To operate a short term rental in Bellevue, you must comply with various city requirements. The following is a complete guideline for Bellevue’s short term rental regulations so that anyone can be a responsible host when using platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and other similar services. This rundown should give you a good start in understanding your local laws.
Single-Family House Rentals
A single-family home is a building that contains only one kitchen. It is specially occupied only by a single-family unless a valid accessory dwelling unit registration has been approved. Property rentals through rental platforms for less than 30 days are transient lodging or transient, single-room rental. Homeowners can rent out the space in their home to other parties in four ways:
Boarding House
A Boarding House is an-owner occupied house in which people unrelated to the owner can reside, for profit. A Boarding house also includes Transient Lodging.
Short Term Rental Regulations for a Boarding House:
- The boarding house must be owner-occupied.
- Hosts can rent up to two rooms.
- The duration of the rental can be transient (less than 30 days).
- For transient rentals, there may be a maximum of two renters.
- Hosts must acquire a home occupation permit approval.
Bed and Breakfast
Bed and breakfast are owner-occupied dwellings, temporarily accommodating guests for profit.
Short Term Rental Regulations for a Bed and Breakfast:
- Bed and breakfast must be owner-occupied.
- Hosts can rent up to two rooms.
- The duration of the rental can be transient (less than 30 days).
- For transient rentals, there may be a maximum of two renters.
- Hosts must acquire a home occupation permit approval.
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
An accessory dwelling unit is an attached residential unit within a single-family structure.
Short Term Rental Regulations for an ADU:
- A single-family home can have only one Accessory Dwelling Unit. Also, ADUs can’t be in a detached or separate structure of the property.
- The primary residence or the ADU must be owner-occupied.
- The ADU must meet the dimensions, parking spaces, and other development requirements here.
- The regulations of a home occupation permit state that a property can’t contain both an ADU and a business subject.
Rooming House
Rooming houses are defined as non-owner-occupied dwellings, where rooms are offered for rent on an individual room basis.
Short Term Rental Regulations for a Rooming House:
- The residence must be non-owner-occupied.
- The City does not allow single-family land use districts to operate rooming houses.
- The following districts can operate rooming houses: R-10, R-15, R-20, R-30, OLB, CB, F1, F2, F3, BR-OR, BR-RC, BR-R, BR-CR, BR-ORT, and EH-A (LUC 20.10.440; 20.25D.070; and 20.25F.010).
- The property must be a separate, single-family dwelling on its plot.
- A rooming house can only offer up to four rooms for rent at a time, but not more than that.
- Hosts can only rent out legally established bedrooms.
- The legal on-site parking must be the same quantity that is equal to the number of bedrooms rented out or available for rent.
- Hosts must properly maintain the exterior of the property.
- Suitable trash collection must be provided, including garbage, yard waste, and recycling.
- The rooming house must comply with the applicable health and safety codes, city and state noise, nuisance, and other regulations.
- The local owner, landlord, or agent is the party accountable for compliance with the provisions of this section. So this party is responsible for any violation of these regulations. They must file their names and contact details with the city before operating a rooming house.
Single-Family House Rental Requirements
Short term rental operators can provide transient accommodation or single-room rentals in three ways: boarding house, bed and breakfast, or rooming house. These uses must meet the following land use requirements to operate lawful transient lodging or transient, single-room rentals.
- Single-family homes must be owner-occupied to provide transient lodging or transient room rentals. This kind of short term rental, in general, is a boarding house or bed and breakfast.
- The City does not permit rooming houses to operate in single-family residential use districts.
- Bed and breakfast or boarding houses can accommodate up to two rooms for rent host up to two guests or renters.
- According to the definition of the land-use code, single-family home with a boarding house or bed and breakfast can only accommodate a total of one single family.
- Hosts of a bed and breakfast or boarding house must obtain a home occupation permit approval.
- Rooming houses must be independent, single-family dwellings on their detached land.
- Rooming houses cannot provide more than four legally established rooms for rent.
- Additionally, a rooming house must meet requirements regarding registration, parking, maintenance, and other regulations.
Short Term Stay Use in Multifamily Unit
Transient accommodation for less than 30 days in a planned unit development or multifamily units in residential land use areas (designated R-1 to R-30) is a ‘Short Term Stay Use.’
Hosts can offer a short term stay in a transient lodging or room in an apartment, condominium unit, or dwelling unit in a planned unit development. The City has only permitted the following if the building has no more than five units. Also, hosts cannot use more than 20% of the housing units constituting a development for short term stays at any given time.
Short Term Stay Use Rental Requirements
- Individuals or companies using the property for short term stay use must file a Short Term Stay Use Registration Notice with Development Services and obtain the director’s approval.
- The notice of registration must be in a written form approved by the director and must include the following information:
- Name and address of the registrant, individual, or company that is submitting the form.
- Name and address of the applicable building and development.
- The number of dwelling units offered by the registrant as short term housing.
- The registration notice will remain valid until the registrant notifies the development services in writing that they no longer provide short-term housing.
- When the rules of conduct are universally applicable to all residents of the development, the registrant must provide each licensee with a copy of the rules before they move in. Moreover, hosts must post a copy of the rules on their rental unit.
Other Regulations
As a responsible host, you must comprehend and abide by other contracts or vacation rental rules and regulations that bind you. These include leases, community rules, HOA rules, or other guidelines. Feel free to reach out to your landlord, housing authority, or community council to find out more. To get more information about other regulations, you can also visit Bellevue’s official website or contact us.