Pierce County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Pierce County, WA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Registration form
- Vacation Rental Affidavit (PPW)
- Owner attests
- Intent, contacts, ad sites, notice
- Neighbor notice
- Directly adjacent owners notified
- Code cite
- PCC 18A.37.040(B)(5)-(6)
- Platform duty
- Register with DOR (RCW 64.37.040)
Summary
Instead of a license, Pierce County Code 18A.37.040(B)(6) requires the owner to file a Vacation Rental Affidavit with Planning and Public Works. It states the owner's intent to operate the residence as a vacation rental, gives contact details, lists the advertising websites, and confirms neighbor notification was provided.
The property owner shall file a Vacation Rental Affidavit with the Pierce County Planning and Public Works Department which indicates the following: a. The property owner's intent to use their residence as a Vacation Rental. b. Contact information... c. Listing of the internet site(s)... d. The required neighborhood notification has been provided.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-515, and legislation passed through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Registration in unincorporated Pierce County uses the Vacation Rental Affidavit under PCC 18A.37.040(B)(6). The owner attests to four things: intent to use the residence as a vacation rental; contact information for the owner, representative, or property-management company, with phone and email; a list of the internet sites where the rental is advertised; and confirmation that neighborhood notification was provided. Separately, PCC 18A.37.040(B)(5) requires notifying all property owners directly adjacent to the rental of the vacation-rental business. The affidavit is filed with Planning and Public Works, which publishes the form and a vacation-rental brochure. Statewide, RCW 64.37.040 requires listing platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo to register with the Department of Revenue.
Violations & Fines
Advertising or operating a vacation rental without filing the Vacation Rental Affidavit, or without notifying directly adjacent neighbors, violates PCC 18A.37.040(B). Providing false affidavit information, or failing to update contact and advertising details, is enforceable as a zoning violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I file to register a Pierce County vacation rental?
Do I have to tell my neighbors about the rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pierce County
How Pierce County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Pierce County to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
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