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City Watch — Bellingham

Pending STR legislation and regulatory rating tracking for Bellingham.

Painted city portrait of Bellingham, WA — informed by Fairhaven Bellingham Bay Mount Baker Echoes Of Andre Derain By J Hamilton 2026.

City portrait · J. Hamilton Studio

Restrictive · highas of Sep 15, 2026 · high confidence
  • In residential zoning districts, a short-term-rental dwelling unit must serve as the primary residence of the owner or a long-term renter (270-day lease) for at least 270 days/year, foreclosing non-owner-occupied whole-home STR in residential zones
  • STRs prohibited outright in Lake Whatcom Watershed and shoreline jurisdiction areas
  • Single-family zones additionally prohibit STR use of detached accessory dwelling units
  • One STR per operator limit in residential zoning districts

Based on: BMC 20.10.037; adopted via Ordinance 2018-11-024 (effective 2019)

What the ordinance says
“In Residential Zoning Districts, the dwelling unit hosting the short-term rental, including an accessory dwelling unit, must serve as the primary residence of the owner or long-term renter (with at least a 270-day lease) for at least 270 days per year; the unit may be rented as a short-term rental no more than 95 days per year.”— BMC 20.10.037; adopted via Ordinance 2018-11-024 (effective 2019)

View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified

Last reviewed Sep 21, 2026 · Sources · Report an error

Pending legislation

Monitoring Bellingham · system last checked Sep 21, 2026

City Watch tracks changes from public sources (council agendas, state bills, local news) as coverage is activated for this market — not a complete legal compendium.

A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.

City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.