Bellevue, WA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Bellevue, WA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Code
- LUC 20.20.800
- Registration
- Required annually
- Business License
- Required
- SF Whole-Home STR
- Not allowed
- Multi-Family Cap
- 5 units or 20%
Summary
Bellevue requires STR operators to file a Registration Notice with Development Services and obtain a business license under LUC 20.20.800. Entire single-family homes cannot be rented short-term.
"Operator" or "short-term rental operator" means any person who receives payment for owning or operating a dwelling unit, or portion thereof, as a short-term rental unit. (7) "Owner" means any person who, alone or with others, has title or interest in any building, property, dwelling unit, or portion thereof, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof, and including any person who as agent, executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian of an estate has charge, care, or control of any building, dwelling unit, or portion thereof. A person whose sole interest in any building, dwelling unit, or portion thereof is solely that of a lessee under a lease agreement is not considered an owner. (8) "Person" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 82.04.030 .
Full Breakdown
800. Before listing, operators must file a Registration Notice with the Development Services Department identifying the property, owner, and responsible party. A City of Bellevue business license is required, and the operator must register with the Washington Department of Revenue to obtain a UBI number. Single-family homes located in single-family residential districts may only be used for transient lodging if the home is owner-occupied; rental of individual rooms is permitted, but an entire single-family home or a home with an ADU cannot be rented short-term.
For apartments, condos, and multifamily units in R-1 through R-30 districts, short-term stays are limited to no more than 5 units and no more than 20 percent of the units in the development. Operators must post the Bellevue 24-hour contact, local emergency information, and house rules in the unit. Liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 is required, either carried by the operator or provided by the hosting platform. Registration must be renewed annually.
Violations & Fines
Operating without registration or license: civil infractions with fines from $250 to $1,000 per day; repeated violations may lead to stop-operation orders and nuisance abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What permits do I need to run an Airbnb in Bellevue?
Can I rent out my entire Bellevue house on Airbnb?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bellevue
How Bellevue compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Bellevue to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
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Short-Term Rental Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle short-term rental permits.