Kennewick has not codified a short-term-rental-specific occupancy cap. Occupancy is governed by the Washington State Building Code, which adopts the International Residential Code (IRC) under WAC Chapter 51-51 and the International Property Maintenance Code provisions through WAC Chapter 51-50. Standard area-per-occupant rules apply: every habitable room must contain at least 70 square feet for one occupant and 50 square feet for each additional occupant. KMC Title 18 base-zone use classifications also apply.
Because Kennewick has not adopted a dedicated short-term rental chapter, there is no city-codified fixed maximum number of overnight guests. Occupancy is controlled by two layers. First, the Washington State Building Code, administered through the State Building Code Council under RCW Chapter 19.27, adopts the International Residential Code (WAC 51-51) and the International Building Code (WAC 51-50) and incorporates the standard minimum-area-per-occupant requirements: a habitable room must contain at least 70 square feet of floor area for one occupant and at least 50 square feet for each additional occupant; bedrooms occupied by more than two persons must contain an additional 50 square feet per additional occupant; sleeping rooms must have a minimum ceiling height and an egress window meeting IRC R310. Second, KMC Title 18 (Zoning) defines residential-use classifications and the use must be consistent with the base zone. The statewide STR Act, RCW Chapter 64.37, requires posting of a floor plan that shows fire-exits and smoke alarm locations (RCW 64.37.020), which functions as a de facto life-safety check on bedroom counts but does not cap headcount. There is no codified Kennewick STR-specific 'two-per-bedroom-plus-two' rule, no codified per-night maximum-guest figure, and no codified owner-occupancy mandate. The building-code area math sets the upper bound.
Overcrowding beyond the Washington State Building Code area limits may be cited under the city's adopted property-maintenance enforcement provisions and addressed through Kennewick Code Enforcement under the city's standard civil-infraction process. Where transient occupancy exceeds the base-zone use classification in KMC Title 18 (for example, by operating as group living or commercial lodging in a zone that permits only single-family dwellings), the city may pursue a Title 18 use-classification violation. Failure to post the RCW 64.37.020 floor plan or smoke-alarm information is enforceable under RCW 64.37.050. Because no STR-specific occupancy cap is codified, no STR-specific overcrowding penalty exists beyond these general remedies.
Kennewick, WA
Industrial-source noise crossing into Kennewick residential neighborhoods is capped by WAC 173-60-040 at 60 dBA during the day and 50 dBA between 10:00 p.m. ...
Kennewick, WA
Motor vehicle noise on Kennewick streets is governed by the statewide motor vehicle noise performance standards in WAC Chapter 173-62, which set in-use sound...
Kennewick, WA
Tri-Cities Airport (KPSC) is operated by the Port of Pasco and sits across the Columbia River in Franklin County, not Kennewick. Aircraft noise in Kennewick ...
Kennewick, WA
Amplified music in Kennewick is regulated under the Kennewick Municipal Code's public-disturbance noise provisions, which treat amplified sound that is plain...
Kennewick, WA
Kennewick has not codified a gas leaf blower ban, a decibel cap specific to leaf blowers, or restricted hours of operation. Use is governed by the general pu...
Kennewick, WA
Persistent or habitual barking, howling, or other animal noise that disturbs the peace is regulated as a public-disturbance noise nuisance under the Kennewic...
See how Kennewick's occupancy limits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.