Philadelphia, PA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max Unrelated Occupants
- 3 (incl. owner & lodgers) - 14-604(13)(c)(.1)
- Single-Stay Cap
- 30 consecutive days max
- Short-Term days/yr
- Fewer than 91 days/yr
- Limited Lodging Home cap
- Max 180 days/yr
- Building Permit/CO trigger
- Over 5 rooms or 10 occupants
- Code Section
- Phila. Code 14-604(13)(b)-(c)
Summary
Philadelphia caps limited lodging at no more than three unrelated persons (including owner and lodgers), limits any single visitor stay to 30 consecutive days, and caps a Limited Lodging Home at 180 hosted days per year. Building permits and a Certificate of Occupancy are triggered above five rooms or ten occupants.
A dwelling unit may be used for limited lodging subject to compliance with all of the following minimum requirements: (.1) The dwelling unit shall remain as a household living unit with housekeeping facilities in common, but not to allow for occupancy by more than three persons (including the owner and lodgers) who are unrelated by blood, marriage, adoption, or foster-child status, or are not Life Partners. (.2) Limited lodging must be accessory and secondary to the use of a dwelling unit for residential household living purposes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 Code: Electronic version of The Philadelphia Code and Home Rule Charter is current through August 19, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Philadelphia Code 14-604(13)(c) sets the minimum occupancy standards for limited lodging. ' Beyond the head-count and day caps, the L&I FAQ explains that occupancy classification under the Building Code can trigger additional permits: for a one- or two-family dwelling rented up to five rooms and ten occupants while owner-occupied, no building permit or Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is required, but 'More than five (5) rooms and or ten (10) occupants' triggers a building permit and CO (R-1 occupancy), and non-owner-occupied configurations and units within buildings of three or more units also require a building permit and CO. The number of occupants and rooms counts the owner and the owner's room.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the three-unrelated-occupant limit, hosting any visitor longer than 30 consecutive days, or operating a Limited Lodging Home beyond 180 days per year violates the minimum standards of 14-604(13)(c) and can result in L&I violations and fines. Operating above the room/occupant thresholds without the required building permit and Certificate of Occupancy is a separate Building Code violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests can stay in a Philadelphia limited lodging unit?
How long can a single guest stay?
Is there a yearly limit on how many nights I can host?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Philadelphia
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