Ketchikan, Alaska Short Term Rental Regulations Guide for Airbnb hosts

Overview: Are Short-Term Rentals Allowed in Ketchikan, AK?

Yes—short-term rentals are explicitly allowed in Ketchikan, AK. The Ketchikan Gateway Borough defines short-term rentals as dwellings occupied by “transient” guests for fewer than 30 days, and they are permitted uses across residential, commercial, and miscellaneous land use zones, subject to standards.

Allowed use: Yes, in most zones with basic compliance
Definition: Transient stays under 30 days
Zoning: Permitted with standards in residential, commercial, and miscellaneous zones
Owner-occupancy: Not required
Annual renewals: Not required per 2023 Borough Assembly action

Key source: www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/AK/ketchikan

What do Airbnb hosts actually earn in Ketchikan?

Ketchikan hosts earn a median $23,664/year with $186 ADR and 62% occupancy.

Top performers pull in $34,167+ per year.

See the full Ketchikan market breakdown

How to Start a Short-Term Rental Business in Ketchikan

Obtain the free zoning permit from the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning Department.
Secure an Alaska State business license (required for all rental income operations).
Register for and collect local sales tax and transient occupancy tax.
Confirm zoning compliance and provide at least one dedicated off-street parking space per STR unit.
Set up a tax remittance process—major platforms (Airbnb/VRBO) do not automatically collect Ketchikan’s local taxes.
Maintain documentation and safety/operational standards under Borough land use codes.

Key source: www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/AK/ketchikan

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

Ketchikan Gateway Borough zoning permit (free; no expiration/renewal as of 2023)
Alaska State business license ($50 annually; standard requirement for any business activity including renting real estate)
Sales tax registration (for collecting/remitting local sales tax)
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) registration (for collecting/remitting lodging taxes)
Compliance with land use codes and building requirements
Off-street parking: minimum one space per STR unit
No owner-occupancy requirement

Key source: www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/AK/ketchikan and www.gosummer.com/post/alaska-short-term-rental-laws

Specific Regulations: Zoning, Operations, Taxes, and Enforcement

Zoning and Land Use

STRs are permitted with standards in residential, commercial, and miscellaneous zones.
No special conditional use permits required for most residential properties.
Properties must meet standard setback, height, and area requirements for their zones.

Key source: www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/AK/ketchikan

Operational Requirements

Parking: Minimum one off-street parking space per STR unit
Signage: Must comply with zoning district signage requirements
Duration: Rentals must be under 30 consecutive days to qualify as STR
Annual renewals: Removed by Borough Assembly in 2023; permits are permanent once issued

Key sources: www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/AK/ketchikan and www.krbd.org/2023/04/18/ketchikans-borough-assembly-advances-short-term-rental-permitting-but-nixes-annual-renewal-requirement/

Tax Obligations (Borough + City)

Ketchikan has a layered tax structure: Ketchikan Gateway Borough levies baseline taxes, and the City of Ketchikan adds seasonal city taxes inside city limits.

Borough sales tax: 2.5%
Borough Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT): 4%
City of Ketchikan sales tax (seasonal):
- October–March: Additional 3% (total 5.5% with borough sales tax)
- April–September: Additional 5.5% (total 8% with borough sales tax)
City of Ketchikan hotel tax (additional TOT): 7% (combined with borough TOT = 11% total lodging tax)

Total tax burden inside the City of Ketchikan:

Off-season (Oct–Mar): 5.5% sales tax + 11% lodging tax = 16.5%
Peak season (Apr–Sep): 8% sales tax + 11% lodging tax = 19%

Important: Airbnb and VRBO do not automatically collect Ketchikan’s local taxes—you must collect and remit them yourself.

Key sources: www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/AK/ketchikan and www.gosummer.com/post/alaska-short-term-rental-laws

Enforcement and Monitoring

The Borough advanced permitting to monitor STRs’ impact on housing and tax compliance. Annual renewal was removed, but other compliance obligations remain in effect. Always confirm current enforcement procedures with the Planning Department.

