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

Vacaville's regulatory occupancy framework for lodging operates at three layers, none of which is an STR-specific cap. First, Title 14 (Zoning) defines the lodging use classes (hotel, motel, bed and breakfast inn) and requires site-plan and use-permit approval; the use permit may impose an address-specific cap as a condition of approval based on parking, septic/water (where applicable), and life-safety considerations. Second, Title 15 (Buildings and Construction) adopts the California Building Code by reference, including the occupant-load tables in CBC Chapter 10 that govern means-of-egress design for Group R-1 (transient lodging) and Group R-3 (one- and two-family dwellings) occupancies. The maximum permitted occupancy is the lesser of the use-permit cap and the building-code occupant load. Third, for events and gatherings, Chapter 9.20 (Abatement of Community Safety Violations) declares it a violation to allow the occupant load to exceed the permitted number within a public assembly where alcohol or drugs are being consumed or accessible. Because the city has not adopted a stand-alone STR ordinance, there is no flat city-wide occupancy formula keyed to bedroom count, no daytime-guest limit codified for transient rentals, and no posting-of-maximum-occupancy rule specific to STR units. For ADUs, Chapter 14.09.270 limits the unit to use as a long-term residential dwelling and prohibits short-term rental of less than 31 days, with occupancy effectively governed by the CBC dwelling-unit area rules for the configured bedrooms.