Bellingham, WA Short-Term Rentals: Parking Rules (2026)

Bellingham's STR parking framework rests on three layers. First, BMC 20.10.037 expressly requires that 'at least one off-street parking space must be provided for guests on site during guest stay.' The planning director may determine through a parking analysis that on-street or nearby parking may be substituted for the on-site requirement, providing a regulatory escape valve for dense neighborhoods and downtown locations near the Urban Village zones (Downtown, Fountain District, Old Town, Fairhaven, Samish Way) where on-site parking is impractical. Second, BMC Chapter 20.12 (Parking and Loading) sets the underlying off-street parking ratios for the dwelling unit's primary residential or lodging use; an STR site must satisfy both the dwelling-unit baseline and the STR-specific on-site guest space added by BMC 20.10.037. Third, the STR permit application must include a site plan showing parking and STR configuration so Planning Department staff can review on-site capacity, driveway access, and any substitution analysis. In Type I residential-zone applications, a courtesy notice goes to adjacent residents and property owners, who frequently raise parking concerns; in Type II and Type III-A applications under Chapter 21.10 noticing, the Planning Director may impose conditions of approval addressing parking adequacy. On-street parking is governed by Bellingham's general parking and traffic ordinances (BMC Title 10) and Parking Services rules, which do not allow STR operators to reserve public street parking for guests. In downtown and Urban Village areas, on-street parking is subject to time limits, paid meter rules, and permit-parking zones. There is no Bellingham-wide STR-specific per-bedroom parking ratio; the one-space-on-site default plus the underlying chapter-20.12 standards plus any case-specific conditions are the operative framework.