Kirkland, WA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max concurrent agreements
- 2 per detached dwelling unit
- Occupancy standard
- Tied to Zoning Code unrelated-occupant limit
- Enforcement
- Finance and Administration Dept., business license
- Violation penalty
- License revocation; misdemeanor per day
- Governing section
- KMC 7.02.300(4)-(5)
Summary
Kirkland limits any single detached home to two short-term rental agreements in effect at once, and owners must keep guest counts within the Zoning Code's cap on unrelated occupants. Both rules attach to the business license the city requires for every short-term rental operator.
(4) There may be no more than two short-term rental agreements in effect at a single detached dwelling unit at any one time. (5) The owners and authorized agents of owners of detached dwelling units that are the subject of short-term rental agreements are jointly responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable city Zoning Code requirements, including those related to the number of unrelated people occupying the unit.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4945, passed July 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
040. Subsection (4) caps volume directly: there may be no more than two short-term rental agreements in effect at a single detached dwelling unit at any one time, so an owner cannot stack multiple simultaneous bookings, room-by-room, to multiply revenue. Subsection (5) ties occupancy to the Zoning Code rather than setting its own headcount: owners and their authorized agents are jointly responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable Zoning Code requirements, including those related to the number of unrelated people occupying the unit. That means a short-term rental cannot house more unrelated guests than Kirkland's zoning definitions of a household otherwise allow for that dwelling.
Both duties run jointly to the owner and to any authorized agent managing the property, so a property manager cannot be blamed alone if the unit is overbooked or overcrowded. 260.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the two-agreement cap or the Zoning Code occupancy count is grounds for business license suspension or revocation under KMC 7.02.260(6), which targets violations of zoning or building code requirements. Operating without a valid license because of a revocation is a misdemeanor and civil violation under Chapter 1.12, punishable separately for each day the business continues (KMC 7.02.050).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out multiple rooms in my Kirkland home to different guests at the same time?
Does Kirkland set its own maximum number of overnight guests?
Who is responsible if a Kirkland short-term rental is overcrowded, the owner or the property manager?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkland
Compare Kirkland to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle occupancy limits.