Short-Term Rentals in Kennewick, WA (2026)
6 verified short-term rentals rules for Kennewick, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Permit Requirements
Kennewick has not codified a dedicated short-term rental licensing chapter in the Kennewick Municipal Code. STR operators are subject to the statewide Washington Short-Term Rental Operations Act, RCW Chapter 64.37 (enacted 2019), which requires platform-collected operator contact information, posted safety information, and a primary contact reachable during a stay, plus the standard Kennewick business license required of any business operating within city limits. Zoning use must be confirmed under KMC Title 18.
Washington Statewide STR Operations Act (RCW 64.37) Plus Kennewick General Business License
Some RestrictionsRCW 64.37
(1) "Contact" means the operator or the operator's representative who is the point of contact for any short-term rental guest for the duration of the guest's stay in the short-term rental. (2) "Department" means the department of revenue.
Noise Rules
Kennewick has not codified short-term-rental-specific quiet hours or party-house provisions. STR guests are subject to the city's general public-disturbance noise rules in the Kennewick Municipal Code and to the statewide Washington noise standards in RCW Chapter 70.107 and WAC Chapter 173-60. Nighttime maximum environmental noise levels in residential zones drop by 10 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under WAC 173-60-040. Active disturbances are handled by Kennewick Police; pattern complaints by Code Enforcement.
STR Noise Governed by Kennewick Public Disturbance Noise Ordinance, Not STR-Specific Quiet Hours
Some RestrictionsTaxes & Fees
Short-term rentals in Kennewick collect the combined Washington state and local sales tax on lodging under RCW 82.08.0291 (the standard retail sales tax applies to stays of fewer than 30 nights), plus the Benton County hotel/motel tax authorized by RCW 67.28.180. The Washington Department of Revenue administers both the state and local-option components through the Combined Excise Tax Return. Stays of 30 or more continuous nights are exempt as non-transient under WAC 458-20-166.
Kennewick STR Tax Stack: WA State Sales Tax on Lodging (RCW 82.08.0291) Plus Benton County Hotel/Motel Tax
Some RestrictionsParking Rules
Kennewick has not codified a short-term-rental-specific parking standard. Off-street parking for a residential dwelling used as an STR is governed by the base-zone parking standards in the Kennewick Municipal Code Title 18 (Zoning). On-street parking is subject to the general parking rules in KMC Title 10 (Vehicles and Traffic), including standard restrictions on parking against traffic flow, blocking driveways, and posted time limits in commercial areas. Recreational-vehicle and oversize-vehicle parking limits in KMC Title 10 also apply.
No Kennewick STR-Specific Parking Rule; Base-Zone Off-Street Parking Standards in KMC Title 18 Apply
Few RestrictionsOccupancy Limits
Kennewick has not codified a short-term-rental-specific occupancy cap. Occupancy is governed by the Washington State Building Code, which adopts the International Residential Code (IRC) under WAC Chapter 51-51 and the International Property Maintenance Code provisions through WAC Chapter 51-50. Standard area-per-occupant rules apply: every habitable room must contain at least 70 square feet for one occupant and 50 square feet for each additional occupant. KMC Title 18 base-zone use classifications also apply.
No Kennewick STR Headcount Cap; Occupancy Governed by Washington State Building Code (IRC Adoption)
Few RestrictionsInsurance Requirements
RCW 64.37.040, part of the statewide Washington Short-Term Rental Operations Act enacted in 2019, requires every short-term rental operator in the state, including those operating in Kennewick, to maintain primary liability insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence covering the short-term rental, or to operate exclusively through a booking platform that provides equivalent coverage. The requirement attaches to every transient rental of fewer than 30 nights. Kennewick has not layered any additional local insurance requirement on top of the statewide minimum.
Washington STR Act Mandates $1 Million Primary Liability Insurance (RCW 64.37.040)
Heavy RestrictionsRCW 64.37.050
Liability insurance. A short-term rental operator must maintain primary liability insurance to cover the short-term rental dwelling unit in the aggregate of not less than one million dollars or conduct each short-term rental transaction through a platform that provides equal or greater primary liability insurance coverage.
Looking for Benton County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Kennewick city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Benton County →