Bakersfield, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Occupancy cap
- 2 persons per bedroom
- Child exemption
- Age 12 and under excluded
- Applies to
- Everyone present, not just overnight guests
- Posting required
- Max occupancy notice inside unit
Summary
Bakersfield caps every short-term rental at two persons per bedroom under Section 17.74.050(D), counting everyone on the property at once, not just overnight guests. Children twelve and under are excluded from the count. The cap must be posted inside the unit under Section 17.74.050(C)(1), and exceeding it is a citable Chapter 17.74 violation.
D. The maximum number of persons who may be present on the STR property at any time shall be limited to two persons per bedroom. Children age twelve and under do not count toward this limit.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 5221, passed July 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
050(D) of the Bakersfield Municipal Code sets a hard numeric ceiling on how many people can be on a short-term rental property 'at any time': two persons per bedroom, full stop, with the code specifying 'children age twelve and under do not count toward this limit,' so a family with young kids does not blow the cap the way a group of adult guests would. The rule reaches beyond overnight sleepers, it caps everyone 'present on the STR property,' which sweeps in day visitors as well as registered guests.
050(C)(1) requires the operator to post 'the maximum number of persons permitted in the unit' somewhere clearly visible to guests, such as on the refrigerator or in a welcome binder, alongside parking rules, trash pickup information, the emergency contact's name and phone number, and an evacuation plan. 040(B), so an operator cannot advertise extra sleeping space that was never verified at inspection to sidestep the per-bedroom math. 070(A)(3), which treats 'violation of the STR maximum occupancy, noise, or other requirements' as citable conduct that counts toward the two-citation non-renewal threshold.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding two persons per bedroom on a Bakersfield STR property (excluding children twelve and under) is a listed chapter violation under Section 17.74.070(A)(3), citable alongside noise and other requirement breaches. Failing to post the maximum occupancy notice required by Section 17.74.050(C)(1) is separately enforceable, and repeated occupancy citations count toward the two-citation threshold that blocks permit renewal under Section 17.74.040(D).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests can stay at a Bakersfield short-term rental?
Does a Bakersfield STR operator have to post the occupancy limit?
What happens if a Bakersfield STR exceeds its occupancy limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bakersfield
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle occupancy limits.