupied by a resident manager. I) covers hotels, motels, and B&Bs offering stays generally under 30 days. For any lot with an accessory dwelling unit, 660-49 prohibits short-term-rental use of both the principal and accessory units outright.
Violations & Fines
Operating overnight transient lodging in a district where Lodging/Hotel/Motel or Bed and Breakfast use is not permitted, or exceeding the 10-room B&B cap, the 14-consecutive-day limit, or the 2-adult rooming-unit occupancy limit, is a zoning violation enforceable by the Zoning Officer and, for the rental license, by Building Standards & Safety. Rooming/boarding houses must also comply with the Property Rehabilitation and Maintenance Code (Chapter 455) and provide access for code inspection before a zoning permit issues, and building/fire occupant-load limits set during the required rental inspection independently cap lawful occupancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests can I host at an Allentown short-term rental?
What are the occupancy limits for a rooming or boarding house?
Can I short-term rent a property that has an accessory dwelling unit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allentown
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