In Washington, D.C., short-term rentals, including those listed on Airbnb, are subject to specific regulations implemented by the city government. These regulations aim to balance the benefits of short-term rentals with the preservation of affordable housing and the well-being of residents.
Hosts in Washington must obtain a license to operate a short-term rental. This process involves meeting certain requirements, such as obtaining a Basic Business License (BBL) and completing a safety inspection. Additionally, hosts must provide proof of primary residence, meaning they must live in the property they are listing for at least 185 days of the year.
There are limitations on the number of days hosts can rent out their property. Hosts can only offer short-term rentals for a maximum of 90 days per calendar year if they are not present in the property during the rental period. However, if the host is present, there is no limit to the number of days they can rent out their property.
Short-term rental platforms like Airbnb are also required to report information about hosts and bookings to the city government. This helps the government enforce compliance and monitor the impact of short-term rentals in the city.
In terms of taxation, hosts are required to collect and remit a 14.95% transient accommodations tax on each booking. This tax includes the 6% sales tax, the 9.95% transient lodging tax, and a small fee for local arts and housing funds. Airbnb automatically collects and remits these taxes on behalf of hosts, simplifying the process.
To ensure the safety and well-being of guests, hosts must adhere to certain safety requirements, including providing functioning smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers. Hosts are also encouraged to carry liability insurance to protect themselves and their guests.
By implementing these regulations, Washington aims to strike a balance between the benefits of short-term rentals and the need to maintain affordable housing options for residents. Hosts and guests should familiarize themselves with these regulations and fulfill their obligations to ensure a smooth and compliant experience while using Airbnb in Washington.
The opportunities are endless for hosts who wish to generate extra income through the Airbnb platform. Whether you have an entire property available, or just wish to rent out some private or shared rooms, then you can tap into the huge Airbnb market.
- 4 823 – listings in total
- 3 765 (78%) – the percentage of the total which is entire properties
- $188 – average price per night
- 1 007 (21%) – private rooms
- 51 (1%) – shared rooms
3 765 (78%) – entire properties
1 007 (21%) – private rooms
51 (1%) – shared rooms
In order for the guest activity to be recorded and monitored, a review must be submitted to a host’s property or room after the stay has been completed. In terms of the statistics that have been produced – they have been calculated by using the minimum stay, the average price per night, and the total number of reviews.
- $186– average daily rate
- 80% – occupancy rate
- $3 100 – revenue.
When you assess the Airbnb market in Washington, you’ll notice that there are some hosts who have multiple listings and some that have single listings, just like everywhere else in the world. It is possible for a host to list multiple properties that they have available or different rooms which are available on the same property.
- 74% – listed on Airbnb
- 7% – listed on Vrbo
- 19% – listed on both.
Airbnb hosts have full freedom when it comes to selecting how available their property or rooms are. For instance, by utilizing the calendar tool, a host can set their property to be available for just one week in a year. Alternatively, another example is a host setting their rooms to be available for 11-months out of the 12.
- Available
- 1-90
- 91-180
- 181-270
- 271-365
- Properties
- 3086
- 1240
- 841
- 1283