Chelan County, WA Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- Smoke alarm rule
- Required inside every short-term rental bedroom
- Governing definition
- Chelan County Code § 14.98.267
- Initial check
- Life-safety inspection before permit issued
- Recheck frequency
- Fire Marshal inspects every other year
- Self-check
- Annual owner self-inspection encouraged, not required
- Repeat penalty
- Doubles prior fine within 12 months
- Worst case
- Permit revocation under § 16.20.040
Summary
In unincorporated Chelan County, every bedroom used inside a short-term rental must carry a working smoke alarm in the room itself. Chelan County Code § 14.98.267 folds the mandate into the definition of "bedroom" for Chapter 11.88's short-term rental standards, pairing it with an egress window or door meeting International Residential Code specs.
For the purposes of Chapter 11.88, a “bedroom” means either enclosed or open areas within a structure being used as a short-term rental that provides sleeping accommodations such as mattresses, beds, sofa sleepers, roll away beds, day/trundle beds, bunkbeds, Murphy beds, etc. Any space used as a short-term rental bedroom under this section shall have a door or window of egress to the outside that meets the International Residential Code standard for a bedroom, and must be equipped with a working smoke alarm within the room.
Full Breakdown
88's short-term rental rules. Any enclosed or open space in a short-term rental that offers sleeping accommodations (beds, sofa sleepers, bunkbeds, Murphy beds, and similar) counts as a bedroom, must have an egress door or window meeting International Residential Code standards, and must be equipped with a working smoke alarm inside that room. 290. 290(4)(H)(i)). 290(4)(H)(iii)). 290(4)(H)(iv)). 040(2)(F).
Violations & Fines
Missing or nonworking smoke alarms surface through the same inspection track that governs the permit: a life-safety check before initial issuance and a Fire Marshal recheck every other year. Failing that check, or blocking an inspector's entry, is grounds for immediate denial or revocation of the short-term rental land use permit under § 16.20.040. Civil penalties for short-term rental standards violations follow Chapter 16.16's assessment schedule, and § 16.20.030(2) doubles the prior penalty amount for a repeat violation of the same § 11.88.290(3) standard within twelve months. Revocations and denials can be appealed under Chapters 14.12 and 16.12.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every bedroom in a Chelan County short-term rental need its own smoke alarm?
Who checks fire safety at short-term rentals in unincorporated Chelan County?
What happens if I refuse a fire inspection on my Chelan County rental?
Is this smoke alarm rule the same for bed and breakfasts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelan County
Compare Chelan County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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