STR rules · verified 2w ago
Short-term rental rules in Seattle, WA
Seattle regulates short-term rentals under SMC 6.600 (operator licensing) and SMC 23.42.058 (zoning). Each operator must hold a Seattle short-term rental operator's license ($75 per unit per year) PLUS a Seattle business license tax certificate. Hard cap of 2 dwelling units per operator citywide, AND one of the two MUST be the operator's primary residence. The only exemption is a legacy carve-out for units in the Downtown Urban Core (Downtown, First Hill, Capitol Hill, Belltown, South Lake Union) that were operating as STRs before September 30, 2017 — those legacy units are not subject to the primary-residence requirement. Operators must post the license number in the format 'STR-OPLI-##-######' on every listing or platforms can remove the listing. Seattle separately requires payment of state lodging tax via WA DOR.
What's behind the sign-in
- Registration fees — initial + annual renewal cost, per permit type
- Permit caps + waitlists — exact cap values, current waitlist counts
- Owner-occupancy rules — days/year requirement, permit-class splits
- Zoning carve-outs — which districts allow / disallow STR
- Tax stack — TOT, hotel, county + state layers
- Stay limits — min/max nightly, max nights/year
- Operational requirements — parking, insurance, fire inspection, neighbor notice
- Penalties — per-night fines, revocation thresholds
- City-specific gotchas — HOA carve-outs, pending legislation, recent court rulings
- Refresh on demand — re-run the agentic pipeline against the city's current ordinance
Frequently asked
Are short-term rentals legal in Seattle, WA?
Seattle is currently restricted for short-term rentals. Permitted but with material constraints — caps, owner-occupancy rules, zoning carve-outs, or active ordinance review. For the actual fees, caps, owner-occupancy rules, and city-specific gotchas, sign in.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Seattle?
Almost certainly yes — almost every U.S. city now requires a short-term rental permit, vacation rental permit, or transient lodging permit before you can legally list. The specifics for Seattle (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://www.seattle.gov/business-regulations/short-term-rentals.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Seattle?
Most cities charge per-night fines (a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per violation), escalating to cease-and-desist letters and platform delisting on repeat. Airbnb and Vrbo now share permit-validation feeds with most major cities, so unpermitted listings get blocked at the platform level. Sign in to see the specific penalty schedule for Seattle.
How current is this data for Seattle?
This record was verified 2w ago against the city's published ordinance (.gov or the city's official municipal-code publisher). Cached cities re-verify on a cadence — daily for cities under active legislation, weekly otherwise. Signed-in users can hit Refresh on any city to force a fresh pull. If you're underwriting a deal, always confirm against the city's code-enforcement office before closing.
Can my HOA or condo association ban STRs even if Seattle allows them?
Yes. City permits authorize you under municipal law, but your HOA, condo association, or co-op board sets contractual rules that override the city for your unit. Many HOAs adopted blanket STR bans between 2018 and 2024 in response to neighbor complaints. Read the CC&Rs, bylaws, and rental addendums before you buy with an STR plan — the city saying yes does not mean your building says yes.