Is Airbnb legal in Washington, DC?
RestrictedAirbnb is restricted in Washington, DC
The STR must be the host’s primary residence. Unhosted vacation-rental nights are capped at 90 a year; hosted stays are uncapped, and each stay must be 30 continuous nights or fewer.
Verified July 2026. Not legal advice. Rules change and may be enforced differently than written. Confirm with the city before you list.
Key rules at a glance
Permit or registration
Required
Primary residence only
Yes
Annual night cap
90 nights
Registration fee
$99
How short-term rentals work in Washington
The STR must be the host’s primary residence. Unhosted vacation-rental nights are capped at 90 a year; hosted stays are uncapped, and each stay must be 30 continuous nights or fewer.
Only owner-occupants can run a short-term rental in Washington. Non-owner, investor-owned whole-home STRs are generally not permitted, which rules out the classic buy-and-Airbnb strategy here.
At the state level, District of Columbia leaves short-term rental rules to cities and counties.
What it means for investors
Washington is a tough market for a non-owner-occupied short-term rental. If you own or want to buy here, a long-term rental or a house-hack (living in the property while renting part of it) is usually the more realistic play.
Last reviewed July 2026. Informational and educational only, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Rules change and may be enforced differently than written. Verify the current ordinance with your local jurisdiction or counsel before acting.
Frequently asked questions
Is Airbnb legal in Washington?
The STR must be the host’s primary residence. Unhosted vacation-rental nights are capped at 90 a year; hosted stays are uncapped, and each stay must be 30 continuous nights or fewer. This reflects the rules as of July 2026; confirm the current ordinance with the city before you list.
Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in Washington?
Yes. Washington requires a permit or registration to operate a short-term rental, and platforms increasingly require the permit number on the listing.
Can I run a non-owner-occupied Airbnb in Washington?
Generally no. Washington limits short-term rentals to the host's primary residence, so an investor-owned property you do not live in typically cannot be used as a whole-home STR.
Is there a limit on how many nights I can rent in Washington?
Yes. Washington caps rentals at about 90 nights a year for the relevant category (often unhosted or non-primary stays); hosted stays are frequently uncapped. Confirm which cap applies to your setup.
What taxes apply to a short-term rental in Washington?
Short-term rentals in Washington are generally subject to state and local lodging or occupancy taxes on top of income tax. Airbnb and VRBO collect some of these automatically, but not always all of them, so confirm the current rate and who remits it with District of Columbia and the city.