Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Bellevue, WA

Airbnb listings are allowed in Bellevue, WA, but with restrictions. Entire single-family homes cannot be used for transient lodging; individual rooms in an owner-occupied single-family home may operate as a Boarding House/Bed and Breakfast (max two rooms, max two adults per room). Apartments, condos, or units in multifamily dwellings in Residential (R-1 through R-30) districts may provide Short-Term Stay Use with registration, limited to no more than five units per building and 20% of units in a development. A permit is required before you can host. These rules apply to all short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc.) — not just Airbnb specifically. See the official source linked on this page for full requirements. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Entire single-family homes cannot be used for transient lodging; individual rooms in an owner-occupied single-family home may operate as a Boarding House/Bed and Breakfast (max two rooms, max two adults per room). Apartments, condos, or units in multifamily dwellings in Residential (R-1 through R-30) districts may provide Short-Term Stay Use with registration, limited to no more than five units per building and 20% of units in a development.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Bellevue. 1) For multifamily/condo units: File a Short Term Stay Use Registration Notice with Development Services; use may commence upon acceptance. 2) For owner-occupied single-family rooms: Apply for a Home Occupation Permit through Development Services, which includes public notice to neighbors and planner review. 3) Compliance: May require fire inspection; Home Occupation permits are subject to review after one year.

1) For multifamily/condo units: File a Short Term Stay Use Registration Notice with Development Services; use may commence upon acceptance. 2) For owner-occupied single-family rooms: Apply for a Home Occupation Permit through Development Services, which includes public notice to neighbors and planner review. 3) Compliance: May require fire inspection; Home Occupation permits are subject to review after one year.

Vrbo is permitted in Bellevue, WA under the same restrictions that apply to Airbnb — local rules govern the rental itself, not the specific platform. You must hold a valid permit before hosting on Vrbo. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rental hosts in Bellevue are typically responsible for lodging, occupancy, and applicable sales taxes — these usually apply even where hosting is allowed without a permit. Rates and remittance rules vary by jurisdiction (state, county, and city can each levy a share); confirm the current rates with the official source linked on this page. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo collect some taxes automatically, but the host remains liable for any not collected on their behalf.

We are not currently tracking any recent short-term rental ordinance changes for Bellevue. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.