Port Townsend, WA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Tourist homes (owner on site)
- Rule
- Owner on site during rentals
- License term
- 1 year, $25/year fee
- Enforcement
- License suspension/revocation
Summary
Port Townsend requires the owner of a licensed tourist home to be on site whenever short-term rental activity is happening.
The owner of a tourist home shall be on site during the time rental activity is taking place.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under PTMC 5.45.030(E), a tourist home's owner must be on site during the time rental activity is taking place: an owner-occupied, host-present model rather than a whole-home rental. Bed and breakfast inns are similarly defined as requiring the operator's primary residence on the premises (PTMC 17.08.060). Both license types run through the Chapter 5.45 business-license process, alongside posted-notice, trash, and fire-extinguisher rules.
Violations & Fines
Renting a tourist home without the owner on site violates the license conditions; the city can suspend or revoke the short-term rental business license under PTMC 5.45.050 and pursue code enforcement under Chapter 1.20 PTMC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Port Townsend require the host to be present during a short-term rental?
What happens if a tourist home operates without the owner present?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
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