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

Cities that license short-term rentals typically cap overnight guests (for example, two per bedroom plus two). Westminster has no such occupancy standard for STRs because it prohibits the use entirely. Under Chapter 9.74 of the Municipal Code, it is unlawful to offer, occupy, or advertise a residential dwelling for transient use - a rental of 30 days or less - in residential and mixed-use zones. Since no residential STR may operate, the City publishes no maximum-guest figure and no per-bedroom occupancy formula for short-term rentals. Standard residential occupancy and building/housing code limits still govern ordinary, long-term residential use of a home, but those are unrelated to transient guests. Owners cannot satisfy the ordinance by limiting the number of guests; any paid transient occupancy of a residential dwelling is prohibited regardless of party size. The only lawful transient lodging in Westminster - hotels, motels, and lodging houses expressly permitted by the Municipal Code - is governed by its own building, fire, and land-use occupancy standards rather than by an STR ordinance. The City's Planning Division confirms short-term rentals are not allowed, so prospective hosts should not rely on third-party 'guest limit' figures circulated for STRs in other cities.