Draft. This page was compiled from official sources but has not completed editorial verification. Confirm every figure with the official links below before acting.
Seattle Short-Term Rental Rules: What Hosts Need to Know in 2026
Seattle requires two licenses: a business license tax certificate and a short-term rental operator license. The operator license costs $75 per unit and runs for one year from the issue date.
The operator license number must appear on every listing in the STR-OPLI-##-###### format. Platforms may remove listings whose number is missing or formatted incorrectly.
Two licenses, one visible number
Seattle separates the general business license from the short-term rental license. A host must hold a Seattle business license tax certificate before the operator license can be issued; a new business license needs about 48 hours to process.
The operator license is tied to specific unit addresses and allows up to two units. One must be the operator’s primary residence, and a dedicated unit that is not the primary residence must also be registered under the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance.
Enforcement runs through the listing itself: the license number must be displayed in the required format on every advertisement, and platforms may delist listings that do not comply.
The two licenses and the RRIO overlay
The business license tax certificate is the city’s general business license; the operator license is the short-term rental approval. Both must be current before a listing goes live.
Business license tax certificate
Apply through FileLocal or the city. Allow 48 hours after a new business license application before starting the short-term rental license application.
Short-term rental operator license
Apply through the Seattle Services Portal. The license costs $75 per unit, lists the approved unit addresses, and is valid for one year.
Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance
A dedicated unit that is not the operator’s primary residence must be registered under RRIO before the operator license application.
License fees
| Label | Fee |
|---|---|
| New license | $75 |
License requirements
- A valid Seattle business license tax certificate is required before applying; allow 48 hours after a new business license application.
- The operator license costs $75 per unit and is valid for one year.
- The license number must appear on every listing in the format STR-OPLI-##-######.
- An operator may license up to two units, and one of them must be the operator’s primary residence.
- A dedicated unit that is not the primary residence must also be registered under the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO).
- The unit must meet building, safety, and land use codes; RVs, tents, garages, boats, live-work units, and houseboats cannot be used as short-term rentals.
Penalties and listing removal
Operating without an operator license carries a $500 penalty for a first violation and $1,000 for later violations. Operating without a Seattle business license tax certificate can bring a $513 citation.
Platforms may remove a listing whose license number is missing or not in the required format, which cuts off bookings until the listing is fixed.
- No operator license: $500 first violation; $1,000 for second and subsequent violations.
- No business license tax certificate: $513 citation.
- Missing or misformatted license number: platform removal.
| Item | Penalty |
|---|---|
| No operator license | $500 penalty for a first violation. |
| Repeat violations | $1,000 penalty for second and subsequent violations. |
| No business license | $513 citation for operating without a Seattle business license tax certificate. |
Sales tax on short-term stays
Combined hotel occupancy tax ~10.55%
Washington applies combined state and local retail sales tax to short-term rental stays; the Seattle combined rate is 10.55%. Local lodging taxes may apply on top, depending on the property.
Airbnb and other platforms collect and remit Washington sales tax and applicable local lodging taxes on platform bookings. Direct bookings are the host’s responsibility.
Seattle also charges platforms a $4 fee for each night booked, and platforms must file monthly and quarterly reports.
- Collection
- Airbnb and other platforms collect and remit Washington sales tax and applicable local lodging taxes on platform bookings; hosts handle direct bookings.
- Filing
- Hosts file Seattle business license tax returns and the Washington state excise tax return; platforms report separately under a platform license.
Ranges vary — verify. Seattle charges platforms a $4 fee for each night booked.
Operating standards
- Local contact
- A local contact number must be available to guests during their stay.
- Safety information
- Basic safety information must be posted in the unit.
- Unit limit
- No more than two units per operator, and one must be the operator’s primary residence.
- Prohibited spaces
- RVs, tents, garages, boats, live-work units, and floating on-water residences cannot be rented as short-term rentals.
Compare Seattle with other STR markets
Seattle pairs a general business license with a rental-specific license and a public listing number. Other cities rely on a single permit, a registration, or state preemption instead of a per-unit regulatory license.
