Auburn follows Washington State Building Code (IRC) occupancy guidelines based on bedroom count and square footage. STRs commonly cap occupancy at 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests.
Auburn does not specify a citywide numerical cap on short-term rental occupancy beyond building code limits. The adopted International Residential Code and International Building Code under ACC Title 15 set minimum room sizes and occupant loads based on square footage, with bedrooms requiring minimum dimensions and egress windows. Common industry practice and insurance requirements suggest a maximum of two adults per bedroom plus two additional guests, though individual operators set their own limits. Washington state law RCW 35A.21.310 prohibits cities from restricting the number of unrelated persons living together in a dwelling, but this applies to long-term residents rather than transient guests. Operators should post maximum occupancy clearly in the unit, align septic or well system capacity with occupancy, and ensure smoke and CO detectors meet requirements for all sleeping areas under WAC 51-51.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Auburn, WA
Auburn applies WAC 173-60 EDNA limits through ACC 8.28. Residential: 55 dBA day, 45 dBA night. Industrial receiving: 60 dBA day, 50 dBA night. Measured at th...
Auburn, WA
Industrial sources into residential zones are capped at 60 dBA day and 50 dBA night under WAC 173-60 via ACC 8.28. The Boeing Auburn plant and Valley warehou...
Auburn, WA
Federal law preempts local aircraft noise. Auburn Municipal Airport follows FAA Part 150 and Sea-Tac overflights are under FAA and Port of Seattle. ACC 8.28 ...
Auburn, WA
Outdoor concerts and festivals must meet ACC 8.28 limits and often need a special event permit. Downtown Auburn and Les Gove Park events follow a written noi...
Auburn, WA
Auburn restricts RV, trailer, and boat parking on public streets to 72 hours and sets additional limits on driveway and front-yard storage of recreational ve...
Auburn, WA
EV charging in Auburn follows the Washington State Energy Code, which requires EV-ready capacity in new multifamily and commercial parking and protects publi...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in King County.
See how other cities in King County handle occupancy limits.
See how Auburn's occupancy limits rules stack up against other locations.
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