Port Angeles Short-Term Rental Regulations

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Permit & Licensing

Type I Short-Term Rental Business License

The property must be your primary residence. This means investment properties are not eligible for this permit type.

Zoning restriction: No restrictions on the location or number of Type I short-term rental licenses citywide.

Type II Short-Term Rental Business License

This permit type does not require primary residence. Zoning restriction: No location-based zoning restriction, but subject to the citywide 200-license cap on Type II short-term rentals.

Application Process

Register the property with the Community & Economic Development Department to begin an online portal application; submit a site plan, scaled floor plan, proof of $1M general liability insurance, a WA State Master Business License, proof of ownership, and a signed Good Neighbor Policy; pay the license fee once the application is deemed complete (the City has 28 days to determine completeness); Short-Term Rentals must then pass a City fire life-safety inspection before the license is issued (Bed & Breakfasts submit county/state health inspections instead). Applicants have 90 calendar days total to complete the process.

Note: Document requirements vary by permit type. See individual permit sections above for eligibility details.

Tax Obligations

Combined rate: 10.90% of gross rental income.

Collection: Hosts/operators (or the booking platform on their behalf) must collect and remit applicable state and local sales and lodging taxes to the Washington State Department of Revenue; renewal license applications must include documentation of lodging tax paid to the state for the prior operating period.

Rental Limits

Port Angeles does not impose an annual cap on the number of nights you can rent. Each individual stay must be less than 30 days.

Occupancy & Density Limits

No fixed citywide numeric occupancy cap; maximum sleeping accommodations are determined per unit based on the floor plan submitted and approved with the short-term rental business license application

Zoning & Restrictions

• Short-term rentals (Type I and Type II) are permitted with a business license in all zones except Industrial zones citywide.
• Type II (non-owner-occupied) rentals are capped citywide at 200 annual business licenses, or 2% of total single-household/duplex dwelling units, whichever is greater; the 200-unit cap was reached in April 2026 and new Type II applications are now placed on a waitlist.

Insurance & Safety

Insurance

Operators must maintain at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance covering the property's use as a short-term rental.

Safety & Operating Requirements

• Fire life-safety inspection required for each new or renewed Short-Term Rental license (Bed & Breakfasts instead submit county/state health inspections)
• Code-compliant, non-expired fire extinguisher on each floor of the dwelling and within six feet of any cooking appliances
• Adequately sized, unobstructed egress from each sleeping unit and the main dwelling
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm locations must be shown on the required floor plan and are subject to City fire life-safety inspection

Penalties for Non-Compliance

• 1st violation of PAMC 17.23/17.24: $500 civil fine
• 2nd violation: $1,000 civil fine
• 3rd and subsequent violations: $3,000 civil fine
• Daily fine of $500/day for the first 14 days after a notice of violation and order to cease is issued, then $1,000/day thereafter
• License revocation after a third violation of the Good Neighbor Policy (PAMC 17.23.090) within a 36-month period, plus a two-year prohibition on applying for a new short-term rental license anywhere in the city

Platform Requirements

• Booking platforms (e.g., Airbnb, VRBO) must hold a City platform business license, require hosts to have a valid short-term rental business license with the license number posted in listings, and remove noncompliant listings within four business days of City notice
• Platforms must report listing and booking data to the City annually by February 1.

Market Snapshot

Demand context for Port Angeles from official government and tourism statistics — the latest published annual figures, not a projection of rental income.

Reminder: permit availability is constrained in this market (see the caveat near the top of this page) — demand figures do not mean a new permit is obtainable.

Figures are the latest annual statistics published by the linked official sources (retrieved 2026-07-13). Visitor counts cover the geography stated by each source, which can be wider than the city itself. Regulations above — not market conditions — determine whether and how you may operate.

Compliance Checklist

Follow these steps to legally operate a short-term rental in Port Angeles:

1. Determine your permit type. Port Angeles has 2 permit types. Identify which applies to your property (Type I Short-Term Rental Business License, Type II Short-Term Rental Business License).
2. Meet safety requirements. Fire life-safety inspection required for each new or renewed Short-Term Rental license (Bed & Breakfasts instead submit county/state health inspections). Code-compliant, non-expired fire extinguisher on each floor of the dwelling and within six feet of any cooking appliances. Adequately sized, unobstructed egress from each sleeping unit and the main dwelling. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm locations must be shown on the required floor plan and are subject to City fire life-safety inspection.
3. Obtain liability insurance. $1,000,000 minimum.
4. Apply for your STR permit. Submit application. Fees vary by type: Type I Short-Term Rental Business License $882; Type II Short-Term Rental Business License $1,470. See permit types above to determine which applies.
5. Register for tax accounts. Set up lodging tax accounts with Washington State Department of Revenue.
6. Display your permit number. Include your permit/license number in all listings and advertisements.
7. Collect and remit taxes. 10.90% on all bookings.
8. Renew every 3 years. Renewal fees vary by permit type ($882 / $1,470). See permit types above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in Port Angeles?

Yes. Port Angeles requires a short-term rental permit to operate an Airbnb or Vrbo, and there are 2 permit types — one requires the property to be your primary residence, and another allows non-owner-occupied (investment) use. See the permit types above to find which applies to your property.

How much does a short-term rental permit cost in Port Angeles?

Permit costs in Port Angeles vary by type: Type I Short-Term Rental Business License $882; Type II Short-Term Rental Business License $1,470.

Does Port Angeles require a short-term rental to be your primary residence?

It depends on the permit type. At least one Port Angeles permit requires the property to be your primary residence, while another allows non-owner-occupied (investment) use — see the permit types above.

How many days a year can you short-term rent in Port Angeles?

Port Angeles does not cap the total number of nights per year. Its short-term-rental rules apply when a stay is less than 30 days.

What taxes do you pay on a short-term rental in Port Angeles?

Short-term rental stays in Port Angeles are subject to a combined 10.90% in lodging taxes. This combines 6.50% Washington State Retail Sales Tax + 2.40% Port Angeles Local Retail Sales Tax + 2.00% Port Angeles Special Hotel/Motel Tax. Hosts are legally responsible; many booking platforms collect and remit them automatically on the host's behalf.

What are the penalties for short-term rental violations in Port Angeles?

Penalties run up to $1,000 per day (see the Penalties section for the full schedule).