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

' The same paragraph ties actual guest counts to the house itself rather than a flat number, stating the guest count 'shall be limited by the number of bedrooms located in the single-family dwelling and may be further limited by well and septic system requirements (if applicable),' so a rural parcel on a marginal septic system can be capped below five rooms even if the house has the space. The occupancy cap sits inside a broader Administrative Permit scheme: subsection C limits every parcel to one short-term rental, requires the rental to be the owner's primary residence, and bars short-term rentals from accessory dwelling units, RVs, tents, yurts, or any unit carrying an affordable-housing or Williamson Act restriction.

Subsection D(11)(c) requires every advertisement and listing for the rental to state the 'Number of bedrooms and maximum occupancy' so code enforcement and neighbors can check a listing against the permitted cap without visiting the property. Vacation rentals are additionally capped at 180 cumulative operating days per calendar year under subsection F(1), while hosted rentals require the owner to remain on site for the full stay under subsection E(1).