Short-term rental rules · Port Angeles, Washington
Short-term rentals in Port Angeles, explained properly.
This page covers the City of Port Angeles, Washington. Every short-term rental in the City needs a short-term rental business license under Chapter 17.23 of the Municipal Code (adopted March 5, 2024), except hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts. The City's table allows licensed rentals in all zones except Industrial. New Type I rentals have no cap, while new Type II rentals share a citywide cap of 200 annual licenses or 2% of single household dwellings and duplex units, whichever is greater, with a lottery and waiting list. Licenses are not transferable and are limited to one per owner and per parcel, with an exemption for owners operating before July 1, 2024. The chapter also sets a local contact who can respond in person within 60 minutes, fire life-safety inspections, parking, insurance and a penalty ladder from $500 to $3,000. One recent City ordinance (Ord. 3767, adopted August 18, 2026, not yet in the online code) doesn't name Chapter 17.23, but it amends the zoning definitions and residential zone chapters, so zoning could shift. We haven't reviewed the zoning chapters, the Type I and Type II definitions or the Master Fee Schedule yet, so confirm zoning and fees with the City before you buy.
At a glance
What you need to know before you buy or list
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Are short-term rentals allowed? | Conditional: allowed with a short-term rental business license in all zones except Industrial; new Type I rentals are not capped, but new Type II rentals share a citywide cap. We haven't reviewed the zoning chapters or the Type I and Type II definitions yet, so confirm zoning before you buy. [1] [2] Clause 1 Clause 2Confirming |
| Is a short-term rental business license required? | Yes: a short-term rental business license is required for all short-term rentals in the City, and after July 1, 2024 no person may operate one without obtaining and keeping the license. Excluded: hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts. [1] Clause |
| Must the owner live on the property? | No: the chapter lets the owner act through an authorized agent, and requires a local contact who is reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can respond in person within 60 minutes while the rental is rented. The Type I and Type II definitions are reserved, so whether residency differs by type isn't stated. [1] ClauseConfirming |
| Is there a cap on the number of short-term rentals? | Yes: new Type II rentals are capped citywide at 200 annual short-term rental business licenses or 2% of single household dwellings and duplex units, whichever is greater. New Type I rentals have no limit on number. Existing licenses are renewable even when the cap is met. [1] Clause |
| Is a person limited to one license per owner or per parcel? | Yes: one short-term rental license per parcel and one per owner. Exempt: owners of units that were operating before July 1, 2024, were fully compliant with Ordinance 3577 and the City's 2023 moratorium, and are still under the same ownership as on July 1, 2024. Spouses and their marital community may hold only one license. [1] Clause |
| Can a short-term rental license be transferred to a new owner? | No: licenses are not transferable or assignable. If the property is sold the license terminates and the new owner must get a new license and follow the chapter. A transfer to an LLC, to another location or structure also needs a new license and fees. [1] Clause |
| What are the license application and renewal fees? | Set by the Port Angeles Master Fee Schedule, which this page doesn't show. The fire life-safety inspection and review fees for each new or renewed license, a reinspection fee and Hearing Examiner appeal fees are also set there. We haven't reviewed the Master Fee Schedule yet, so confirm current amounts with the City before applying. [1] ClauseConfirming |
| City lodging tax | We haven't reviewed the City's lodging tax provisions yet, so this page doesn't state a City rate. Renewal applications must include documentation of the lodging tax paid to the State of Washington for the previous year. State taxes are covered in the Washington state layer. [1] ClauseConfirming |
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Detailed rules
The full picture, section by section
Operating rules
