Chelan County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Insurance type
- primary liability insurance
- State standard referenced
- RCW 64.37.050
- Required by
- initial permit and every annual renewal
- Existing-rental deadline
- September 27, 2021
- Must be documented in
- property management plan
Summary
Owners and operators of short-term rentals in unincorporated Chelan County must maintain primary liability insurance consistent with RCW 64.37.050. The county made this a condition of both new permits and continuing nonconforming status, requiring proof as of the September 27, 2021 effective date of the current ordinance.
(e) Liability insurance shall be obtained consistent with RCW 64.37.050 as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section (September 27, 2021) per subsection (3)(N) of this section; and ... (N) Liability Insurance. A short-term rental owner or operator must maintain primary liability insurance consistent with RCW 64.37.050.
Full Breakdown
050, the state short-term rental statute's insurance provision. 050 as of the September 27, 2021 effective date of the ordinance, and failing that proof means the property cannot claim nonconforming status at all. 030. Because the plan has to be current and available for inspection, an owner who lets a policy lapse is out of compliance with both the underlying insurance mandate and the paperwork requirement that documents it. The requirement applies uniformly across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 rentals and to both new permit applicants and rentals renewing an existing permit, since annual renewal requires the owner to demonstrate the rental still meets every standard in subsection (3), including this one.
Violations & Fines
A rental that cannot document primary liability insurance consistent with RCW 64.37.050 is ineligible for an administrative land use permit or a conditional use permit under subsection (4)(A)(ii), and an existing nonconforming rental that lacks that proof forfeits its nonconforming status under subsection (2)(E)(i). Enforcement, including any civil penalty for operating without required insurance documentation, proceeds under Title 16.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is liability insurance required for a Chelan County short-term rental permit?
What happened to existing rentals that lacked insurance before September 2021?
Where does the insurance requirement have to be documented?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelan County
Compare Chelan County to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.