Airbnb Laws and Regulations in Washington State

Bellingham, Washington Short-Term Rental Rules

Developing Airbnb Laws and Regulations

The city of Bellingham, Washington hopes to uphold two primary goals by enforcing its recent Airbnb Laws: to maintain stable housing while protecting the safety and rights of owners, neighbors, and guests. 

This ordinance requires that all short-term rental operators obtain a vacation rental permit and pay the corresponding fee. Along with the permit, each operator is limited to one short-term rental property in all residential areas and the dwelling must be the owner’s primary residence for 270 days per year, with a 95-day limit that the property can be rented out. Bellingham Municipal Code Section 20.10.037 offers further information on exceptions to these limits. 

For the homes in compliance, the city implemented a list of additional guidelines for the homeowner, such as adequate street parking, accessible emergency contact for the guests, and a basic safety inspection of the property. These guidelines, along with the required permit- attempt to strike a balance between welcoming visitors while protecting the economy and community. 

Chelan County, Washington Airbnb Laws

New Airbnb Laws Require Liability Insurance for all Short-term Rentals

The Board of Commissioners passed the final Airbnb laws for Chelan County, which took effect on September 27th, 2021.  The new code stems from months of tension between long-term residents and rental owners near some of Washington’s popular tourist destinations.  Within the new code, there are regulations regarding zones allowed, the number of units allowed, operational standards, existing units, permit process, and a primary liability insurance requirement of no less than $1,000,000.  

Many hosts believe that their umbrella insurance policy would be applicable in this situation, but this is simply not true for two reasons.  First, your underlying policy must be fully exhausted for an umbrella to kick in, and many short-term rental hosts simply do not have the correct underlying insurance, so the claim never gets to the umbrella. Many short-term rental homes are insured on policies that have business activity exclusions which means it more than likely wouldn’t respond to a claim, to begin with.  Second, an umbrella is not the primary liability coverage limit so it would not suffice the new Chelan County insurance requirement. You will need to show proof of $1,000,000 in liability coverage limits before any umbrella.  

Seattle, Washington Short-Term Rental Rules

Understand Airbnb Laws in Seattle

eattle regulates short-term rentals under Ordinance 125483, which became effective in January 2019. These rules created a citywide licensing system, capped how many STR units an operator may run, and established safety and registration requirements. 

• Definition of Short-Term Rental: Short-term rentals in Seattle are defined as stays under 30 consecutive nights 
• Licensing & Registration: Seattle requires two licenses before a host can operate a short-term rental: a Seattle Business License Tax Certificate and a Short-Term Rental Operator Regulatory License. Hosts must first apply for the business license tax certificate through FileLocal, allow 48 hours for processing, and then apply for the STR regulatory license through the Seattle Services Portal. Licenses cost $75 each and must be renewed annually. View the Seattle SDCI STR Licensing Requirements for more information. 
• Non-Primary Residence Licensing: If the rental unit is not the operator’s primary residence, it must be registered with the Rental Registration & Inspection Ordinance (RRIO) prior to STR licensing. A host may operate up to two dwelling units but at least one must be the host’s primary residence 
• Unit Limits: Seattle limits most operators to two STR units: the operator’s primary residence and one additional unit. Rented rooms without their own kitchens or bathrooms (e.g., “private room” rentals) do not count as separate units and are covered under the operator’s primary license. 
• Operators who were legally running STRs prior to September 30, 2017 may qualify for “legacy unit” permissions, but must upload documentation proving prior STR use within the 12 months before that date. 
• Insurance: Washington requires that Airbnb hosts in the state have at least $1 million in liability insurance that covers bodily injury and property damage.  
• Taxes: Washington applies a 6.5% statewide sales tax to all short-term stays under 30 nights, with counties and cities able to add additional lodging taxes. Local governments may charge up to 2% as a basic (state-shared) lodging tax and up to 2% in special lodging taxes that are added on top of other state and local rates. 
• Online Listings: Seattle requires all STR operators to display their official STR Operator License number on every listing, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Expedia, and other platforms. The license must appear in the exact format STR-OPLI-##-###### (for example: STR-OPLI-21-000123). Platforms may remove listings if the number is missing or formatted incorrectly. 
• Enforcement & Fines: Ignoring Land Use Code or Housing Use violations may result in fines of $150 to $500 per day.  
• More Information: To learn more, visit the City of Seattle’s resources on short-term rentals. 

Vancouver, Washington Vacation Rental Laws

New Short-Term Rental Ordinance Adopted

As of December 2023, the city of Vancouver has implemented new short-term rental (STR) laws and regulations. It is implemented as a 24-month pilot period to determine its success. Changes have been made including rezoning, the requirement of a business license and STR permit. The city itself has created regulations to follow over the year which include a cap of STR units, ongoing monitoring of STR compliance, monitoring the impacts of the long-term rental market, monitoring code compliance and outreach to determine program effectiveness. To stay current with the regulations, visit the city of Vancouver’s website. 

The current regulations are in place:  

• Business License: Must hold a Washington State Business License and a City of Vancouver Business License. 
• STR Permit: Complete an STR permit application.  
• Zoning: Hosts need to make sure their property is located within the City Limits. 
• Insurance: Must have at least $1 million in liability insurance. 
• Notify Neighbors: Must mail notification letters to the property owners abutting or adjacent to the property with notice of the STR, description of the operation, number of bedrooms that may be rented out and a phone number to contact in case of emergency.

Walla Walla, Washington Short-Term Rental Regulations

Airbnb Laws Hosts Need to Know

Airbnb Laws in Walla Walla, Washington have changed to better accommodate the skyrocketing tourism industry. 

Known for its fertile agricultural areas and over 100  local wineries, it’s easy to see how Walla Walla is now a popular short-term vacation rental destination. With the growth in this market over the years, Walla Walla eventually decided on short-term rental laws, following suit in many cities and communities across the U.S.  

The City has general requirements, application requirements, and development standards for short-term rentals including the following:  

• A permit from the city of Walla Walla 
• A local contact available to respond to issues at the short-term rental  
• Compliance with all fire and safety codes, including a working fire extinguisher 
• Adequate parking based on the capacity of the rental 
• Owners must have property insurance and liability coverage 

Hosts should also expect an application of $150, with an annual renewal fee of the same amount.