Benton County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Noise Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- STR noise rule
- None specific; general rules apply
- Night ceiling
- 45 dBA after 10 p.m.
- Standard
- BCC 6A.15 public nuisance
- Enforcement
- Benton County Sheriff
Summary
Short-term-rental guests in unincorporated Benton County follow the same rules as everyone: WAC 173-60 property-line limits and the BCC 6A.15 nuisance standard, with a 45 dBA ceiling after 10 p.m.
Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the noise limitations of the foregoing table shall be reduced by 10 dBA for receiving property within Class A EDNAs.
Full Breakdown
The county has no STR-specific noise ordinance because it has no STR ordinance at all, so a loud vacation rental is handled like any other disturbance. WAC 173-60 caps residential receiving property at 55 dBA daytime and 45 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and BCC 6A.15 lets deputies treat persistent noise as a public nuisance. Wine-country hosts around Red Mountain and Prosser often add contractual quiet hours and occupancy caps, since the practical enforcement path is the Sheriff plus guest reviews rather than a permit the county could pull.
Violations & Fines
Guests or hosts face Sheriff response and public-nuisance enforcement under BCC 6A.15; measured noise over WAC 173-60 limits is separately actionable. There's no county STR permit to suspend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there special noise rules for short-term rentals?
Can noisy guests get my rental shut down?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
Compare Benton County to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
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