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Short-term Vacation Rental Licenses

Apply now for 2023 Annual Licenses

Post Date:11/02/2022 10:25 AM

Short-term Vacation Rental Operators are now able to apply for an annual license for 2023. Beginning January 1, 2023, an annual license will be required to operate a Short-term Vacation Rental in unincorporated Skamania County.

How to Apply

License Fees

Licenses fees are set by the Board of County Commissioners and are based upon which tier a STVR falls into. All rentals fall into one of the following three tiers:

  • Tier 1 - $200 - Owner or operator is present on-site during the course of the rental.
  • Tier 2 - $300 - Owner or operator is not present on-site during the course of the rental.
  • Tier 3 - $500 - Any STVR with an allowable occupancy of 15 or more persons, or three or more unique rentals on an individual property, whether or not the owner or operator is present on-site during the course of the rental.

Please note: The Board of County Commissioners will increase license fees for licenses obtained after January 2023.

Other License Requirements

Annual licensing requirements are established by SCC 21.70.190(D). It is a violation of Skamania County Code to rent, offer for rent, or advertise for rent a STVR without first obtaining a license. Licenses are required annually and expire December 31st of each year.

  • Notice to Neighbors: Upon establishment of an STVR, the owner or contact person shall provide a notice to all property owners of record and/or occupants of properties within three hundred feet of the STVR. The notice shall include the telephone number of the owner and contact person. The purpose of this notice is so that neighboring property owners and residents can contact a responsible person to report and request resolution of problems associated with the operation of the STVR.
    • Operators are responsible for providing this notice and ensuring that all properties within 300 ft. are notified. You may use MapSifter to determine who should receive notice. You can provide the notice in any format you choose or you can use this template.
  • Posting: Each annual license it must be posted in a conspicuous place in each STVR.
  • Revocation: We trust operators to run their STVRs responsibly, but we also need to ensure that STVRs minimize impacts to their residential neighbors and do not cause unreasonable burdens on services. Pursuant to SCC 21.70.190(D)(3), Skamania County can revoke or place conditions on STVR licenses.

Background

The Skamania County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on December 8, 2020 to approve Ordinance No. 2020-08, establishing regulations for the operation of short-term vacation rentals in unincorporated Skamania County. The Board approved the ordinance after the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the proposal on November 17, 2020, following a yearlong planning process. The ordinance was developed with input gathered by the Community Development Department from the Board of County Commissioners, Planning Commission, several public meetings, a public hearing, stakeholder meetings, and over 150 online survey responses from community members. The County is hopeful these new regulations will help promote tourism and economic development within the County, while preventing unreasonable burdens on services and minimizing impacts to its rural communities.

The new regulations have been in effect as of December 8, 2020, however the requirement to obtain a permit to operate a short-term vacation rental will go into effect on January 1, 2023. Beginning in 2023, it will be a violation of Skamania County Code to rent, offer for rent, or advertise for rent a STVR without first obtaining a STVR license. Licenses must be obtained annually.

Please contact the Community Development Department at 509-427-3900 with any questions.

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