Bellingham, WA Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Residency minimum
- 270 days per year
- Affidavit due
- Jan. 1, even years
- Filed with
- Planning & Community Development
- Applies to
- Primary Residence permits
Summary
Bellingham's Primary Residence short-term rental permits require the dwelling to be the applicant's actual residence at least 270 days a year, verified by a biennial affidavit to the planning department.
The subject dwelling unit must serve as the primary residence of the applicant (the owner or long-term tenant) for no less than 270 days per year. ... 3. Proof of Primary Residency. An affidavit must be submitted to the planning and community development department on or before January 1st of every even-numbered year attesting to primary residency when the short-term rental is identified as such in the original application.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-06-015, passed June 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
BMC 20.10.037(C) conditions the Primary Residence short-term rental category, both the two-bedroom and five-bedroom tiers, on the dwelling serving as the owner's or long-term tenant's primary residence for at least 270 days per year in residential zones. BMC 20.10.037(D)(3) backs that up with a filing requirement: an affidavit attesting to primary residency must go to the planning and community development department by January 1st of every even-numbered year for any permit identified as primary-residence in its original application. A separate Nonprimary Residence category exists with no residency requirement, but it is barred from residential zones entirely.
Violations & Fines
Failing to file the biennial residency affidavit, or holding a Primary Residence permit for a unit that is not actually the applicant's residence, violates BMC 20.10.037(D)(3) and can trigger permit revocation under (D)(17) and Chapter 20.52 BMC penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Bellingham verify I actually live in my short-term rental?
How many days a year must I live in my Bellingham STR home?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bellingham
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