Bakersfield, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Bakersfield has not codified a dedicated occupancy cap for short-term rentals, so the practical limits come from three overlapping sources. First, the California Building Code and the state's Fair Employment and Housing Council occupancy guideline allow two persons per bedroom plus one additional occupant (with infants under 2 typically not counted). Second, BMC Title 15 adopts the California Fire Code, limiting assembly use in a single-family home; using an STR as a de facto event venue with more than 49 people in an outdoor area or 49 in an indoor space triggers assembly permit requirements. Third, BMC Chapter 9.22 (noise) and Chapter 8.27 (nuisances) allow the city to cite STRs where occupancy exceeds what the home's infrastructure can support (septic, parking, trash). Listings should match the advertised occupancy to the 2-per-bedroom-plus-1 model, and hosts should include a written house-rules clause forbidding unregistered overnight guests and daytime visitors beyond a stated cap (often 2 times sleeping occupancy). Violations discovered through code enforcement complaints can result in administrative fines and can be cited in a permit review.