Yakima County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Parking required
- 1 off-street space per guest unit
- Design standard applied
- YCC Chapter 19.22
- Governing subsection
- § 19.18.420(5)(b)
- Street parking allowed instead
- No
- Enforcement
- Class I Civil Infraction, up to $250
Summary
Every short-term rental in unincorporated Yakima County must provide one off-street parking space for each guest unit before the county will approve it. County Code § 19.18.420(5)(b) ties that space directly to the parking design standards in Chapter 19.22, so a rental cannot rely on street parking to satisfy the requirement.
(b) Parking. One off-street parking space per guest unit shall be provided, meeting the design standards of 19.22.
(c) Signage. Signs must comply with the signs chapter, YCC § 19.20.
(6) Business license required. Short-term rentals shall meet all state and federal regulations, including those pertaining to business licenses and taxes.
(7) Severability. If any term or provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall, to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this chapter or the application of such term or provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. (Ord. 4-2022 (Exh. 1), 2022; Ord. 5-2023 (Exhs. 1, 2), 2023)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4871853; v6 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
420(5), alongside occupancy in subsection (5)(a) and signage in subsection (5)(c). 22, the county's general off-street parking chapter governing dimensions, surfacing, and access for parking areas countywide. Because the requirement is per guest unit rather than per parcel, a property offering multiple short-term rental units, up to the five-unit cap set in subsection (3), must provide a matching off-street space for each unit being rented, not just one space for the whole property. 22's dimensional and surfacing standards. 420, an applicant whose site cannot physically accommodate one off-street space per guest unit under those design standards cannot obtain approval for that many units, even if the five-unit cap would otherwise allow it.
Violations & Fines
A short-term rental that operates without the required off-street parking, or that later loses a required space to another use, is out of compliance with a standing condition of its conditional use permit. Yakima County Code Enforcement can pursue the violation as a Class I Civil Infraction under YCC § 21.04.030, with a default monetary penalty of up to $250, in addition to any permit-compliance action under § 21.04.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much parking does a short-term rental need in Yakima County?
Can guests park on the street instead of a dedicated space?
Do I need more parking if I rent out multiple units on my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima County
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