Cathedral City, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Studio
- 2 occupants
- 1 bedroom / 2 bedrooms
- 2 occupants / 4 occupants
- 3 bedrooms / 4 bedrooms
- 6 occupants / 8 occupants
- 5 or more bedrooms
- 10 occupants
- Children not counted
- Two years of age or younger
- Exception
- Special use permit for a special event under Chapter 9.68
Summary
In Cathedral City, California, a short-term vacation rental or home share can hold 2 occupants as a studio, 2 with one bedroom, 4 with two, 6 with three, 8 with four, and 10 with five or more bedrooms. Children two years of age or younger do not count, and a special event permit under Chapter 9.68 allows exceeding the cap.
C. The number of occupants allowed to be present at any short-term vacation rental or home share shall be limited as follows: Number of Bedrooms Maximum Number of Occupants 0—Studio 2 1 2 2 4 3 6 4 8 5 or more 10 Children two years of age or younger are not counted towards the occupant maximum. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the occupancy limits may be exceeded if the owner or authorized representative obtains a special use permit for a special event pursuant to Chapter 9.68 of the city municipal code.
Full Breakdown
Section 5.96.050(C) of the Cathedral City Municipal Code sets a bedroom-based occupant cap for every short-term vacation rental and home share, adopted by the Cathedral City City Council in Riverside County, California. The table reads: studio, 2; 1 bedroom, 2; 2 bedrooms, 4; 3 bedrooms, 6; 4 bedrooms, 8; and 5 or more bedrooms, 10. Children two years of age or younger are not counted towards the maximum. The only exception is a special use permit for a special event under Chapter 9.68 of the city municipal code, which allows the limit to be exceeded.
The definition of "occupant" in § 5.96.020 is broad: an individual of any age present on the property during the contracted stay, including the primary residents who remain on the property during a home share. Persons hired for bona fide cleaning, maintenance, landscaping, construction or repair are not occupants while solely engaged in that work.
The cap is anchored to the bedrooms the city has on file. The application states the number of bedrooms and the applicable occupancy limit (§ 5.96.040(E)(6)). Before every new and renewal permit the city's inspection verifies the number of bedrooms originally permitted under the original certificate of occupancy and checks that no space has been converted into a bedroom or living space without permits (§ 5.96.040(K)). Bedrooms added without permits do not raise the limit.
The cap shows up in the rental routine. Any advertisement must clearly state the maximum occupancy (§ 5.96.050(I)). At check in the owner obtains an Informational Form listing the names of all occupants, and the owner keeps it for a minimum of three years (§ 5.96.050(F)). The rental contract, filed with the city before occupancy or within twenty-four hours of execution, must state the exact number of occupants and the code requirements on occupancy limits (§ 5.96.050(T)). Parking is tied to the same count: a maximum of one vehicle per bedroom (§ 5.96.050(N)). The responsible person must be at least twenty-five years of age.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the occupancy limit violates § 5.96.050 and draws an administrative citation under Chapter 13.58 to the owner, with each day a separate violation and possible misdemeanor charges. Fines are set by city council resolution. A third citation within twelve months at the same property suspends the permit for up to six months, and an owner who cannot show the occupant list or identification faces a citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cathedral City
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle occupancy limits.