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Grant County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Insurance mandate
RCW 64.37.050 via UDO § 23.08.220(c)(5)
Rental length definition
Under 30 days is a transient residence
Fire sprinkler
Required throughout, WA State Building Code
Local licensing
GCC Chapter 15.03

Summary

Every short-term transient residence rental in unincorporated Grant County, defined in Unified Development Code § 23.08.220(c) as a rental of under thirty days, must hold and maintain liability insurance coverage under RCW 64.37.050, per UDO § 23.08.220(c)(5).

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Grant County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(c)Transient Residence, aka "Short-term rental": The following standards apply to all short-term (less than thirty (30) days) transient rentals of single-family residential units:(1)Transient Residences are commercial uses and shall be equipped throughout with a fire sprinkler system per the WA State Building Code; ... (5)Transient Residences shall hold and maintain liability insurance coverage per RCW 64.37.050;

Full Breakdown

220(c) creates a distinct short-term rental category, the 'Transient Residence, aka "Short-term rental,"' covering any rental of a single-family home for less than thirty days. 220(c)(1) requires them to carry a fire sprinkler system throughout that meets the WA State Building Code. 220(c)(4). 050, folding the state's short-term rental insurance floor directly into county zoning code so Grant County Development Services, not just a state agency, can treat a missing policy as a local code violation. 220(c)(8), so an operator has to satisfy the whole list, not just the insurance line, to stay in compliance.

Violations & Fines

Grant County Development Services enforces § 23.08.220(c) under GCC § 1.32.020, and an operator who cannot produce proof of the RCW 64.37.050 liability coverage on request faces a $500 fine per occurrence under GCC § 1.32.140. Because a short-term rental is licensed locally under GCC Chapter 15.03, missing insurance can also support suspension or revocation of that license under §§ 1.32.240 and 1.32.250 until coverage is restored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my Grant County short-term rental need liability insurance?
Yes. UDO § 23.08.220(c)(5) requires every transient residence, the county's term for short-term rentals under thirty days, to hold and maintain liability insurance coverage as required by RCW 64.37.050 as a condition of local approval.
What other state rules does a Grant County short-term rental have to meet?
Under UDO § 23.08.220(c), the rental must also meet the consumer safety requirements of RCW 64.37.030 and pay applicable taxes under RCW 64.37.020, on top of the county's own commercial fire sprinkler and parking standards.
Is a short-term rental treated as a commercial use in Grant County?
Yes, UDO § 23.08.220(c)(1) classifies transient residences as commercial uses and requires them to be equipped throughout with a fire sprinkler system meeting the WA State Building Code.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Grant County

All Grant County rules

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