| How are Type I and Type II short-term rentals distinguished? | The chapter's definitions section is reserved, so it doesn't define the two types. It says a Type I licensee may rent multiple rooms or spaces within their home under one license, and that Type I rentals must meet the fire life-safety provisions for the entire structure where the rooms are located. [1] ClauseConfirming Secs. 17.23.020 (Reserved), 17.23.050.A and 17.23.070.Q. Events by guests are not allowed at any Type II rental (Sec. 17.23.070.H), and only new Type II rentals count toward the citywide cap (Table 17.23.060-1). Ordinance 3767, adopted August 18, 2026 and not yet codified, amends the zoning definitions chapter (17.08); we haven't reviewed it. |
|---|---|
| Are short-term rentals allowed in City-subsidized housing or temporary structures? | No: short-term rentals are not permitted in housing units subsidized through City programs (including a fee waiver, NICE neighborhood funds or the affordable housing sales tax fund), or in any temporary, portable or other structure not permitted by the City for permanent occupancy, such as a boat, tent, yurt or RV. [1] Clause Secs. 17.23.070.I and J. |
| Local contact who can respond within 60 minutes | The local contact must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week whenever the rental is rented, and able to respond in person within 60 minutes of a call about complaints, including noise. The owner or authorized agent must give each adjacent and facing property owner the local contact's up-to-date information. [1] Clause Secs. 17.23.090.A and D. Failure to respond to all verifiable complaints is a violation. Emergency contact information, including the residence address, must be posted inside the residence (Sec. 17.23.070.M.3). |
| Quiet hours | 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. are "quiet time": no outdoor activity may disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood. All activities must also comply with PAMC 9.23.030 (Disturbing the peace) and the nuisance regulations in Chapter 8.30. [1] Clause Secs. 17.23.090.C and I and 17.23.070.L. Guests must not block driveways, streets, rights-of-way or access routes (Sec. 17.23.090.H). |
| Events by guests | Events by guests are not allowed at any Type II short-term rental. [1] Clause Sec. 17.23.070.H. The definitions of Type I and Type II are reserved (Sec. 17.23.020). |
| Parking | Parking is required. On-site parking is preferred; if on-site parking isn't available, the provisions of PAMC 14.40.045.E must be used. [1] Clause Sec. 17.23.070.G. The application's site plan must show parking (Sec. 17.23.100.B). We haven't reviewed Section 14.40.045.E yet. |
| Fire life-safety inspection and fire extinguishers | Every new or renewed license needs a fire life-safety inspection, with the inspection frequency set by the Director in one, three or five-year increments. Each rental needs a code-compliant, non-expired fire extinguisher visible on each floor and one within six feet of any cooking appliance. [1] Clause Sec. 17.23.050. Results may require building permits for minor fire life-safety work. A rental under renovation may not operate until the work and permits are finalized, and the City suspends the license meanwhile without changing the renewal date. On notice from the City the owner has 90 days to comply with new minor fire life-safety upgrades, and the Director may grant written extensions. Failing to schedule and pass a required inspection is grounds for denial or revocation. The floor plan must show smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, extinguishers and all egress (Sec. 17.23.100.C). All egress must be adequately sized and unobstructed (Sec. 17.23.050.F). |
| Liability insurance | Owners and authorized agents must keep liability insurance that satisfies RCW 64.37.050, with proof required at application and at each renewal. [1] Clause Secs. 17.23.070.F and 17.23.100.D. |
| Posting and listings | The license, the good neighbor policy and emergency contact information (with the residence address) must be posted in a conspicuous place inside the residence. Every platform listing must include the City business license number, and rentals may use only City-licensed platforms or book directly. The address must be visible and legible. [1] Clause Secs. 17.23.040.C.2, 17.23.070.B, M and P, and 17.23.110.G. A platform must remove a listing within four business days of City notice that it doesn't comply (Sec. 17.23.040.C.3). Platforms need their own City platform business license (Sec. 17.23.040) and report annually by February 1 the number of listed rentals and nights rented. |
