Camano Island, Washington Short Term Rental Regulations Guide for Airbnb hosts

Overview and Allowability

Short-term rentals are allowed on Camano Island. However, Camano Island is an unincorporated area of Island County; there is no city-specific STR ordinance. STRs must comply with Island County licensing and zoning requirements and Washington State law (RCW 64.37). Investors must obtain a short-term rental license from Island County and meet county and state safety, insurance, and tax obligations. Before purchasing or licensing, confirm that your property’s zoning permits STR use and that you can satisfy on-site management, parking, septic, and health requirements.

What do Airbnb hosts actually earn in Camano Island?

Camano Island hosts earn a median $35,001/year with $247 ADR and 51% occupancy.

Top performers pull in $52,339+ per year.

See the full Camano Island market breakdown

How to Start a Short-Term Rental Business in Camano Island

Verify zoning compliance using Island County’s interactive zoning map to confirm STRs are permitted on the parcel.
Contact Island County Planning & Community Development for a pre-application consultation (phone, email, or appointment).
Assemble required documentation (see next section).
Submit your application electronically (email), by mail, or in person. Plan for inspections and approvals as part of the process.
Pay required fees per the County’s current fee schedule.
After license issuance, publish listings and activate hosting, ensuring ongoing compliance.

Submittal channels:

Email: PlanningDept@islandcountywa.gov (files must be under 7 MB).
Mail: Planning & Community Development, 1 NE 7th Street, Coupeville, WA 98239.
In person: Schedule a 60-minute “Land Use Permit submittal appointment.”

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

Licensing and registration:

Island County short-term rental license.
Island County business license for both the owner and the manager.

Site and property documentation:

Property owner’s signature.
STR manager’s signature and contact information.
Current Island County business license number for the operator and manager.
24/7 contact information for a manager who can respond within a 20-minute drive of the property.
Site plan showing required parking for guests and residents.
Floor plan showing guest rooms and egress routes.
Building inspection documentation (within the past 5 years) or a life-safety self-assessment.
Links to all online listing platforms used for the rental.
Maximum occupancy limits documentation.
Application fee (per current Island County fee schedule).

Health approvals (if applicable):

Island County Health Department approval if food service is provided.
Island County Health Department approval if the property uses an on-site septic system.

Specific Regulations: County and State

Island County requirements:

Zoning: STRs must be in a zone that permits the use; confirm via the Island County Geo Map.
Local contact: A designated manager must be reachable 24/7 and able to respond on-site within 20 minutes.
Parking: Must be documented in a site plan.
Inspections: A building inspection within the previous five years or a life-safety self-assessment is required.
Health approvals: Required for food service and for properties served by septic systems.

Washington State requirements (RCW 64.37):

Taxes: Operators must remit all applicable local, state, and federal taxes (sales, lodging, occupancy). Platforms may collect and remit taxes on behalf of operators.
Consumer safety posting (RCW 64.37.030): Post inside each rental unit:
- Property street address.
- Emergency contact information (police, fire, medical).
- Floor plan indicating fire exits and escape routes.
- Maximum occupancy limits.
- Operator or designated contact information. Operators must also provide 24/7 contact information to guests and maintain carbon monoxide alarms in compliance with the state building code.
Insurance (RCW 64.37.050): Maintain primary liability insurance with at least $1,000,000 in aggregate coverage per property, or conduct transactions through a platform that provides equal or greater coverage.
Platform obligations (RCW 64.37.040): Platforms must register with the Washington Department of Revenue, inform operators of tax responsibilities, inform operators of safety requirements, and notify operators that personal insurance may not cover STR activities.

Penalties and Enforcement

Washington State (RCW 64.37.030): First violation results in a warning letter from the city or county attorney; subsequent violations are a Class 2 civil infraction (up to $500 per violation per day).
Island County: Operating without a valid license may be declared a public nuisance and may result in civil penalties, license suspension, or revocation; each day of violation may be treated as a separate offense.

