Reading, PA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Overnight limit
- 2 guests per bedroom
- Overnight cap
- 12 guests maximum
- Day guest cap
- 50% of overnight max
- Added by
- Ord. No. 58-2025
Summary
Reading caps short-term rental overnight guests at two per bedroom, twelve total, plus day guests up to half the overnight maximum.
Overnight guests at a short-term rental shall be limited to two (2) persons per bedroom. Unless otherwise specified by other code requirements, no more than twelve (12) overnight guests shall be permitted in a short-term rental.
(4) The maximum number of day guests allowed at anytime on the property occupied by the short-term rental, in addition to the permitted overnight occupants, shall be fifty (50%) percent for the maximum overnight occupancy in the short-term rental.
(5) At least one (1) off-street parking space shall be provided to accommodate overnight and day guests on the short-term rental property. In lieu of the required off-street parking spaces, the use of public parking facilities within seven hundred (700) feet may be considered provided that the parking spaces are available to the short-term rental unit.
(6) The short-term rental occupants and/or guests shall not engage in disorderly conduct or disturb the peace and quiet of any nearby neighborhood or person by loud, unusual or excessive noise, by tumultuous or offensive conduct, public indecency, threatening, traducing, quarreling, challenging to fight, or fighting, or creating a dangerous or physically offensive condition.
(7) The record owner or designated manager, agent or management group shall be responsible to assure that the occupants or guests of the short-term rental do not create unreasonable noise or disturbances, engage in disorderly
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-8: Current through August 10, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under City of Reading Code § 600-1108.B(3)-(4), overnight guests at a short-term rental are limited to two people per bedroom, with a hard ceiling of twelve overnight guests unless another code section is stricter. Day guests, visitors on-site without staying overnight, are capped at 50% of the unit's maximum overnight occupancy, counted in addition to the overnight guests themselves. The rule applies citywide to any registered STR, whether a single-family home or an apartment unit.
Violations & Fines
Enforced as a zoning violation under § 600-206: civil judgment of $100-$500 per day the violation continues, plus court costs and attorney fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many overnight guests can a Reading short-term rental host?
Do day guests count separately from overnight guests?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reading
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