Sammamish, WA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)

Sammamish draws no distinction between hosted (owner-present) and unhosted (whole-home) short-term rentals, and it imposes no host-presence requirement. Whole-home rentals where no host or owner is on the premises are permitted. The only on-call obligation comes from Washington State law. RCW 64.37.030 requires an operator to provide contact information to all guests during the stay, and specifies that the contact must be available to respond to inquiries at the short-term rental during the length of stay. This is a designated-contact requirement, not a live-in requirement: it can be satisfied by the operator or a designated local contact or property manager who can respond, including coming to the property if needed. The statute pairs this with posted safety information inside the unit, including the address, emergency contact numbers, a floor plan showing fire exits, and operator contact information (RCW 64.37.030). Sammamish's own code adds no further presence rule. For hosts, the practical takeaway is that remote and out-of-town owners may operate STRs in Sammamish as long as they maintain a reachable, responsive point of contact for guests, neighbors, and emergency responders, and keep the required safety postings current. Because the city has no host-presence ordinance, enforcement of guest issues runs through the police non-emergency line and code compliance rather than a presence mandate.