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

Oakley does not have a numeric occupancy cap specific to short-term rentals, so operators must rely on state building and health standards plus general zoning principles that residential properties cannot be operated as commercial lodging. The California Residential Code (CRC) and California Building Code (CBC), as locally adopted in Oakley Municipal Code Title 8, set minimum room sizes and egress requirements: every sleeping room must have a minimum of 70 square feet (CRC R304), at least one egress window or door meeting CRC R310 (minimum 5.7 sq ft openable area), and cannot be a windowless interior space. HUD's 1998 Keating Memo guidance of two persons per bedroom is widely used as a reasonable occupancy benchmark; Oakley follows this as an administrative default. Operators should establish clear maximum guest counts in listings, enforce no-party rules, and prohibit large events that strain septic systems (important east of Bethel Island), parking capacity, and neighbor relations. Contra Costa Health Services enforces CA HSC 17920 overcrowding standards. Excessive occupants producing noise, parking, or trash problems can trigger violations of Oakley's nuisance provisions under Municipal Code Title 4 and, where applicable, noise standards in Chapter 4.6.