Spokane County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Spokane County, WA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Dedicated STR ordinance
- None; zoned as home industry
- Residential zones
- Conditional Use Permit required
- Commercial zones
- Permitted use
- Code title
- SCC Title 14 (Zoning)
- Reviewing body
- Hearing Examiner, ch. 14.404
Summary
Unincorporated Spokane County has no standalone short-term-rental ordinance. A whole-home or B&B rental is regulated under the Zoning Code as a 'home industry' (bed-and-breakfast facility), which requires a Conditional Use Permit in residential zones. Hotel/motel including bed-and-breakfast is permitted outright in commercial zones.
Home Industry: An occupation, profession, bed and breakfast facility, or craft ... in association with a primary residence, which is of such intensity or broad scope of operation that public hearing review, as a Conditional Use Permit, is necessary.
Full Breakdown
Spokane County Code (SCC) Title 14 defines a 'Home Industry' to include a 'bed and breakfast facility ... in association with a primary residence, which is of such intensity or broad scope of operation that public hearing review, as a Conditional Use Permit, is necessary.' In residential zones (LDR, MDR, HDR, and rural zones) a home industry is a conditional use requiring Hearing Examiner review under SCC chapter 14.404. In commercial/mixed-use zones, 'Hotel/motel, including bed and breakfast' is a permitted (P) use. This is Spokane County WASHINGTON (unincorporated); the City of Spokane runs a separate STR-permit program under SMC 17C.316 that does not apply to county land.
Violations & Fines
Operating a home-industry bed-and-breakfast without the required Conditional Use Permit is a zoning-code violation enforced by Building and Planning; typical remedies are notice-and-order, daily civil penalties, and abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in unincorporated Spokane County?
Are Spokane County STR rules the same as the City of Spokane's?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane County
How Spokane County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Spokane County to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
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