City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Chelan, WA
How Chelan regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- STRs permitted only when specifically authorized by Title 17 zoning (CMC 5.15.030)
- Overnight/short-term rental allowed only in DMU, TMU, C-HS, C-W, and T-A districts (CMC 17.77.020)
- Primary residential districts (R-L single-family, R-M) do NOT permit short-term rentals
- Annual operating license required; operating in a non-permitting district is a criminal misdemeanor (CMC 17.77.030)
- Occupancy, parking, insurance ($1M), inspection, good-neighbor standards (CMC 5.15.080)
Based on: Chelan Municipal Code Ch. 17.77 (Short-term Rentals) + Ch. 5.15 (STR Operating License); enacted by Ordinance No.
Summary of the rule
STR licenses issuable only in DMU, TMU, C-HS, C-W, T-A districts; residential zones (R-L, R-M) excluded
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Chelan · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
Owners in Chelan
Following Chelan adds it to the Followed cities list on your ASTRO dashboard, linked to its city page.
Add a home to the ASTRO registry and confirm ownership of it.
City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — 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.