Snohomish County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Host presence
- Owner must reside on premises
- Code
- SCC 30.28.020(3)(b)-(c)
- Meal service
- Overnight guests only
- Guest-room kitchens
- Prohibited
- Model
- Hosted, not unhosted
Summary
Snohomish County's bed-and-breakfast rules require a host to be present: SCC 30.28.020(3)(c) directs that the owner operate the facility and reside on the premises. Meal service is limited to overnight guests and no separate kitchens are allowed in guest rooms, reinforcing a hosted model.
Meal service shall be limited to overnight guests of the establishment. Kitchens shall not be allowed in individual guest rooms;
(c) The owner shall operate the facility and reside on the premises;
(d) One sign for business identification and advertising shall be permitted in conjunction with the bed and breakfast establishment in accordance with SCC 30.27.060(4);
(e) The bed and breakfast establishment shall be conducted in such a manner as to give no outward appearance nor manifest any characteristics of a business, except as to the sign as allowed above, that would be incompatible with the ability of the neighboring residents to enjoy peaceful occupancy of their properties;
(f) There is no limit on the number of days a guest may stay at the establishment;
(g) The applicant shall submit a letter from the applicable water purveyor and sewer district, if applicable, stating that each of them has the respective capacity to serve the bed and breakfast establishment;
(h) The applicant shall comply with all applicable county codes for fire, health, and building requirements and any applicable food service regulations and on-site sewage disposal requirements of the county health department. The applicant shall comply with the applicable state regulations pertaining to public water systems, if a water system is to be developed or connected to an existing public water system;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through legislation passed August 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The host-presence requirement flows from SCC 30.28.020(3)(c) (owner operates and resides on premises) together with 30.28.020(3)(b), which limits meal service to overnight guests and prohibits kitchens in individual guest rooms. This structure treats the STR as rooms within the host's occupied home rather than an independent unit. Because outbuildings may supplement guest rooms but the host still lives on the property, guests share the site with a resident operator. This is stricter than jurisdictions that allow unhosted rentals, and it is a key reason the unincorporated-county STR model differs from city STR ordinances.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a resident owner-host, or providing self-contained guest units with kitchens, exceeds the approved use and is enforceable under SCC Title 30/Title 7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a host have to live on-site?
Can guest rooms have their own kitchens?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Snohomish County
Compare Snohomish County to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
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