City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Olympia, WA
How Olympia regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- Whole-home vacation rental permitted with a City land-use permit plus a business license, renewed every two years, with a 24/7 local contact
- Per-operator limit of two vacation-rental units per owner (OMC 18.04.060.JJ.3.b) — not a citywide quota
- No residential-zone exclusion or primary-residence requirement
Based on: Olympia Municipal Code (OMC) Title 18 (definitions at OMC 18.02.180; STR use/permit provisions in OMC Title 18) — City
Summary of the rule
Short-Term Rental – Vacation Rental is a type of short-term rental wherein an entire dwelling unit (or portion thereof) is rented and there is no property owner or long-term tenant residing in the dwelling unit; requires a valid business license AND a City short-term rental permit, renewed every two years, with a designated 24/7 local contact located within Thurston County or within 15 miles.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 15, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Olympia · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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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.