Are you hosting a short-term rental property in Washington state? State legislators have approved the passage of a 10% excise tax on every night's lodging fee. This additional tax has been proposed in an effort to help offset their concerns over affordable housing needs for workers in the hospitality industry. Bill 6175 basically allows individual cities and counties to enact up to a 10% tax on every night's stay with increments of no less than 1%. Exempt from this regulation are hosts who rent space in their primary residence where guests enter from a common, shared entrance.

The overall impact of this excise tax is broad and its implications far-reaching. It could make staying at a short-term rental less affordable than a similarly priced hotel room and could negatively impact overall occupancy for STR hosts. The measure recently passed the Senate and is headed to the House for a vote so contact your state legislators today. Now is your chance to weigh in on the measure. Don't miss it!