Whittier ties STR occupancy to bedroom count: a studio is capped at two guests, and a unit with bedrooms is limited to two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests. STRs may not be used for weddings, receptions, parties, or other commercial functions regardless of headcount, and operators are responsible for guest conduct.
Under Whittier's short-term rental program (Chapter 5.68, adopted July 8, 2025), the maximum number of overnight guests is determined by the size of the unit. As set out in the City's August 8, 2023 staff report on STR best practices, the occupancy standard is: a studio unit may have a maximum of two guests; a unit with bedrooms may have a maximum of two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests. For example, a two-bedroom STR would be limited to six guests (two per bedroom plus two). This bedroom-based formula is paired with a strict prohibition on using the rental unit for weddings, receptions, parties, commercial functions, or similar gatherings; any violation can lead to a fine or license revocation depending on severity. The party/event ban is intended to prevent STRs from being rented as event venues, and Whittier noted that Airbnb itself maintains a global party ban and an algorithm to detect party bookings. STR operators are held responsible for their guests' conduct, including property damage, excessive noise, blocked driveways, and illegal fireworks. The Good Neighbor Policy handout, which must be posted inside the unit, reinforces these limits. Whittier's bedroom-based occupancy rule is a city standard; Los Angeles County's STR ordinance (unincorporated areas only) sets its own occupancy and event limits that do not govern incorporated Whittier.
Exceeding the bedroom-based guest cap, or using the unit for a prohibited event (wedding, reception, party, or commercial function), is a violation that can lead to a fine or license revocation depending on severity. The 2023 staff report recommended $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for subsequent offenses, with three violations against the same property resulting in loss of the STR permit. Notices of violation may be issued to owners, operators, and guests without warning, and the operator remains responsible for guest conduct including noise, blocked driveways, and fireworks.
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