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Salem, OR Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Hosted guest cap
2 guests per guest room, max 3 rooms
Non-hosted guest cap
2 per room, 10 guests total maximum
Children exemption
Under 12 do not count toward guest limit
Max stay
29 consecutive days per guest
Enforcement
Civil penalty up to $2,000 per violation per day

Summary

Salem caps overnight guests in an accessory short-term rental at two per guest room. Hosted rentals, where the resident family stays on site, are capped at two guests per room with up to three rooms; non-hosted whole-unit rentals allow the same per-room ratio but never more than ten guests total, under SRC 700.006(e).

(e)Number of guests.(1)Hosted rental. The maximum number of guests shall not exceed two per guest room.(2)Non-hosted rental. When the resident family is not present as a host, the maximum number of guests shall not exceed two per guest room, but in no case shall the total number of guests exceed ten.(3)For purposes of this subsection, children under 12 years of age do not count toward the maximum number of guests.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

006(e) sets Salem's per-room and per-property guest caps for accessory short-term rentals. 006(d)(1) further limits a hosted rental to three guest rooms total, including any guest house. 006(d)(2) allows the entire dwelling unit, plus any guest house, to be rented with no separate cap on the number of rooms. 006(e)(3), so a family with young children does not push a booking over the limit. These occupancy figures sit alongside the chapter's other accessory short-term rental standards: a maximum 29-consecutive-day stay per guest, and a prohibition on renting for events, parties, weddings, or other gatherings rather than lodging. 1005(d), so the City can verify compliance with the per-room and per-property caps after the fact.

Violations & Fines

Renting to more guests than SRC 700.006(e) allows is a violation of the accessory short-term rental's special-use standards and license standards under SRC 30.1005. Operating outside a license's terms is an infraction under SRC 30.080, and knowingly continuing after the license is suspended or revoked is a misdemeanor under SRC 30.085; the Director may also pursue a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per violation, with each day counted separately, under SRC 30.070.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many guests can stay at a Salem short-term rental at once?
It depends on hosting status. SRC 700.006(e) allows up to two guests per guest room in both hosted and non-hosted rentals, but hosted rentals are further capped at three guest rooms while non-hosted whole-unit rentals may never exceed ten total guests, regardless of how many rooms are rented out.
Do young children count toward the guest limit?
No. SRC 700.006(e)(3) excludes children under 12 years of age from the guest count, so a family booking with several small children will not be counted against the two-per-room or ten-guest caps that otherwise apply to the accessory short-term rental.
What happens if a Salem host exceeds the guest cap?
Exceeding the SRC 700.006(e) limits breaches both the special-use standard and the accessory short-term rental license standards under SRC 30.1005, exposing the operator to a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per violation under SRC 30.070, with continued noncompliance risking license suspension or revocation.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Salem

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsShort-Term Rental PermitsSignificant RestrictionsTaxes & FeesSome RestrictionsInsurance RequirementsSome RestrictionsNight CapsSome RestrictionsHost Presence RuleSome RestrictionsPrimary-Residence-Only RuleSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: EV ChargingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome Restrictions

All Salem rules

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