Del Norte County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Because the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors declined to adopt a dedicated vacation-rental ordinance in 2022, the County has no short-term-rental-specific occupancy limit - no '2 persons per bedroom' or maximum-guest formula written into the code for STRs. The article reporting that decision noted that nearby Curry County, Oregon had recently approved vacation-rental regulations that included occupancy limits and overnight-stay caps, a contrast the supervisors were aware of but chose not to follow. In practice, the number of people who may occupy an unincorporated-area rental is governed by general rules rather than an STR ordinance: building and fire code occupant-load and egress standards, septic/wastewater capacity for the dwelling, and the underlying zoning of the parcel under Title 20 (Non-Coastal Zoning) or Title 21 (Coastal Zoning). Short-term rentals are also not allowed in accessory dwelling units (rentals of less than 30 days are prohibited in ADUs), which indirectly limits which structures can be rented and to how many guests. Operators in the Coastal Zone communities of Smith River and Klamath should be aware that intensifying the use of a property can trigger coastal review. Because the framework relies on general standards rather than a fixed STR headcount, operators should confirm the legal occupancy of their specific dwelling with Planning & Building at (707) 464-7254 and follow building/septic limits even though the County imposes no vacation-rental-specific cap.