Whatcom County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Parking ratio
- 1 space per sleeping unit
- Governing schedule
- WCC § 20.80.580(59.1)
- Min stall size
- 9 ft by 18 ft
- Location rule
- same lot as the rental
- Max civil fine
- $1,000 per day
Summary
Whatcom County requires one off-street parking space per sleeping unit for a vacation rental, per line item (59.1) of the parking schedule at WCC § 20.80.580. The rule applies the same countywide parking table used for every other land use, and each space must meet the county's standard stall dimensions and sit on the same lot as the rental.
(59.1) Vacation rental units: 1 for each sleeping unit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4963078; v4 updated 2026-06-23; through 06-23-2026).
Full Breakdown
220 as a single-family dwelling or accessory dwelling unit rented as a single unit, for compensation, to lodge guests for less than 30 days when the owner is not present, and the same definition bars renting individual bedrooms separately, so the parking count runs against the unit's sleeping units, not against separately rented rooms. 525 requires parking for one- and two-family dwellings, which covers most vacation rentals, to be located on the same lot as the dwelling it serves, with no more than two spaces allowed in the front yard setback absent zoning administrator approval.
523. Because this ratio sits inside the general parking schedule rather than a standalone short-term rental chapter, it applies on top of, not instead of, any separate land-use approval the county requires before a property can operate as a vacation rental.
Violations & Fines
Operating a vacation rental without the required parking on-site is enforced as a zoning violation under WCC Chapter 20.94: the county can issue a notice of violation and penalty of up to $1,000 per day of continued noncompliance, order a stop-work or corrective action backed by its own daily fine, and revoke the vacation rental's underlying land-use approval under § 20.94.070. An owner has 20 days to request remission of the penalty or may appeal an enforcement decision to the hearing examiner under § 20.94.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much parking does a vacation rental need in Whatcom County?
Does each bedroom in a Whatcom County vacation rental need its own parking space?
Where must vacation rental parking be located in Whatcom County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whatcom County
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