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Merced County, CA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Minimum parking
1 off-street space per rental
Governing section
Zoning Code Section 18.60.270(D)(6)
Listing disclosure
Max parking spaces (Section 18.60.270(D)(11)(d))
Guest room cap
5 guest rooms maximum
First-offense fine
Up to $100 (Section 18.154.070)

Summary

Every short-term rental in unincorporated Merced County must provide off-street guest parking under Zoning Code Section 18.60.270(D)(6), which sets a floor of one off-street space per rental. The requirement is a built-in condition of the Administrative Permit every host or vacation-rental operator must hold, and the maximum available spaces must be advertised on every listing.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Merced County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Parking. All guest parking shall be provided off-street, with a minimum of one off-street parking space per rental.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4930839; v8 updated 2026-06-02).

Full Breakdown

270(D) require that all guest parking be provided off-street, with a minimum of one off-street parking space per rental, under subsection D(6). This is a floor, not a suggestion: the county pairs it with a disclosure duty at subsection D(11)(d), which requires every advertisement and listing for the rental to state the maximum number of parking spaces available, so prospective guests know before booking whether the property can accommodate their vehicles. Parking capacity also interacts with the county's occupancy rule at subsection D(4), which caps guest rooms at five and further limits guest counts by the number of bedrooms and, where applicable, by well and septic capacity, meaning a rental cannot simply add guests without the parking and utility capacity to match.

The off-street parking requirement, like the rest of subsection D, is written into the Administrative Permit issued under this chapter, so the Planning and Community Development Department can condition approval on an adequate on-site parking plan and can revisit that plan if guests routinely park on the street or block neighboring driveways. 154.

Violations & Fines

Failing to provide the required off-street parking space is a Zoning Code violation under Section 18.154.070(D): a first infraction is punishable by a fine up to $100, a second within a year up to $200, and each subsequent violation within the year up to $500, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. Chronic parking complaints can also support modification or revocation of the Administrative Permit under Chapter 18.152.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much off-street parking must a Merced County short-term rental provide?
Zoning Code Section 18.60.270(D)(6) requires all guest parking to be off-street, with a minimum of one off-street space per rental. The Administrative Permit for the property must reflect that capacity before the rental can legally operate in the unincorporated county.
Does a Merced County short-term rental listing have to say how much parking is available?
Yes. Section 18.60.270(D)(11)(d) requires every advertisement or listing to disclose the maximum number of parking spaces at the property, so guests know the on-site capacity before they book, not after they arrive with multiple vehicles.
What happens if a Merced County rental doesn't provide enough parking?
It is treated as a violation of the Administrative Permit and the Zoning Code under Section 18.154.070, carrying infraction fines from $100 to $500 per repeat offense, and chronic complaints can lead the county to modify or revoke the permit under Chapter 18.152.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Merced County

All Merced County rules

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