Sammamish, WA Short-Term Rentals: Permit Requirements (2026)

As of mid-2026, the Sammamish Municipal Code (SMC) contains no chapter creating a specific short-term rental (STR) permit or use permit. Unlike Seattle, which adopted Chapter 6.600 SMC for STRs, Sammamish has not enacted a parallel ordinance. Instead, hosting is treated as a use of residential property and must conform to the city's zoning and land use code (SMC Titles 21A and 21B), which govern what activities are permitted in residential zones. There is no STR-specific conditional use permit, cap, or inspection program published in the code. Practically, the controlling layer is Washington State law: RCW 64.37 defines a short-term rental as a lodging use, other than a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast, offered to a guest for a fee for fewer than thirty consecutive nights (RCW 64.37.010). Operators must satisfy the statewide safety, posting, and insurance duties in RCW 64.37.030 and 64.37.050 regardless of any city permit. Because no STR permit exists, the most common formal obligation is the citywide business license endorsement. Operators should confirm current requirements directly with the Sammamish Permit Center, since cities can adopt STR rules at any time.