Orange, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Occupancy formula
- 2 per bedroom plus 2 more
- Children exempt
- Under age 2 not counted
- Minimum stay
- 2 consecutive nights
- Minor overage
- Up to 2 persons over limit
- Major overage
- More than 2 persons over limit
Summary
Orange caps short term rental occupancy at two people per bedroom plus two more, excluding children under two, and requires a minimum two-night stay for every booking under Municipal Code Section 5.94.060.
Occupancy Restrictions. The occupancy limit for a short term rental shall be two persons per bedroom, plus an additional two persons. Children under the age of two shall not be counted toward the occupancy limit. Length of Stay. There shall be a minimum two-night stay for any booking of a short term rental.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796775; v10 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
060(D) of the Orange Municipal Code sets the occupancy formula for every permitted short term rental: two persons per bedroom, plus an additional two persons, with children under the age of two excluded from the count entirely. A four-bedroom rental, for example, could lawfully host up to ten occupants under this formula. Subsection (E) pairs the occupancy cap with a minimum length-of-stay rule: every booking must run at least two nights, closing off single-night party rentals. 070. 070(B)(2)(c). 020, which is to protect residential neighborhoods against undue noise, unsafe traffic and parking, litter, party-related disturbances, and the frequent transient occupation of homes by strangers.
Owners must also give each adult occupant the property manager's contact information and post the City's rules and restrictions list in the unit at all times occupants are present, tying occupancy compliance to the good-neighbor notice requirements of the same section.
Violations & Fines
Occupancy exceeded by up to two persons is a minor offense under Section 5.94.070(B)(1)(b); exceeding by more than two persons, or booking fewer than two nights, is a major offense under Section 5.94.070(B)(2)(b)-(c). Three major offenses within 12 months triggers mandatory permit revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle occupancy limits.