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    Permitted with conditions

    Short-Term Rental Management in Port Townsend & Jefferson County

    Jefferson County caps permittable short-term rentals at 4% of housing stock, allocated proportionally by zip code — so availability depends on which zip code your property sits in, not on the county as a whole.

    Permitting authority
    Jefferson County
    From our office
    about 5.5 hours from Kennewick
    Managed by
    Brendan Burke, licensed WA broker

    What Jefferson County actually requires

    • Permittable short-term rentals are limited to 4% of current housing stock, distributed proportionally across zip codes.
    • Maximum guest capacity is set by septic capacity, not by the number of bedrooms you advertise: 120 gallons per day per bedroom, at 2 people per bedroom.
    • Development regulations were updated by the Department of Community Development with the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners in early 2025.
    • Liability insurance meeting RCW 64.37.050, the state Short-Term Rental Act minimum.

    Washington's Short-Term Rental Act (RCW 64.37) sets the floor everywhere in the state: operators carry liability insurance, post required safety information, and remit lodging taxes. A standard homeowner's policy does not satisfy it.

    Verified 2026-09-13 against Jefferson County — Short-Term Rentals, Jefferson County — Short-Term Rental Brochure (updated 9 Apr 2025). Rules change — confirm before you make an offer.

    Who books here

    Port Townsend's Victorian downtown, the wooden boat and film festivals, and Olympic Peninsula touring traffic give it a genuine shoulder season either side of summer.

    Our honest read

    The septic rule is the one that catches people. A four-bedroom house that sleeps ten on paper may be permitted for eight, and that gap comes straight out of your nightly rate on peak weekends. Get the septic capacity confirmed before you model the revenue.

    What we run ourselves

    We are not pitching a market we have only read about. The properties below are under our management right now, and these are the figures they are on pace for this year.

    $67,137
    4 bed / 3 bath, Kennewick, WA
    pool, hot tub, game room — short-term
    $38,400
    3 bed / 2.5 bath, Tri-Cities, WA
    mid-term, $3,200/mo
    $44,400
    4 bed / 3 bath, Umatilla, OR
    mid-term, $3,700/mo

    Figures are full-year 2026 gross revenue the property is on pace for, before management fee, cleaning, utilities and taxes.

    Read the full Tri-Cities case study

    Common questions

    Can I get a short-term rental permit in Port Townsend & Jefferson County right now?

    Jefferson County caps permittable short-term rentals at 4% of housing stock, allocated proportionally by zip code — so availability depends on which zip code your property sits in, not on the county as a whole.

    What does Jefferson County require to operate a short-term rental?

    Permittable short-term rentals are limited to 4% of current housing stock, distributed proportionally across zip codes. Maximum guest capacity is set by septic capacity, not by the number of bedrooms you advertise: 120 gallons per day per bedroom, at 2 people per bedroom. Development regulations were updated by the Department of Community Development with the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners in early 2025. Liability insurance meeting RCW 64.37.050, the state Short-Term Rental Act minimum.

    You are based in Kennewick. How do you manage a property in Port Townsend & Jefferson County?

    We run Port Townsend & Jefferson County properties from our Tri-Cities office with a contracted local cleaning and maintenance bench in market. Guest communication, pricing, listing management and compliance filings are handled by us directly; turnovers, repairs and any requirement for an on-call local contact are covered by the in-market vendors we hire and supervise. About 5.5 hours from Kennewick, so we are on site when a property genuinely needs us.

    What insurance does a short-term rental need in Washington?

    Washington's Short-Term Rental Act (RCW 64.37) sets the floor everywhere in the state: operators carry liability insurance, post required safety information, and remit lodging taxes. A standard homeowner's policy does not satisfy it.

    What would your Port Townsend & Jefferson County property earn?

    Send the address and we will come back with a realistic revenue range, the permit position in Jefferson County, and what it costs to manage.

    You reach Brendan Burke directly, not a call center. We never sell or share your information.

    Prefer to talk? Call or text (509) 581-5559

    Other markets we manage