Spokane STR Hosts Must Permit Up or Risk Operating Illegally

If you are renting out a Spokane home, bedroom, or basement for less than 30 nights at a time and you do not have a city permit, you are operating illegally. Spokane's short-term rental law has been on the books since 2015, was significantly updated in September 2023, and the city began proactive monitoring and enforcement in January 2024. There is no grace period left.

What the Law Actually Requires

Under Chapter 17C.316 of the Spokane Municipal Code, any rental of all or part of a residential dwelling for fewer than 30 nights requires a Short-Term Rental Permit. That includes a spare bedroom, a finished basement, or an entire house. The amended rules, which took effect September 1, 2023, opened the permit process to both owners and eligible permanent tenants.

Getting permitted is not a one-time checkbox. The permit must be renewed annually, and your permit number must appear in every advertisement and listing you post. If you stop paying the renewal fee, the permit closes automatically and your listing is no longer legal.

The Costs and What You Need to Apply

The application fee depends on your zone. Hosts in residential zones pay a $200 application fee and a $100 annual renewal. Properties in other zones pay $300 to apply and $150 to renew. If you operate multiple units in one building, each unit gets its own permit and its own fee.

The application itself is more involved than most hosts expect. Before you submit through the city's Accela Citizen Access online platform, you need all of the following ready:

• A City of Spokane and Washington State combined Business License
• A completed Short-Term Rental Permit Application
• A completed and notarized Annual Life Safety Compliance Form
• Proof of liability insurance for the rental property
• A plan showing parking, a labeled floor plan, a fire safety plan with ingress and egress routes, and a site plan
• A notification letter mailed to adjacent property owners and recognized neighborhood organizations (required for residential zones)

That notarized life safety form is not optional paperwork. It signals that the city is treating STRs as a housing safety issue, not just a revenue question. Smoke detectors are required in all sleeping areas and on each level. Carbon monoxide detectors are required in all sleeping areas. A fire extinguisher is required. Egress windows must meet code. These are inspected, not assumed.

The Warning Every Tenant Host Needs to Read

The city added a pointed warning to its permit page that many hosts overlook: receiving a short-term rental permit does not override any lease agreement, homeowners' association bylaw, covenant, condition, or restriction that prohibits subletting or STR use. In plain terms, a city permit does not give you permission to do something your landlord or HOA has already forbidden. The city explicitly recommends reviewing your lease before you even submit an application. Hosts who skip that step risk losing their permit eligibility and facing action from their landlord or HOA on top of any city enforcement.

Enforcement Is Already Running

Spokane is not waiting for complaints to pile up. The city announced it began proactive STR monitoring in January 2024 using Granicus, a platform that scans listing sites for unpermitted rentals. Operators found without a permit receive a 30-day compliance letter. Ignore it, and you risk fines and losing the ability to permit that property at all. With roughly 1,200 active STRs in the market, the city has a clear picture of who is listed and who is permitted.

On the tax side, platforms like Airbnb collect and remit lodging tax on your behalf, but VRBO does not. If you list on VRBO or any platform that does not collect for you, you are responsible for filing and remitting Washington's special hotel/motel tax monthly on your own. Missing that obligation is a separate compliance risk on top of the permit requirement.

What to Do Right Now

If you are already listed and unpermitted, the window to get right with the city is open but not unlimited. The city is currently accepting new applications, there is no waitlist, and the process is online. Start by pulling your lease or HOA documents, then gather your insurance certificate, floor plan, and fire safety plan before you log into Accela. The notarization requirement for the life safety form means you cannot complete the application in a single afternoon, so build in time. Questions go to the City of Spokane Development Services Center at 509.625.6300.

For the complete Spokane compliance guide including tax calculator, checklist, and daily monitoring, see Spokane, WA STR Regulations.