Phoenix
Arizona
Allowed citywide with permit (state law bars city bans — host-friendly)
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Phoenix rules →Scottsdale
Arizona
Licensed; Arizona law preempts local bans and occupancy caps
Moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Scottsdale rules →Sedona
Arizona
Permit required; Arizona law sets the regulatory floor
Moderate enforcement
New license $210
Last verified
View Sedona rules →Los Angeles
California
Allowed in the host’s primary residence with registration; 120-night annual cap unless extended
High enforcement
New license $441
Last verified
View Los Angeles rules →Palm Springs
California
Allowed in single-family homes with an annual certificate; new certificates capped at 20% per organized neighborhood
High enforcement
New license — Vacation Rental $1,046
Last verified
View Palm Springs rules →San Diego
California
Licensed by tier; whole-home licenses are capped by ordinance
High enforcement
New license — Tier 1 — Part-Time $193
Last verified
View San Diego rules →San Francisco
California
Allowed only in the host’s permanent residence with registration; un-hosted stays capped at 90 nights per year
High enforcement
New license $925
Last verified
View San Francisco rules →Santa Monica
California
Home-sharing only in the host’s primary residence; un-hosted vacation rentals are unlawful
High enforcement
New license $582.25
Last verified
View Santa Monica rules →Denver
Colorado
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Denver rules →Washington
District of Columbia
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $99
Last verified
View Washington rules →Fort Lauderdale
Florida
Licensed and inspected; annual Certificate of Compliance required
High enforcement
New license — Certificate of Compliance $880
Last verified
View Fort Lauderdale rules →Miami
Florida
Licensed and enforced; city and county requirements run in parallel
High enforcement
Last verified
View Miami rules →Orlando
Florida
Owner-occupied home sharing; whole-home rentals are limited by zoning
Moderate enforcement
New license — Home Sharing Registration $275
Last verified
View Orlando rules →Tampa
Florida
State-licensed; city rental registration repealed in 2023
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $230
Last verified
View Tampa rules →Atlanta
Georgia
Licensed, primary residence plus one additional dwelling unit
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Atlanta rules →Savannah
Georgia
Certified STVR, overlay district only, per-ward cap
High enforcement
New license $400
Last verified
View Savannah rules →Chicago
Illinois
Registered shared housing unit (31 days or fewer)
High enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Chicago rules →New Orleans
Louisiana
Licensed, capped, and lottery-based
High enforcement
New license — NSTR owner permit $500
Last verified
View New Orleans rules →Boston
Massachusetts
Registered, owner-occupied primary residence only
High enforcement
New license — Limited Share $25
Last verified
View Boston rules →Las Vegas
Nevada
Licensed; owner-occupied homes only (city limits)
High enforcement
New license $500
Last verified
View Las Vegas rules →New York
New York
Legal only in a registered primary residence (hosted stays)
High enforcement
New license $145
Last verified
View New York rules →Portland
Oregon
Permitted as an accessory use (primary residence required)
Moderate enforcement
Last verified
View Portland rules →Charleston
South Carolina
Licensed, primary residence only (commercial STRs only in the overlay district)
High enforcement
New license $345
Last verified
View Charleston rules →Nashville
Tennessee
Allowed with permit; heavy zoning restrictions on investor units
High enforcement
New license $313
Last verified
View Nashville rules →Austin
Texas
Licensed & enforced
High enforcement
New license $736.60
Last verified
View Austin rules →Frequently asked questions
Do I need two licenses to run an Airbnb in Seattle?
Yes. You need a Seattle business license tax certificate and a short-term rental operator license. The operator license costs $75 per unit and is valid for one year.
How many short-term rental units can I operate in Seattle?
An operator may license up to two units. One must be the operator's primary residence; the other may be a separate unit the operator owns.
What license number goes on my listing?
Your short-term rental operator license number, in the format STR-OPLI-##-######. Platforms may remove listings whose number is missing or formatted incorrectly.