Bellingham, WA Short-Term Rentals: Registration Rules (2026)

Bellingham's STR registration framework treats five records as the operative 'registration' of an STR. First, Washington Department of Revenue Business License Service registration at bls.dor.wa.gov is required for every business operating in Washington and produces the operator's Unified Business Identifier (UBI). This is the foundational state registration through which the operator becomes subject to combined excise tax reporting (state and local retail sales tax, the Whatcom County basic and special hotel/motel taxes, and B&O tax under the lodging classification). Second, the City of Bellingham business license is required under city code and must be active at the time of STR permit application; it is processed through City Finance. Third, the BMC 20.10.037 STR permit (Type I, II, or III-A) is issued by the Planning Director through the Permit Center at 210 Lottie Street. The application requires a floor plan with fire exits, a site plan with parking, proof of $1,000,000 primary liability insurance (RCW 64.37.050), CO alarm certification (RCW 64.37.030 + RCW 19.27.530), the name / address / phone of a 24/7 local contact within an hour's drive, and the city business license number. Fees are $370 (Type I), $550 (Type II), or $847 (Type III-A); renewals are $250 due before January 1 of every even-numbered year. Fourth, a city safety inspection must be passed before permit issuance, verifying smoke alarms, CO detectors, egress paths, and posted maximum occupancy. Fifth, BMC 20.10.037 requires the operator to post the issued STR permit number on every booking platform listing (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, direct-rental websites); this creates the public-facing identifier that the city's third-party compliance vendor (Host Compliance / Granicus) uses to match platform listings against the permit database and flag unpermitted operations. Hosting platforms operating in Washington (Airbnb, Vrbo) must separately register under RCW 64.37.040 with the Washington Department of Revenue, and platforms are required to provide guests with the operator's contact information. A 'Good Neighbor Guide' must also be posted inside every Bellingham STR unit, providing guests with house rules, noise expectations, quiet-hours guidance, parking instructions, and the 24/7 local contact phone number. Public records requests for the city's STR permit list can be submitted through the City Clerk.