Fullerton, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Whole-house cap
- 100 citywide
- Separation
- 300 ft between whole-house STRs (multifamily exempt)
- Partial-home cap
- None (owner must be on-site)
- Active permits (Apr 2025)
- 84 whole-home + 22 partial-home
- Prohibited uses
- Weddings, auctions, commercial filming
- Authority
- Res. 2021-30; FMC 15.55.020(F)
Summary
Fullerton effectively restricts non-hosted whole-house STRs to a hard cap of 100 citywide permits, and whole-house rentals must maintain a 300-foot separation from any other whole-house STR. Partial-home (home-sharing) rentals where the owner is present on-site are not capped, but every rental must comply with the Good Neighbor Guidelines including occupancy disclosures.
Whole-house rentals are limited to 100 permits citywide under City Council Resolution 2021-30, and whole-house rentals must maintain a 300-foot separation from other whole-house short-term rentals (multi-family units are exempt).
Full Breakdown
Under City Council Resolution No. 2021-30 (April 20, 2021), Fullerton limits whole-house (non-owner-occupied) short-term rentals to a maximum of 100 permits citywide. The same resolution requires that each whole-house STR be separated by at least 300 linear feet from any other whole-house STR; multi-family units are exempt from the separation requirement. Partial-home or 'home-sharing' rentals - where the owner remains on-site during the rental - are not subject to the 100-permit cap. As of April 2025 the City reported 84 active whole-home permits and 22 partial-home permits.
Applicants must submit a floor plan showing every bedroom (the bedroom count drives the property's maximum overnight occupancy disclosed in the listing) and must include occupancy, parking, and quiet-hours rules in the written rental agreement. The City's Good Neighbor Guidelines, which every host must post inside the property and provide to guests, require compliance with occupancy limits, parking restrictions, and noise standards; events such as weddings, auctions, and commercial filming are prohibited at any permitted STR.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the occupancy listed in the permit, hosting prohibited events (weddings, auctions, filming), or operating a whole-house STR within the 300-foot exclusion buffer subjects the operator to administrative citations, daily fines, and permit revocation. The City uses complaint-driven enforcement, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can stay overnight in my Fullerton STR?
Can I host a small wedding at my Fullerton STR?
What is the 300-foot separation rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fullerton
California rules heatmap·Compare Fullerton to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle occupancy limits.