Bellevue caps STR occupancy per IRC habitability rules and LUC 20.20.800. Industry standard is two guests per bedroom plus two additional. Multi-family STR uses cannot exceed 5 units or 20% of a building.
Occupancy in Bellevue short-term rentals is governed by a combination of building code habitability standards and Land Use Code. The International Residential Code requires a minimum of 70 sq ft for the first occupant of a bedroom and 50 sq ft for each additional occupant, with a minimum ceiling height of 7 feet in habitable spaces. Operators typically set maximums at two guests per legal bedroom plus two additional guests, consistent with industry practice. Bellevue residential zones limit occupancy by unrelated persons under LUC 20.50 definitions of family; STRs must respect these limits as well. For multi-family properties, short-term stay uses are capped at no more than 5 units or 20 percent of the total units in the development under LUC 20.20.800, whichever is less. House rules posted in the unit must state the maximum guest count, and exceeding it is grounds for termination of the stay and a registration enforcement event. Events, parties, and gatherings exceeding the guest count are not allowed.
Overcrowding: possible building code citation and STR registration action; nuisance violations for events exceeding occupancy.
Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA
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