Indiana's STR law lets a unit set a reasonable maximum occupancy, and the owner states an intended maximum on the permit application. Lake County proper sets no countywide STR occupancy cap; limits come from any municipal STR ordinance plus building/health codes.
IC 36-1-24-11 allows a unit's STR permit application to require 'the maximum number of occupants the owner intends to allow.' A unit may cap occupancy, but under IC 36-1-24-9 it may not enforce zoning 'in a manner that is intended or has the effect of prohibiting or unreasonably restricting short term rentals.' In practice occupancy for STRs is bounded by the building code's per-bedroom standards and, where applicable, septic capacity reviewed by the Lake County Health Department. Unincorporated Lake County has no specific STR occupancy number; check the relevant city or town ordinance (e.g., Gary, Hammond, Merrillville) for a numeric cap.
Exceeding a lawfully set occupancy limit is an ordinance violation subject to citation; three or more citations in a calendar year can lead to permit revocation under IC 36-1-24-14.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lake County, IN
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See how Lake County's occupancy limits rules stack up against other locations.
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