King County does not impose a hosted-only rule for short-term rentals in unincorporated areas. Hosts may rent entire dwellings without being on-site, subject to King County Code and Washington state STR transparency requirements under RCW 64.37.
Unincorporated King County permits whole-home short-term rentals; the host need not occupy the property during guest stays. Cities within the county set their own rules: Seattle requires a primary-residence operator's license tied to either the host's primary home or one additional unit, while Bellevue, Kent, and Redmond have lighter regimes. Statewide, RCW 64.37 requires every operator (hosted or unhosted) to maintain $1 million liability coverage and post a 24-hour contact. King County Sheriff responds to nuisance calls in unincorporated zones; chronic nuisance code applies if multiple verified complaints arise within a year.
Operating an unhosted STR is legal in unincorporated King County, but failure to provide 24-hour contact information or maintain insurance under RCW 64.37 may trigger state enforcement and platform delisting.
King County, WA
In unincorporated King County, fences 6 feet or less in height may be built on or within property lines without a building permit. Fences over 6 feet require...
King County, WA
Unincorporated King County's marine shoreline along Puget Sound and Vashon-Maury Island is regulated under the Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58), the King...
King County, WA
In unincorporated King County, an above-ground pool that can hold water more than 24 inches deep is regulated as a swimming pool under the Washington State R...
King County, WA
In unincorporated King County, a one-story detached storage shed of 200 square feet or less, accessory to a residential or agricultural use, is exempt from a...
King County, WA
Unincorporated King County requires private swimming pools to be enclosed by a barrier at least five feet high under K.C.C. 16.70.020, with self-closing/self...
King County, WA
King County Ordinance 18467 (2017) limits county cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and Washington's Keep Washington Working Act (RCW 10.93.16...
See how King County's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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