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

California establishes a statewide occupancy floor through the Uniform Housing Code provisions adopted into the California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2), which generally allow up to 2 persons per bedroom plus 1 additional occupant (the '2+1' rule used by HUD and many California cities), subject to minimum floor area standards: 70 square feet for the first occupant in a sleeping room plus 50 square feet per additional occupant. Landlords and operators may not impose more restrictive occupancy limits without legitimate business justification because such limits can trigger familial-status discrimination claims under the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. §3604) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Government Code §12955). For any permitted lodging use (hotel, motel, B&B), the California Building Code Chapter 10 occupant load formulas apply: typically 200 sq ft per occupant for sleeping rooms (Group R-1 use), with assembly, dining, and meeting areas calculated separately. The California Fire Code requires posting of occupant load in assembly spaces. Travis Air Force Base TDY/contractor housing in the city has driven some demand for higher-occupancy long-term rentals; those are subject to standard residential occupancy limits and any private HOA restrictions. There is no Fairfield Municipal Code section limiting STR occupancy specifically; enforcement of overcrowding in any residential setting runs through code enforcement under the Building and Housing Code (Chapter 5) and California Health & Safety Code §17920.3 (substandard housing).