Fairfield, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- STR-Specific Cap
- None (use not separately permitted)
- Statewide Standard
- 2 per bedroom + 1 (Cal Bldg Code)
- Minimum Floor Area
- 70 sf first occupant + 50 sf each additional
- Hotel/Motel Occupant Load
- 200 sf/person sleeping (Title 24 Part 2)
- Fair Housing Protection
- Federal FHA + Cal FEHA
- Enforcement
- Code Enforcement + Fire Marshal
Summary
Fairfield does not impose a per-bedroom or per-unit short-term rental occupancy cap because it does not separately permit sub-30-day rentals in residential zones. The default ceilings are: (1) California Uniform Housing Code occupancy standards adopted via the California Building Code (typically 2 persons per bedroom plus 1, with minimum floor-area standards) and (2) the international fire/building code load limits in California Building Code Chapter 10 for any lodging-classified use. Long-term rentals must comply with state HCD habitability standards.
17920.3. Any building or portion thereof, regardless of zoning designation or approved uses of the building, including any dwelling unit, guestroom or suite of rooms, or the premises on which the same is located, in which there exists any of the following listed conditions to an extent that endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety, or welfare of the occupants of the building, nearby residents, or the public shall be deemed and hereby is declared to be a substandard building: (a) Inadequate sanitation shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) Lack of, or improper water closet, lavatory, or bathtub or shower in a dwelling unit. (2) Lack of, or improper water closets, lavatories, and bathtubs or showers per number of guests in a hotel.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
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. §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. 3 (substandard housing).
Violations & Fines
Operating a lodging use over its certificated occupant load: California Building Code and Fire Code violation, with stop-use order from the Fairfield Fire Department, civil penalties, and possible revocation of certificate of occupancy. Residential overcrowding beyond the 2+1 standard plus minimum floor area: code enforcement action under Chapter 5 of the Municipal Code, with abatement notice and potential designation as substandard housing under Health & Safety Code §17920.3. Imposing artificially low occupancy caps on tenants in long-term rentals can expose the landlord to familial-status discrimination claims under the federal FHA and California FEHA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests can I host in a Fairfield rental?
Does Fire Code matter for a single-family home rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fairfield
California rules heatmap·Compare Fairfield to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle occupancy limits.