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

Modoc County has not adopted a short-term rental ordinance, so there is no county-imposed maximum number of overnight guests, no occupancy formula based on bedrooms, and no per-rental headcount specific to vacation rentals. Occupancy of a dwelling used as a short-term rental therefore defaults to the same standards that apply to any dwelling in California. Those come from State Housing Law, codified in the California Health and Safety Code, which adopts the building and housing standards in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations and sets minimum floor-area and habitability requirements for sleeping rooms. The county's transient occupancy tax framework defines the relevant occupancy only by duration - stays governed by the tax are those of 30 days or less under California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7280 - not by the number of occupants. Any practical ceiling on guests in an unincorporated Modoc County rental is driven by the home's septic capacity, water supply, bedroom count, and compliance with state habitability standards, all of which are enforced through general building and health rules rather than an STR-specific cap. Hosts should confirm septic and well capacity, which is a common limiting factor in this rural, high-desert county.