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

Because unincorporated Lassen County has not adopted a short-term rental ordinance, there is no STR-specific occupancy formula, such as two guests per bedroom plus two, that some other California counties use. Instead, the number of people who can lawfully stay is shaped by the general rules that apply to the dwelling: the California Building Code and county building standards that govern habitable space, exits, and bedroom requirements; the parcel's Title 18 zoning, which defines and limits residential use; and the practical capacity of on-site infrastructure, most importantly the septic system in rural areas, which is sized for a set number of bedrooms. A rural high-desert county like Lassen has many parcels on wells and septic, so overloading a system with far more guests than the home was designed for can itself create a health and code-enforcement problem independent of any STR rule. Operators should treat the home's permitted bedroom count and septic design as the real limiting factors and confirm them through Planning and Building Services. No section number for an STR occupancy cap is cited here because none exists in the county code. If the county adopts an STR ordinance in the future, an explicit occupancy limit could be added at that time.