Yakima County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

420(5)(a) incorporates the International Building Code standards that already apply to the dwelling's construction and layout. That subsection is one of the approval criteria under subsection (5), which the Reviewing Official checks before issuing the conditional use permit required by subsection (4). Because maximum occupancy is calculated from the IBC formulas used to size egress, floor area, and sleeping-room requirements, the effective guest limit changes with the size and configuration of the specific dwelling, its bedrooms, and any accessory dwelling unit or private room counted toward the property's short-term rental use.

The code places the compliance duty squarely on the property owner: subsection (5)(a) states the owner is responsible for ensuring the short-term rental stays within its maximum occupancy, not the booking platform or the guest. That means two similar-looking houses can carry different legal occupancy caps if their bedroom counts, square footage, or egress differ under the IBC. Owners applying for the CUP typically need to document occupancy based on building permit records or a code-compliance inspection so the County can confirm the number before approval.

The occupancy rule sits alongside the parking standard in subsection (5)(b) and the signage standard in subsection (5)(c) as the three approval criteria a short-term rental must satisfy under this chapter, adopted by Ordinance 4-2022 and amended by Ordinance 5-2023.