Stays of 30 days or longer in any King County short-term rental convert the guest into a tenant under the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, RCW 59.18, regardless of whether a lease was signed or the platform classifies the stay as short-term.
Washington courts and the Attorney General treat any continuous occupancy past 30 days as a residential tenancy. Once that threshold passes, RCW 59.18 protections attach: the operator must follow notice-to-vacate rules, cannot lock out the guest without a court order, and must return any deposit per the Act. King County operators sometimes structure 28-day stays to remain inside the STR regime and avoid tenancy formation. Lodging taxes drop off after 30 nights, but landlord-tenant duties begin. Operators should issue a written lease at the 30-day mark to clarify rent, deposit, and termination terms.
Locking out a 30-plus-day guest, withholding belongings, or shutting off utilities to force departure violates RCW 59.18.290 and exposes the operator to per-day damages plus attorney fees in superior court.
King County, WA
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King County, WA
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King County, WA
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King County, WA
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King County, WA
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See how King County's extended home share rules stack up against other locations.
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