| Good neighbor policy | The owner or authorized agent must notify each adjacent and facing property owner of the short-term rental and give them a written list of rules and restrictions and local contact information. The rules must be posted in a prominent location in the rental, and a signed copy of the good neighbor policy goes in the application. [1] Clause Secs. 17.23.090.A, B and F to H and 17.23.100.I. Guests must be told where trash receptacles are and the pick-up schedule, and owners must arrange regular municipal garbage collection (Sec. 17.23.070.K). |
| License term and renewal | A license is issued for a set period running from the date of issuance. The renewal application is due 60 days before the license expires, and the City is not responsible for telling the owner that the license is expiring. Renewals need the annual inspection, the operating period's rental log and proof of lodging tax paid to Washington State. [1] Clause Secs. 17.23.100.J, 17.23.130.A and 17.23.170.C. The chapter calls the term a set period of time without giving a number of months. The City must have confirmed receipt of the renewal request before expiration for it to count as on time. A license can't be renewed until all outstanding penalties and fees are paid in full (Sec. 17.23.180.C). |
Enforcement and appeals
| What are the penalties for violations? | Civil violations: $500 for a first violation of PAMC 17.23, $1,000 for a second and $3,000 for a third or later. Once a notice of violation and order to cease is issued, daily fines are $500 per day for the first 14 days and $1,000 per day after that. [1] Clause Sec. 17.23.160, enforced under PAMC 2.90 by citation, notice of violation and order to cease, and/or notice of daily fines. Violations include offering a rental or listing without a valid license, using an unlicensed platform, misrepresenting a material fact in an application and failing to meet any requirement of the chapter (Sec. 17.23.150.A). Platforms face the same penalties (Sec. 17.23.140). |
|---|---|
| Denial, revocation and refusal to renew | The City revokes a license on the third violation of the good neighbor policy section within a 36-month period; the license can't be renewed and the owner may not apply for a license on any other property in the City for two years. The Director may also immediately deny, revoke or refuse to renew a license for violating the chapter. [1] Clause Secs. 17.23.090.J and 17.23.180.B. A license can't be renewed while penalties or fees are unpaid (Sec. 17.23.180.C). |
| Appeals | A person aggrieved by the Director's decision may appeal to the Hearing Examiner by written appeal to the Director within 15 days of the decision. The Hearing Examiner's decision is final unless appealed to Clallam County Superior Court. [1] Clause Sec. 17.23.120.A to C. The Hearing Examiner holds an open record public hearing with notice under PAMC 17.96.140; court appeals follow PAMC 17.96.150. Hearing Examiner fees are in the Master Fee Schedule, which we haven't reviewed. |
State law that also applies
| Washington state retail sales tax on lodging | State retail sales tax is levied at 6.5% of the selling price on each retail sale in the state; the Department of Revenue says lodging businesses report state and local sales tax on transient lodging [3] [4] Clause 1 Clause 2Confirming RCW 82.08.020(1) levies a tax equal to six and five-tenths percent of the selling price on each retail sale in this state, including services within the RCW 82.04.050 definition of retail sale. The Department of Revenue's lodging taxes guide says lodging taxes are reported in addition to state and local sales tax, that additional charges directly related to the room rental (pet, smoking, cleaning, damage and early or late departure fees) are taxed in the same manner as the room, and that charges for telephone, parking, laundry and meeting rooms are not subject to lodging taxes. The local sales tax rate is added to the state rate and varies by location; it is not stated in these sources, so this page gives no combined total. The statute page also shows an additional state allocation beginning July 1, 2027 that is deposited in the multimodal transportation account (RCW 82.08.020(7)); the sources read do not say it changes the rate charged. |
|---|---|
