Sonoma, CA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Per-room limit
- 2 persons per sleeping/guest room
- Per-unit add-on
- +2 persons per unit
- Example: 3-bedroom unit
- Up to 8 overnight guests
- Must be disclosed
- In every online listing
- Applies to
- Each unit, up to 2 units per rental
Summary
Sonoma Municipal Code § 19.50.110(A)(3) limits every vacation rental's overnight guest count to two people per sleeping or guest room, plus two additional people per unit, a cap the City of Sonoma enforces alongside its 29-day maximum stay and licensing rules.
3. Occupancy Limits: Maximum Overnight Occupancy. Maximum overnight occupancy for vacation rentals shall be limited to up to a maximum of two persons per sleeping room or guest room, plus two additional persons per unit.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025).
Full Breakdown
110(A)(3), titled Occupancy Limits: Maximum Overnight Occupancy, states the formula plainly: overnight occupancy is limited to up to a maximum of two persons per sleeping room or guest room, plus two additional persons per unit. 110(A)(1). 110(A)(6) requires that any online advertisement or listing for the property include reference to the maximum occupancy limits, specifically so prospective guests and code enforcement staff can see the cap before a booking is made. 56 SMC (A)(4), and the 24/7 property manager requirement (A)(5); all of them apply together to every vacation rental operating inside the City of Sonoma, not to short-term rentals in the surrounding unincorporated Sonoma Valley.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the posted overnight occupancy limit is a code violation enforceable under Chapter 1.12 SMC, punishable as an infraction with fines of $100 to $500 for repeat violations within a year, or as a misdemeanor with fines up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail; each night of overcapacity use can be charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many overnight guests can stay in a Sonoma vacation rental?
Does the Sonoma vacation rental listing have to state the occupancy limit?
What happens if a Sonoma vacation rental exceeds its occupancy limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma to another location·View the California short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle occupancy limits.