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SB 5989

Confirming property ownership or owner authorization for short-term rentals.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Chris Gildon and 4 co-sponsors

Requires short-term rental platforms to verify operators are owners or authorized by owners, creating a new RCW chapter and boosting listing transparency.

Senate Rules "X" file.
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Bill Summary · SB 5989

Summary of SB 5989 (Washington State)

Overview

SB 5989 seeks to confirm property ownership or owner authorization for short-term rentals by requiring short-term rental platforms to verify that operators are either the owner of the dwelling unit or authorized by the owner to offer the unit for short-term rental. The bill would add a new chapter to Title 19 RCW and define key terms related to short-term rentals.

Key Definitions (Sec. 1)

  • Dwelling unit: A residential unit (single-family home, apartment, condo, etc.) offered for living accommodations for fewer than 30 days, excluding duly licensed bed and breakfasts, inns, hotels, motels, or timeshares.
  • Operator / Short-term rental operator: A person who receives payment for owning or operating a dwelling unit or portion thereof as a short-term rental.
  • Owner: A person with title or interest in a building, dwelling, or portion thereof, including certain agents or fiduciaries; a lessee-only interest does not count as ownership.
  • Short-term rental: A lodging use under 30 consecutive nights, not including hotel/motel/B&B or timeshares; excludes stays of 30+ nights or housing provided by certain charitable or government entities.
  • Short-term rental advertisement and short-term rental platform: Definitions governing how listings are solicited and who financially benefits from the platform; mere publication of an advertisement does not make the publisher a platform.

Key Provisions (Sec. 2–Sec. 3)

  • Sec. 2 – Platform verification requirement: Short-term rental platforms must require operators using or contracting with the platform to indicate that the operator is either the owner of the dwelling unit or authorized by the owner to offer the dwelling unit (or portion) for short-term rental use.
  • Sec. 3 – New chapter: These definitions and the platform verification requirement establish a new chapter within Title 19 RCW.

Affected Parties

  • Short-term rental platforms: Required to implement verification on ownership/authorization for listed operators.
  • Operators: Must demonstrate ownership or authorization to platforms.
  • Owners: Potentially benefit from clearer ownership verification and reduced unauthorized listings.
  • Tenants/guests: May experience greater transparency in listings.
  • Local/regulatory bodies: Might see changes in enforcement and oversight related to short-term rental listings (not explicitly described in the text).

Procedural History and Status

  • Prefiled: January 4, 2024; first reading: January 8, 2024; referred to Senate Committee on Housing.
  • Public hearing: January 19, 2024.
  • Executive action: January 31, 2024 (HSG – Majority; do pass; passed to Rules for second reading).
  • Executive action and scheduling remained through late January.
  • Senate Rules “X” file: February 15, 2024 (status indicates consideration on the Rules agenda).
  • Overall status: Senate Rules “X” file; bill text proposes a new chapter with platform verification obligations.

Practical Implications

  • Provides a mechanism to verify that every short-term rental listing is operated by an owner or with explicit owner authorization, potentially reducing misrepresentation of ownership.
  • Imposes an onboarding/verification burden on short-term rental platforms.
  • The excerpt does not specify enforcement mechanisms, penalties, or effective dates; those details would appear in the enacted statute, if passed.

Note

This summary reflects the bill text and actions up to the cited Senate Rules “X” file status and public committee actions from January–February 2024.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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