Contact Information: Local Authority in Charge of STRs

Island County Planning & Community Development

Phone: (360) 679-7339
Camano Island Office: (360) 629-4522
Email: PlanningDept@islandcountywa.gov
Mailing address: 1 NE 7th Street, Coupeville, WA 98239
Physical office locations:
- Main Office: 1 NE 6th Street, Coupeville, WA 98239
- Camano Island Office: 121 N East Camano Drive, Camano Island, WA 98282
Hours: Contact by phone/email or schedule an appointment.

Additional resources:

Washington State Department of Revenue (for tax registration and platform/operator obligations).
Island County Health Department (for septic and food service approvals).

Links to Source Pages

STR Profit Map – Camano Island regulations: www.strprofitmap.com/regulations/WA/camano-island
Island County Land Use Applications: www.islandcountywa.gov/596/Land-Use-Applications
Washington State RCW 64.37 – Short-Term Rentals: app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.37&full=true
Camano Island Chamber of Commerce STR listings: camanoisland.org/members/business-category/stay/lodging/short-term-rentals/
Island County IC Geo Map (zoning): icgeomap.islandcountywa.gov/Html5Viewer/Index.html?viewer=ICGeoMap

Always verify current requirements directly with Island County Planning & Community Development before investing or starting operations.

Next step

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Ask the AI Advisor about Camano Island

Camano Island is a roughly 40-square-mile island in the Puget Sound, located in Island County, Washington, with a small portion spilling into Snohomish County on its eastern edge. Home to approximately 15,000 to 17,000 year-round residents, the island maintains a quiet, rural character defined by rolling farmland, evergreen woodlands, and a winding coastline of bluffs and pocket beaches. Unlike most Puget Sound islands, Camano is connected to the mainland by a bridge at its east end, which gives visitors easy access without the need for a ferry. It lies roughly 60 to 70 miles north of Seattle, about a 90-minute to two-hour drive depending on traffic, and serves as a relaxed weekend escape for residents of the greater Seattle metropolitan area. The island is best known for its scenic waterfront, working artist studios and galleries, and a slower pace of life compared with busier Whidbey Island just to its west.

Camano Island State Park sits on the western shore of the island, a 90-acre park with more than a mile of saltwater shoreline, forested walking trails, and rustic waterfront cabins. About 15 to 20 minutes from the bridge, the park offers views across the Saratoga Passage toward Whidbey Island and, on clear days, the snow-capped Olympic Mountains beyond. It is a popular spot for crabbing, beachcombing, and watching bald eagles and great blue herons stalk the shallows at low tide.

A short drive north along the same western coast, Cama Beach State Park preserves a cluster of vintage 1930s-era fishing cabins that have been restored into a small, walkable waterfront retreat. Roughly 20 minutes from the bridge, the park combines a working interpretive center, a protected cove favored by kayakers, and quiet pebble beaches that are especially popular with families looking for an unhurried afternoon on the water.

Just across the Saratoga Passage on neighboring Whidbey Island, Deception Pass State Park is one of the most-visited parks in Washington. About 45 minutes to an hour from Camano by way of the bridges at the north end of Whidbey Island, the park is anchored by the dramatic Deception Pass Bridge and offers thousands of acres of old-growth forest, tide pools, and rugged saltwater shoreline where the Skagit Bay meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

On the mainland side, the small city of Stanwood functions as Camano's commercial gateway, with the historic waterfront village of La Conner about 30 to 40 minutes beyond it. Known for its boardwalk, antique shops, and surrounding tulip fields in spring, La Conner offers a charming complement to a quiet island stay.

Together, Camano Island's bridge access, laid-back atmosphere, and proximity to both the urban amenities of greater Seattle and the natural drama of the Salish Sea make it a particularly compelling base for short-term rentals, appealing to travelers who want the feel of a getaway without the logistical hurdles of a ferry.