Raleigh, NC Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Raleigh's commonly applied occupancy formula is two guests per qualifying bedroom plus two additional people for the living area, with a cap around 10 to 12 guests for typical single-family home STRs. Very large homes in Brier Creek, Falls River, Bedford, and the Inside-the-Beltline estate streets can exceed that cap only if the STR zoning permit explicitly approves it based on parking capacity, septic or sewer capacity, and distance from adjoining residences. Infants in cribs are generally excluded from the count. Daytime guests - people attending parties, receptions, baby showers, or bachelorette events who do not sleep overnight - are typically capped indirectly by the property's parking supply and by the city's special-event rules; many neighborhood-focused STR hosts simply prohibit parties in their house rules to avoid escalating complaints. HOA covenants in neighborhoods like North Hills, Heritage, and Bedford frequently impose tighter caps than the city, and downtown condo associations sometimes cap total occupancy regardless of bedroom count. Hosts should also consider local life-safety limits: a home with only one means of egress from upstairs bedrooms may warrant a lower maximum than the formula allows, especially when hosting groups with young children or elderly guests who may need more time to evacuate during a fire.