Birmingham Ordinance 17-95 ties short-term-rental occupancy to bedroom count, applying a standard two-guests-per-bedroom rule plus reasonable additions. The cap protects neighborhood character and aligns with local building-code occupancy guidance under the General Code.
Under Birmingham Ord. 17-95, hosts must declare maximum overnight occupancy on the STR permit application. The Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits applies the two-per-bedroom benchmark, occasionally allowing two additional guests for common-area sleeping where the floor plan supports it. Hosts cannot circumvent the cap by listing extra sleeping arrangements such as inflatable mattresses or living-room couches. Birmingham Police Department complaint reports document overcrowding violations, which can trigger permit suspension. The cap stacks with state building-code occupant-load limits adopted under AL §41-9-160.
Exceeding declared occupancy can void the STR permit, expose the host to nuisance citations, and lead to fines up to $500 per occurrence under Title 10 of the General Code.
Birmingham, AL
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