San Ramon, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Occupancy limits for any transient lodging in San Ramon are layered across state and local rules. The California Building Code and Health & Safety Code establish minimum floor area per occupant, habitable-room dimensions, and exiting requirements that functionally cap how many people can legally sleep in a given unit. A commonly applied formula is 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional (so a 3-bedroom home would cap at 8 adult guests), although fire egress, parking availability, and septic/sewer capacity can reduce that number. The California Fire Code requires smoke alarms in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on each floor, plus carbon monoxide alarms where fuel-burning appliances or attached garages exist. Properties used for transient occupancy must comply with R-1 or R-3 occupancy group standards depending on rental pattern. San Ramon's parking standards require off-street parking for residential uses, and a rental cannot count on-street parking to accommodate guest vehicles. The Municipal Code prohibits nuisance conditions such as excessive noise, overcrowding, and refuse accumulation, all of which can be triggered by high guest counts. Private restrictions are equally important: HOAs in San Ramon master-planned communities typically cap maximum occupants per dwelling (often 2 per bedroom), limit overnight guest frequency, and require guest vehicle registration in communities with gated entrances or permit parking. Violations generate HOA fines under Davis-Stirling enforcement procedures. For any formally permitted lodging use (hotel, motel, B&B) the Conditional Use Permit will specify occupancy, parking, and operational limits.