Short-term rentals in Pierce County owe the county lodging (hotel-motel) excise tax, set by the Department of Revenue at 2 percent for facilities of 25 or fewer units and 5 percent for 26 or more, plus state and local sales tax. RCW 64.37.020 makes the operator responsible.
Rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days in Pierce County owe lodging taxes on top of retail sales tax. The county funds its Tourism Promotion Program with a lodging excise tax, administered for unincorporated Pierce County and 15 smaller cities and towns. Under the Department of Revenue's special hotel-motel schedule, the Pierce County rate is 2 percent for facilities with 25 or fewer units and 5 percent for facilities with 26 or more, collected from the guest and reported on the state excise return. RCW 64.37.020 reinforces this: operators must remit all applicable taxes unless the platform does so on their behalf. Airbnb and Vrbo commonly collect these, but the operator stays responsible for any gap.
Failing to collect and remit the county lodging tax and state and local sales tax on rentals under 30 days is a violation enforced by the Department of Revenue. Under RCW 64.37.020 the operator stays liable unless the platform remits.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard residential composting is allowed and encouraged in Pierce County with no permit, but a compost pile that creates odor, attracts vermin, or otherwis...
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Pierce County has no ordinance specifically prohibiting or permitting synthetic/artificial turf on residential lots. Installation must still meet general zon...
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Pierce County encourages native and drought-tolerant plantings and requires native-vegetation retention on many development sites, but homeowners are free to...
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Rooftop rainwater collection is broadly allowed in Washington, and Pierce County has no ordinance prohibiting residential rain barrels or cisterns; larger sy...
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Pierce County government sets no county-wide residential watering schedule; outdoor watering rules are set by your water provider — mainly Tacoma Water and l...
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Every Pierce County landowner has an enforceable duty under RCW 17.10.140 to eradicate class A noxious weeds and control listed class B and C weeds. The Pier...
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