Key source: www.krbd.org/2023/04/18/ketchikans-borough-assembly-advances-short-term-rental-permitting-but-nixes-annual-renewal-requirement/

Contact Information (Local Authority in Charge of STRs)

Department: Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning Department
Planning Director: Richard Harney
Phone: (907) 228-6625
Address: 1900 First Avenue, Ketchikan, AK 99901
Website: www.kgbak.us/
Borough Housing Information page: www.kgbak.us/1052/Housing
Borough Transient Occupancy Tax information: www.kgbak.us/186/Transient-Occupancy-Tax
Borough Sales Tax information: www.kgbak.us/449/Sales-Taxes
Borough Code (zoning/land use): ketchikangateway.borough.codes/

Key source: www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/AK/ketchikan

Source Links and References

STRProfitMap: Ketchikan STR Regulations — www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/AK/ketchikan
KRBD News Coverage (permitting, no annual renewal): www.krbd.org/2023/04/18/ketchikans-borough-assembly-advances-short-term-rental-permitting-but-nixes-annual-renewal-requirement/
Ketchikan Gateway Borough — Housing (general information): www.kgbak.us/1052/Housing
Ketchikan Gateway Borough — Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT): www.kgbak.us/186/Transient-Occupancy-Tax
Ketchikan Gateway Borough — Sales Taxes: www.kgbak.us/449/Sales-Taxes
Borough Code (land use/STR definitions, zoning): ketchikangateway.borough.codes/
GoSummer — Alaska STR Laws Overview (including Ketchikan tax specifics): www.gosummer.com/post/alaska-short-term-rental-laws
Ketchikan Borough Assembly agenda/ordinance reference (permitting concept): destinyhosted.com/agenda_publish.cfm?id=53824&mt=ALL&vl=true&get_month=4&get_year=2023&dsp=agm&seq=8250&rev=0&ag=1318&ln=34477&nseq=8394&nrev=0&pseq=8393&prev=0&vl=true#

Notes:

Outside city limits (within the Borough but not the City), only borough taxes apply (2.5% sales tax + 4% TOT).
Always verify current requirements with the Planning Department; regulations can evolve.
The Jaken Finance Group page contains speculative or forward-looking content that conflicts with the current 2023 Borough action removing annual renewals; verify any future changes directly with local authorities.

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Ask the AI Advisor about Ketchikan

Ketchikan is a small coastal city in southeastern Alaska, located in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough on the western side of Revillagigedo Island. With an approximate population of around 8,000 residents, it carries the relaxed, working-harbor feel typical of Southeast Alaskan communities, where fishing boats, floatplanes, and cruise ships form the rhythm of daily life. The city is widely known as the "Salmon Capital of the World" and serves as the southernmost major port along Alaska's celebrated Inside Passage, a coastal waterway frequented by cruise ships traveling between Puget Sound and the Panhandle. Ketchikan sits roughly 680 miles north-northwest of Seattle, Washington, and is connected to the rest of the world primarily by air and the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system.

Creek Street is one of Ketchikan's most photographed and historically significant areas, perched on stilts above Ketchikan Creek in the heart of downtown. Once the city's red-light district, it is now a colorful boardwalk lined with galleries, shops, and restaurants, and it offers visitors a tangible sense of the town's early-twentieth-century fishing-and-timber past. The boardwalk is just a short walk from the cruise docks and the city's main harbor.

Just south of downtown lies the Saxman Native Village and the Totem Heritage Center, two closely linked sites that together house one of the largest collections of original totem poles in the world. The center preserves nineteenth-century poles recovered from abandoned Haida and Tlingit villages, while Saxman Village is home to a clan house and a carving center where totem traditions are kept alive. The Saxman area is only a few miles from the city center and easily reached by road or shuttle.

About 22 air miles east of Ketchikan, Misty Fjords National Monument offers a dramatic wilderness of sheer granite cliffs, glacial fjords, and old-growth rain forest within the surrounding Tongass National Forest. Most visitors experience the monument by floatplane or boat tour out of Ketchikan, with floatplane trips often taking only 30 to 45 minutes from the city's seaplane base.

Closer to town, the Deer Mountain Trail provides a popular half-day hike that climbs from near the city center through temperate rainforest to alpine meadows with views over the surrounding waterways. The roughly three-mile ascent rewards hikers with a chance to see bears, deer, and bald eagles without leaving the immediate Ketchikan area.

For short-term-rental owners, Ketchikan offers a compelling mix of natural beauty, cruise-driven tourism, and authentic Alaskan character. Its compact downtown is highly walkable for ship passengers and independent travelers alike, while its proximity to Misty Fjords, Saxman, and the broader Tongass gives visitors a clear reason to extend their stay beyond a single port call. With strong seasonal demand from late spring through early fall and a backdrop of totem poles, salmon streams, and rainforest scenery, Ketchikan rewards hosts who can highlight both its cultural heritage and its wild surroundings.