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

Inyo County caps guest occupancy at its hosted short-term rentals by guestroom. Under the Chapter 18.73 general requirements (Section 18.73.030), only two renters are allowed per guestroom, and that count does not include children three years of age and under. Because the ordinance permits only hosted rentals, the owner or a designated representative resides on the parcel during the stay (Section 18.73.010 defines a hosted rental as a short-term rental of a room or rooms within a dwelling where the owner or a designated representative of the owner resides on the parcel where the rental occurs, during the duration of the transient renter's stay). The hosted-only model effectively limits a short-term rental to renting rooms rather than an entire absentee dwelling, which the County confirmed in 2025 enforcement actions where advertising a 'whole house' rental without an on-site host was treated as a violation. Operators are required to include occupancy and related limitations in their rental agreements and house rules submitted to the Planning Department. Exceeding the per-guestroom occupancy cap, or operating in a way that converts the property into an unhosted whole-house rental, is a violation of the permit and the County Code and can lead to revocation under Section 18.73.070.