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Port Townsend

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Port Townsend, WA

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STR Regulations for Port Townsend, Washington

Overview: Are Short-Term Rentals Allowed in Port Townsend?

Yes, short-term rentals are explicitly allowed in Port Townsend, WA and Jefferson County. The city has established a comprehensive regulatory framework for short-term rentals operating under two distinct classifications: "Bed and Breakfast Inns" and "Tourist Homes." Both are considered short-term rentals offering lodging for 29 consecutive calendar days or less. Jefferson County has also recently updated its short-term rental regulations with new requirements effective April 2025.

Key Differentiation:

  • Port Townsend City Limits: Governed by City Ordinance 3172 (2017) and PTMC Chapter 17.57
  • Unincorporated Jefferson County: Governed by updated Jefferson County Code (JCC) 18.20.210(3) adopted April 2025
  • State-Level: Washington Department of Health regulates transient accommodations with 3+ units

What do Airbnb hosts actually earn in Port Townsend?

Port Townsend hosts earn a median $35,438/year with $165 ADR and 71% occupancy.

Top performers pull in $52,406+ per year.

See the full Port Townsend market breakdown

How to Start a Short-Term Rental Business in This Market

City of Port Townsend (Within City Limits)

Step 1: Determine Your STR Classification

  • Bed and Breakfast Inn: Central kitchen, primary residence for owner/operator, offers guest rooms with potential food service
  • Tourist Home: Primary residence for owners, maximum two guest rooms with shared common entry

Step 2: Secure Primary Residency Verification

  • Must demonstrate property is your primary residence through:
    • State driver's license or ID
    • Voter registration
    • Other state/federal agency documents

Step 3: Property Assessment & Preparation

  • Confirm single-family detached residence (not duplex/triplex/fourplex)
  • Verify building compliance with International Building Code standards
  • Plan for required parking modifications if needed
  • Consider Historic Preservation Committee requirements if in National Landmark Historic District

Step 4: Conditional Use Permit Process

  • Submit application to Development Services Department
  • Complete life safety inspection
  • Pay applicable fees (see fee schedule below)
  • Owner must be on-site during rental periods

Step 5: Business Licensing

  • Obtain City Business License after permit approval
  • License number required on all advertisements
  • Post license inside building

Jefferson County (Unincorporated Areas)

Step 1: Application Submission

  • Complete 4-part application process:
    • Standard Permit Application
    • STR Supplemental Application
    • STR Pre-Inspection Checklist
    • Email to NAkins@co.jefferson.wa.us or deliver to DCD

Step 2: Capacity & Zoning Verification

  • Confirm property zoning allows STRs (Rural Residential, Rural Village Center, Resource Lands)
  • Verify septic capacity (120 GPD per bedroom)
  • Ensure only one STR permit per operator county-wide

Step 3: Inspection & Payment

  • Pay application fee upon invoice
  • Schedule fire/life safety inspection through Office of Fire Marshal
  • Complete annual renewal requirements

Step 4: Compliance Monitoring

  • Display permit number on all rental platforms
  • Maintain annual inspection schedule
  • Monitor local zoning and cap restrictions

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

Port Townsend City Requirements

Land Use Permits:

  1. Minor Conditional Use Permit: $898.36 (within existing building)
    • $672.00 base fee + $10.00 record retention + $15.36 tech fee
    • $96.00 life safety inspection + $30.00 sign deposit + $75.00 noticing
  2. Major Conditional Use Permit: $3,410.92 (adding to/existing building)
    • $2,400.00 base fee + $10.00 record retention + $49.92 tech fee
    • $96.00 life safety inspection + $30.00 sign deposit + $75.00 mailing
    • $150.00 paper notice + $100.00 second notice + $500.00 hearing examiner fee
  3. Pre-Application Conference: $480.00 (required before Major CUP)

Additional City Permits (if applicable):

  • Minor Improvement Permit (driveway/parking): $206.50
  • Fire Protection Permit (sprinkler systems for 3+ stories)
  • Building Permit (structural changes)
  • Sign Permit (if signage exceeds 3 sq ft)

Business License:

  • Annual fee: $25.00
  • Must post inside building
  • License number required on all advertisements

State/County Requirements:

  • Jefferson County Public Health Food License (if offering food)
  • Washington State Transient Accommodation Permit (3+ units): Contact (360) 705-6788

Jefferson County Requirements

Application Components:

  1. Standard Permit Application
  2. STR Supplemental Application
  3. Jefferson County STR Pre-Inspection Checklist
  4. Site plan, floor plan, and septic O&M report

Fees (2025):

  • Initial STR permit: $862.00
  • Annual renewal: $252.00
  • Additional inspection fees as required

Annual Requirements:

  • Yearly renewal application (30 days before expiration)
  • Annual fire/life safety inspection
  • Compliance monitoring

Specific Regulations by Jurisdiction

Port Townsend Municipal Code (PTMC) Chapter 17.57

Allowed Uses:

  • Bed and Breakfast Inns: Conditional use in residential zones, permitted in C-III
  • Tourist Homes: Conditional use in residential zones, permitted in C-III

Operational Restrictions:

  • Kitchen Facilities: No kitchens in guest rooms; mini-fridge (≤5 cubic feet) and microwave allowed
  • Occupancy: Maximum 2 adults per bedroom (no limit on children under 18)
  • Owner Presence: Tourist home owner must be on-site during rental periods
  • Common Entry: Required shared entry between primary residence and rental area
  • Appearance: Must maintain residential character (colors, materials, signage, lighting)
  • Exits: All bedrooms require egress window or door

Parking Requirements:

