Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Lopez Island, WA

Airbnb listings are allowed in Lopez Island, WA, but with restrictions. Vacation rentals require a county permit and are limited to single-family residences and accessory dwelling units; vacation rentals are expressly prohibited in Natural shoreline designation, Conservancy shoreline designation, Agricultural Resource and Forest Resource land use designations, Shaw and Waldron Islands, owner-builder exempt structures, parcels connected to the Town of Friday Harbor water system, and structures other than single-family residences/ADUs. Lopez Island is subject to an island cap of 135 vacation rental permits; properties in Lopez Village Commercial that operated as vacation rentals prior to June 25, 2025 must apply for a provisional use permit through the Department of Community Development by June 25, 2026. 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.

Vacation rentals require a county permit and are limited to single-family residences and accessory dwelling units; vacation rentals are expressly prohibited in Natural shoreline designation, Conservancy shoreline designation, Agricultural Resource and Forest Resource land use designations, Shaw and Waldron Islands, owner-builder exempt structures, parcels connected to the Town of Friday Harbor water system, and structures other than single-family residences/ADUs. Lopez Island is subject to an island cap of 135 vacation rental permits; properties in Lopez Village Commercial that operated as vacation rentals prior to June 25, 2025 must apply for a provisional use permit through the Department of Community Development by June 25, 2026.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Lopez Island. 1) Apply to San Juan County Department of Community Development for a Vacation Rental permit using the County's Vacation Rentals Information & Application resources; 2) Maintain compliance by submitting the County-required annual Certificate of Compliance to DCD; 3) Note caps and special rules: new permits may be suspended when an island cap is reached (Lopez cap = 135) and owners in Lopez Village Commercial with pre-existing operations must apply for a provisional use permit per Ordinance 10-2025 within one year of the ordinance effective date.

1) Apply to San Juan County Department of Community Development for a Vacation Rental permit using the County's Vacation Rentals Information & Application resources; 2) Maintain compliance by submitting the County-required annual Certificate of Compliance to DCD; 3) Note caps and special rules: new permits may be suspended when an island cap is reached (Lopez cap = 135) and owners in Lopez Village Commercial with pre-existing operations must apply for a provisional use permit per Ordinance 10-2025 within one year of the ordinance effective date.

Vrbo is permitted in Lopez Island, 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 Lopez Island 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 Lopez Island. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.