How to apply for a Short-Term Rental Operator License?

This application is for hosts/operators to license their short-term rental units.

If you do not have a Seattle Services Account, please click How to create a new account.

Start at the Seattle Service Portal home page
https://services.seattle.gov/Portal/

1. LOGIN: to your account

2. SELECT: Licenses – Short Term Rent

3. SELECT: Short-Term Rental Operator License Application

4. CLICK: Select from Account

5. CLICK: Continue Application

Pro-Tip

If the information selected from your account isn’t correct, go to Account Management. In the Contact Information section, click “Actions” to the right of your contact, and select “View”. Make your changes and save.

6. Enter: Your City Business License/Customer Number

Click: Outside the field or press tab

The City Business License details will populate

7. SCROLL DOWN: To Spouse Information

SELECT: Whether or not you are married

ENTER: Your spouse's first name, last name and email address

NOTE: The " Are you married?" question will not be available if applying as an individual

Pro-Tip: Why do I need to provide my spouse's information?

The short-term rental ordinance allows a married couple to have only one operator license. They may not each obtain a separate license.

8. SCROLL DOWN: To Legacy Operator

SELECT: Whether or not you were operating short-term rentals prior to 9/30/2019.

Pro-Tip: Is my STR unit Legacy?

Yes, if: Your City Business License was opened before 9/30/2017 and you can prove you were operating each unit within the 12 months before 9/30/2017. For more information about Legacy units and Legacy Zones, see About legacy zones.

9. SCROLL DOWN: To Member or Owner List

CLICK: Add a Row

ENTER: the member or property owner’s first name, last name, and email address

CLICK: Submit

REPEAT: this step to add additional members or property owners.

NOTE: If you are an individual, you may not need to enter anything in the Member or Owner List section.

10. CLICK: Continue Application

11. REVIEW: the information on the page
If information needs to be changed, CLICK: Edit
CLICK: the checkbox to agree to confirm your compliance with City of Seattle requirements
CLICK: Continue Application

Pro-Tip:

Please wait…

After you click Continue Application, there are several processes happening behind the scenes. Please be patient while the page loads.

12. A Thank You page loads
!!! YOUR APPLICATION IS NOT COMPLETE !!!

What did I submit?

You submitted your application information – you still need to submit information about your units.

What else happened?

We sent you an email with instructions for adding units
We sent an email to your spouse, if applicable, to let them know about your application

We sent an email to your members or property owners, if applicable, to let them know they were listed on your application

13. CLICK: on My Records

14. FIND: Your record number and look to the right for the Status column.

15. CLICK: Add Units in the Action column of your Short-Term Rental License Application row

16. CLICK: Continue Application

Which unit do I add first?

If you operate legacy units, first add a legacy unit from the legacy region you wish to be your primary legacy region. You can find more information about legacy units in the About Legacy Zones section the Help Articles.

17. READ: the information on this page
CLICK: Add Unit

18. ENTER: the unit address
CLICK: Search Address

19. SELECT: the correct address
CLICK: Select Address

20. ENTER: the required information
NOTE: New fields may appear depending on your selections

21. Documents may be required to be uploaded; red text will display on the bottom-right.

Rental Registry is required for units identified as legacy units. This document requires to identify the specific dwelling unit and dates (up to 12 months) prior to Sept. 30, 2017. This document can be on an excel form, screenshots of booked dates, or word doc.
CLICK: Choose File

NAVIGATE: to the correct file
SELECT: the file
CLICK: Open

CLICK: Upload

The red text disappears when you have uploaded the required documentation, and green text displays indicating which document was uploaded.
CLICK: Verify Unit

If all of the information entered passes, a green message displays. A red message will display if the information cannot be verified.
CLICK: Save

22. REPEAT: steps 6-20 to add another unit, if necessary

23: CLICK: Submit Units
CLICK: Continue Application

24. REVIEW: the information
CLICK: the checkbox to confirm your compliance with City of Seattle Requirements
CLICK: Continue Application

25. CLICK: Check Out

26. CLICK: Check Out

27. ENTER: Credit Card Information and Credit Card Holder Information
CLICK: Submit Payment

Please wait…

After you click Submit Payment, there are several processes happening behind the scenes. Please be patient while the page loads.

What do I need to include on each listing?

You need to include your Short-Term Rental Operator License record number on every listing. Below are the steps to get to that number and print your license. Printing the license is not required, but is available to you.

Start at any page in the Seattle Service Portal
https://services.seattle.gov/Portal/

1.LOGIN: to your account

2. CLICK: on My Records

3. LOCATE: the Short Term Rental Operator License record type, and then the record number for the same row. The value the format STR-OPLI-XX-XXXXXX is your license number