  • Minimum: 1 space per sleeping room + 2 spaces for single-family residence
  • Maximum: 1 space per sleeping room + 2 spaces for single-family residence
  • Space dimensions: 9' wide × 19' long minimum
  • Must be entirely on same lot as tourist home
  • Historic structures comply with PTMC 17.72.130

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules:

  • Tourist home allowed on same property as ADU
  • No STR allowed within ADU
  • Tourist home cannot be within ADU structure

Signage:

  • Maximum 3 square feet wall sign on residential building
  • Larger signage requires approved sign permit
  • Business license number required on all advertisements

Jefferson County Code (JCC) 18.20.210(3)

Definitions:

  • Short-term rental: <30 nights, SFR or ADU rental
  • One permit per operator county-wide
  • Only one unit may be rented if both SFR and ADU exist

Geographic Restrictions:

  • Allowed zones: Rural Residential (1:5, 1:10, 1:20), Rural Village Center, Resource Lands (Agriculture/Forest)
  • Port Ludlow MPR: Only allowed in Resource Complex (MPR-RC/CF) area
  • 4% Cap: County-wide cap based on housing stock per zip code
  • Master Planned Resorts exempt from cap but still require permits

Capacity Limits:

  • Determined by septic capacity: 120 GPD per bedroom
  • Maximum 2 people per bedroom based on septic design
  • Examples: 2-bedroom septic = 240 GPD = 4-person maximum

Operational Requirements:

  • No outdoor signage except small ID placard
  • Parking must be entirely on-site
  • No STRs in temporary/portable structures (boats, tents, yurts, RVs)
  • Must not exceed property's septic capacity
  • Prevent unreasonable disturbances to neighbors
  • Permit number display on all platforms

Compliance & Enforcement:

  • Annual permit renewal required
  • Yearly inspections for safety/habitability
  • Existing STRs may continue under new rules if renewed and compliant
  • Waitlist when 4% cap reached in zip code

Washington State Requirements

Transient Accommodation Permit:

  • Required for properties with 3+ lodging units
  • Contact Washington State Department of Health: (360) 705-6788
  • Applies to both city and county properties meeting criteria

Contact Information

City of Port Townsend

Development Services Department (DSD)

  • Physical Address: 250 Madison Street, Suite 3, Port Townsend, WA 98368
  • Phone: (360) 385-0644
  • Land Use Specialist: Suzanne Wassmer
  • Email: swassmer@cityofpt.us
  • Building Inspections: (360) 379-5095

Business Licensing:

Jefferson County Public Health (Food Licensing)

  • Phone: (360) 385-9444

Jefferson County

Department of Community Development (DCD)

  • Physical Address: 621 Sheridan St, Port Townsend, WA 98368
  • Hours: M-Th 9-4:30 (Closed 12-1)
  • Email: NAkins@co.jefferson.wa.us
  • Planning Email: planning@co.jefferson.wa.us
  • Director: Josh Peters

Office of the Fire Marshal

  • Contact through DCD for STR inspections

Washington State

Department of Health - Transient Accommodations

  • Phone: (360) 705-6788

Source Documents and Links

Port Townsend Municipal Code

Jefferson County

News Coverage

Note: Port Townsend has its own separate regulations from Jefferson County. Properties within city limits follow city regulations, while properties in unincorporated county areas follow county regulations. Always verify your specific property location before beginning the permitting process.

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Port Townsend

Market Saturation Score

036912
Mild Saturation
3/ 12
months with declining YoY revenue
2–4 declining months: early saturation pressure - watch for trend persistence.
View Full Port Townsend Market Analysis

Photos of Port Townsend

Overview of Port Townsend

Port Townsend is a small coastal city of approximately 10,000 residents in Jefferson County, Washington, perched at the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets Admiralty Inlet. The town has a distinctly Victorian character, anchored by one of the largest collections of preserved 19th-century commercial buildings and homes in the Pacific Northwest, and it has long served as a hub for working artists, wooden-boat builders, and maritime enthusiasts. It is also widely recognized as a gateway to Olympic National Park and the broader Olympic Peninsula. From Seattle, Port Townsend lies about 60 miles to the northwest, reachable by a roughly 30-minute ferry crossing from the Bainbridge Island area, or by a longer drive of approximately two to two-and-a-half hours around the southern end of Puget Sound.

A short drive north of the downtown core brings visitors to Fort Worden State Park, a former U.S. Army coastal defense installation turned public park. The site offers more than two miles of saltwater beach, wooded hiking and biking trails, historic gun batteries, and a small museum inside one of the original officers' quarters. Fort Worden is also famously remembered as a filming location for "An Officer and a Gentleman" and today hosts concerts, workshops, and conferences in its many repurposed buildings.

Downtown Port Townsend itself is the heart of the visitor experience, with a walkable historic district of brick-fronted storefronts, antique shops, art galleries, and waterfront restaurants overlooking the harbor. Visitors can stroll past the restored 1891 Jefferson County Courthouse, catch a film or live performance at the century-old Rose Theatre, and watch wooden sailing vessels tied up at the marina. The compact core sits just a few blocks from the ferry terminal, making it easy to explore on foot even for day-trippers arriving without a car.

A little over an hour's drive southwest of Port Townsend lies the eastern entry to Olympic National Park, most often reached via the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, where alpine meadows and snowcapped peaks offer sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains. Day-trippers can also detour toward the Hood Canal and the park's rain-forest and Pacific coast sides, though those destinations generally require longer drives or an overnight.

Port Townsend's combination of preserved historic charm, walkable waterfront amenities, and proximity to both ferry connections and Olympic National Park makes it a particularly appealing base for short-term rental guests. Travelers can spend quiet mornings wandering Victorian streets, afternoons hiking bluff-side trails, and evenings dining on locally sourced seafood, all within a small, easily navigable town that consistently draws visitors year-round.

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