Grant County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Grant County, WA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Grant County Fire Marshal's Office
- Permit term
- One year, renewed annually
- Prerequisite
- Annual fire/life-safety inspection
- Required sprinkler code
- IFC 903.3 + WA amendments
- Fire extinguisher rating
- 2-A:10-B:C minimum, per NFPA 10
- Liability insurance
- Required under RCW 64.37.050
Summary
Anyone renting out a short-term rental in unincorporated Grant County needs an annual operational permit from the Grant County Fire Marshal's Office under GCC 15.03.010(b). The county will not issue or renew the permit until the unit passes its yearly fire and life-safety inspection and the operator pays the fees on the county fee schedule.
(a)Transient Residences, as defined in Grant County Unified Development Code (UDC) 25.02, are single-family residential units used for short-term transient occupancy for periods less than thirty days and are also regulated as hospitality commercial establishments per UDC 23.08.220. ... (b)Permit Required: Operation of a transient residence requires an operational permit issued by the Grant County Fire Marshal's Office in accordance with the provisions of GCC 15.02.020. Operational permits are issued on an annual basis. Operational permits will not be issued until completion of annual inspection, and payment of fees in accordance with the Grant County Fee Schedule.(c)Annual Inspection: An annual fire and life-safety inspection is required within one year after the certificate of occupancy has been issued and each year thereafter, until the residential unit is no longer used as a transient residence.
Full Breakdown
220, not an ordinary house. 020, rather than letting the owner simply list the property. 010(c). 050, hard-wired interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, at least one ADA-accessible parking space and approach, a 2-A:10-B:C rated fire extinguisher in every unit under NFPA 10, a posted fire evacuation plan with emergency numbers, unobstructed access, and posted premises identification, plus a monument directory where several rentals share a master planned resort or PUD entry. 020(d), the Fire Marshal can revoke the permit outright if an inspection or other review turns up a false statement or misrepresentation in the application or supporting plans.
Violations & Fines
Operating a transient residence without the Fire Marshal's operational permit, or without keeping the annual inspection current, is a violation the fire code official enforces the same way as any other required fire-code permit under GCC 1.32. If an inspection finds a false statement or misrepresentation in the permit application, GCC 15.02.020(d) lets the Fire Marshal revoke the permit outright, shutting the rental down until a new, accurate application is approved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in unincorporated Grant County?
How often does my rental need to be inspected?
What safety equipment does the Fire Marshal require inside the rental?
Can the county take my permit away?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grant County
How Grant County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Grant County to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
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