Lynnwood has no stand-alone short-term rental ordinance and no published guests-per-bedroom cap. State law (RCW 64.37) defines a short-term rental as fewer than 30 consecutive nights and sets baseline operator duties. LMC 21.02.100 defines a boarding/lodging/rooming house as serving nontransient persons, so transient STR use is not the same use category. LMC 21.42.110 governs ADUs and home occupations in single-family zones but does not address STRs. Operators must hold a Lynnwood Title 5 general business license and register with the WA Department of Revenue. Confirm zoning eligibility with Development & Business Services at 425-670-5400.
Lynnwood has not adopted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance, and no LMC section sets a per-bedroom or maximum-guest occupancy figure for STRs. The state-law floor in RCW 64.37 (the Short-Term Rental Operations Act) defines an STR as a dwelling unit, or portion of one, offered for fewer than 30 consecutive nights, and requires the operator to maintain primary liability insurance of at least one million dollars or rent through a platform that provides equal or greater coverage, post required safety information including the operator's contact in a conspicuous place, and comply with carbon monoxide and smoke alarm requirements. RCW 64.37 also requires the operator to register with the Washington Department of Revenue. Within Lynnwood, the relevant zoning definitions in LMC 21.02 distinguish a boarding, lodging, or rooming house (defined in LMC 21.02.100 as a building, other than a hotel, where meals or rooms are provided for compensation to two or more nontransient persons) from a hotel under LMC 21.02.435; transient short-stay use does not fit either definition and is not enumerated as an allowed use in LMC 21.42.100 (Uses Allowed in Single-Family Residential Zones). LMC 21.42.110 (Limitations on Use) addresses ADUs, design compatibility, home occupations, and STEP housing but does not list STR standards. Practical occupancy in any rental unit is therefore bounded by Lynnwood's adopted building, residential, and fire codes (occupant load by sleeping room area and egress) and by any conditions on the operator's Title 5 general business license issued under LMC Chapter 5.06. Operators must also confirm zoning eligibility for the address before listing. Lodging tax is the state-shared 2 percent under RCW 67.28.180; Snohomish County cities are not authorized to layer an additional 2 percent local hotel-motel tax on top of the basic rate.
Operating an STR without a Lynnwood Title 5 general business license is a Title 5 violation enforced by the Business Licensing office and Code Compliance. Operating in a zoning district where the use is not allowed can result in a stop-use order under LMC Title 21. Failure to comply with RCW 64.37 operator duties (1 million dollars liability insurance, posted safety info, 24-hour contact, DOR registration, smoke and CO alarms) can result in a class 2 civil infraction under RCW 7.80 after a written warning, and can support local enforcement on the operator's business license. Occupant-load violations under the adopted building and fire codes are enforced by the Fire Marshal and can result in posted occupancy reductions and civil penalties.
Lynnwood, WA
Lynnwood does not have a local airport. Paine Field (PAE) in Everett is approximately 5 miles northeast. Aircraft noise is regulated federally by the FAA. No...
Lynnwood, WA
Barking dogs that cause a noise disturbance are subject to LMC Β§10.12.300 (noises prohibited). Noise audible at 50 feet from the source is prima facie eviden...
Lynnwood, WA
Construction noise in Lynnwood is limited to Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. under LMC Β§10.12.300. Weekend construction is prohibited unless ...
Lynnwood, WA
Lynnwood noise regulations are governed by LMC Ch. 10.12, which adopts WAC 173-60 Environmental Designation for Noise Abatement (EDNA) standards. Quiet hours...
Lynnwood, WA
Abandoned vehicles on public streets are reported to the Lynnwood Police Department or Snohomish County Sheriff. Inoperable vehicles on private property are ...
Lynnwood, WA
Street parking in Lynnwood is regulated under LMC Title 10 (traffic/vehicles) and adopts applicable Washington State vehicle codes (RCW 46). Contact the Lynn...
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