Short-term rental permit rules in Whatcom County, WA — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Bellingham requires an STR permit and business license. Unincorporated Whatcom County recognizes vacation rentals as an accessory use, with a registration program in development. Washington's RCW 64.37 sets baseline rules.
Rules split by location. In Bellingham, every STR operator needs a short-term rental permit plus a city business license; in residential zones the unit must be the operator's primary residence (270 days a year) and whole-unit rentals are capped at 95 days a year. Unincorporated Whatcom County, under a 2023 ordinance, allows vacation rental units as an accessory use wherever single-family homes are permitted, with a county registration and performance-standards program rolling out. Rentals in the Lake Whatcom Watershed Overlay need a conditional use permit. Statewide, RCW 64.37 adds safety and insurance requirements.
Operating without a required Bellingham permit or license can bring daily fines and permit denial. County registration and Lake Whatcom CUP violations are enforced through code compliance.
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