Under RCW 64.37, Airbnb, Vrbo, and other booking platforms operating in King County must require operators to attest to insurance, registration, and tax compliance, and must remove listings that fail to meet state and local requirements.
Washington's 2019 short-term rental law assigns shared compliance duties to platforms. Booking platforms must confirm each operator carries at least $1 million liability coverage or that platform-provided coverage applies, must collect and remit state and local lodging taxes (Airbnb has done so countywide since 2015), and must remove listings flagged as noncompliant by King County or city regulators. Seattle additionally requires platforms to verify a current Seattle STR operator license number on every listing. Platform liability is strict liability for tax remittance but compliance-based for license verification, meaning good-faith reliance on operator attestation is generally a defense.
Platforms that fail to remit lodging taxes face state Department of Revenue assessment plus penalties. Failure to delist unlicensed Seattle STRs can lead to municipal fines under SMC 6.600 against the platform.
Federal Way, WA
Federal Way permits construction under WAC 173-60.050 exemptions between 7 AM and 10 PM. Sunday work near homes is typically restricted. Work outside the win...
Federal Way, WA
Federal Way prohibits dogs that bark or howl continuously and disturb neighbors under FWRC Title 9. Typical threshold is 20 minutes of continuous noise. Comp...
Federal Way, WA
Outdoor music events in Federal Way need a special event permit on public property or when amplified beyond neighborhood levels. Receiving limits at residenc...
Federal Way, WA
Federal Way limits on-street RV and boat trailer parking to 72 hours. In residential zones, RVs on private property must be parked on a paved or gravel surfa...
Federal Way, WA
Federal Way follows Washington State Building Code EV-ready requirements for new multifamily and commercial buildings. Public chargers exist at the Transit C...
Federal Way, WA
Under RCW 46.55, Federal Way police can tag and tow a vehicle left on a public street for more than 72 hours. On private property, owners follow state impoun...
See how Federal Way's host platform liability rules stack up against other locations.
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