| Is there a cap on the local hotel-motel (lodging) tax? | Counties and cities may levy a special excise tax on lodging of not more than 2% of the charge for lodging that is subject to state sales tax; a county tax must give credit for a city tax on the same taxable event [5] [4] Clause 1 Clause 2Confirming RCW 67.28.180(1) authorizes the legislative body of any county or city to levy a special excise tax of not to exceed two percent on the sale of or charge made for the furnishing of lodging that is subject to tax under chapter 82.08 RCW, subject to the conditions in subsections (2) and (3). Subsection (2)(a) requires a county ordinance or resolution to allow a credit against the county tax for the full amount of any city tax on the same taxable event, with exceptions for certain bond arrangements listed in the statute. This is the cap in this section only; the sources read do not list each place's actual rate. The Department of Revenue says consumers pay the special hotel/motel tax on transient lodging in many locations, that a convention and trade center tax applies to lodging in King County, and that tourism promotion area charges apply in designated areas; check the Department's tax rate lookup for the address. Each place's page shows its own local rate where it has been read. |
| Do booking platforms collect the state taxes? | Yes for marketplaces that facilitate stays in homes, apartments and cabins: a marketplace facilitator must collect and remit sales tax and other applicable taxes, including lodging taxes, on Washington sales; the Department of Revenue says Airbnb collects and sends state and local sales tax and special hotel/motel taxes for its hosts [6] [7] [8] Clause 1 Clause 2 Clause 3Confirming WAC 458-20-282 says a marketplace facilitator must collect and remit sales or use tax on all taxable retail sales sourced to Washington on behalf of marketplace sellers, and from January 1, 2020 must also collect and remit other applicable taxes and fees, listing lodging taxes and charges as an example. The exclusion for travel agency and hotel marketplaces does not apply to a marketplace that facilitates the retail sale of transient lodging in homes, apartments, cabins or other residential dwelling units. Facilitators must register if they pass the thresholds the Department lists (more than $100,000 in combined Washington gross receipts, or physical presence nexus, among others). The Department's lodging guide says some marketplaces have agreed with it to collect and pay the taxes due on short-term rentals, tells the host to check the contract with the marketplace or property manager, and says a host may still have to register or report rental income and claim a 'Gross Sales Collected by Facilitator' deduction; it names Airbnb as collecting state and local retail sales tax, special hotel/motel taxes and convention and trade center taxes. Service fees or commissions charged by a marketplace or property manager cannot be deducted. The sources read do not say which other platforms collect, or whether a given booking site has done so for a given listing; check with the platform and the Department. |
| Statewide short-term rental law? | The Washington state sources read cover taxes (sales tax, the local lodging tax cap and marketplace tax collection); they do not set a statewide short-term rental licence, ban or limit on local rules, so local rules apply [5] ClauseConfirming The statute and Department of Revenue pages saved for this state are tax provisions: RCW 82.08.020 (sales tax), RCW 67.28.180 (local lodging tax) and WAC 458-20-282 with the Department's marketplace and lodging guides. None of them sets a rule on whether or where a short-term rental may operate, requires a statewide registration, or limits what a city or county may require. We did not search the Washington Legislature's bill records or the chapters on landlord-tenant, local land use or hotel licensing, so this field is not a finding that Washington has no such law; it is marked for review until those are searched. Local ordinances, such as Bellingham's, set the licence and zoning rules. |
Changes
Recent and pending changes
We read Chapter 17.23 (Short-Term Rentals, Secs. 17.23.010 to 17.23.180, as amended by Ordinances 3728 and 3733) and the code's title page as published on Municode (version of August 20, 2026), plus the Municode page of adopted ordinances not yet codified. Ordinance 3767, adopted August 18, 2026, amends the zoning definitions chapter (17.08) and several residential zone chapters but doesn't name Chapter 17.23; its effect on short-term rentals and its effective date haven't been reviewed. We haven't reviewed the zoning chapters, the Master Fee Schedule, PAMC 14.40.045.E or City Council and Planning Commission agendas yet, so we will watch the Code for changes.
Sources
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This page is general information compiled from public sources, not legal or tax advice. HOA rules, deed restrictions and zoning for a specific property can be stricter. Confirm with the local permitting office and a qualified professional before buying or listing a property.