Auburn, WA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- ACC 5.22.030
- License term
- Calendar year, Jan 1 - Dec 31
- Fee
- Set by city fee schedule
- Ongoing criminal activity trigger
- 3+ crimes in 6-12 months
- Revocation notice
- 30 days written and posted
- Max misdemeanor penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 90 days jail
Summary
Every rental housing business operating in Auburn, from single rentals to multifamily complexes, must hold a city business license in good standing under ACC 5.22.030, renewed and paid annually on the calendar year. Chapter 5.22 exists to protect tenants and neighbors and to enforce standards through the community development department.
Each rental housing business operating in the city, as defined herein, shall obtain and maintain in good standing a city of Auburn business license issued by the city in accordance with the procedures of this chapter and this title. A. The fee for a business license required under this chapter shall be as set forth in the city of Auburn fee schedule. B. The business license fee shall be for the calendar year (January 1st through December 31st), and each applicant for the business license must pay the full business license fee for the current calendar year during which the applicant has engaged in business, regardless of when during the calendar year the license is obtained.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 7023, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
010 states the chapter applies to all rental units in the city and exists to protect tenant health, safety and welfare, establish landlord and tenant rights, protect neighbors and the public, and set uniform licensing and enforcement procedures. 020 as any person or entity that rents or leases one or more units as residential units, must obtain and maintain in good standing a city of Auburn business license, at a fee set by the city's fee schedule, running the full calendar year regardless of when during the year it's obtained. 057. 050.
Violations & Fines
Failing to obtain or maintain a rental housing business license, as ACC 5.22.030 requires, is punishable under ACC 5.22.120 in accordance with ACC 5.15.110: a civil infraction/civil penalty under Chapter 1.25 ACC or a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000, jail up to 90 days, or both. The mayor or designee can revoke the license under ACC 5.22.090 for fraud, a crime bearing on the rental business, zoning violations, uncorrected safety threats, or noncompliance with law; owners get a 30-day written and posted notice before revocation (shortened in emergencies) and 15 days to appeal to the hearing examiner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do landlords need a license to rent property in Auburn?
Is the Auburn rental license renewed every year?
Can Auburn revoke a rental property's business license?
What extra rules apply to communal residences?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
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Rental Registration in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle rental registration.