Washington Lodging Tax Calculator.
State rate 6.5%. Local add-ons 0% – 4%.
State rate: 6.5% · Washington Department of Revenue · verified 2026-05-05
Estimate only. State and local rates change. Confirm with the Washington Department of Revenue before relying on it for filing or pricing.
How Washington lodging tax works
Washington stacks three components on short-term rental stays:
- 6.5% state sales tax — applies to the room charge.
- Local sales tax — counties and cities add 1%–4%, varies by jurisdiction.
- Special hotel/motel tax — cities with active tourism authorities add 2%–4% specifically for lodging.
Effective rates in the top markets:
- Seattle (King County): 6.5% state + 3.85% local + 2% special = roughly 12.35%
- Spokane: 6.5% state + 2.4% local + 2% special = roughly 10.9%
- Leavenworth: 6.5% state + 1.6% local + 2% special = roughly 10.1%
- Tacoma: 6.5% state + 3.7% local + 1.5% special = roughly 11.7%
- Olympic Peninsula (Clallam County): 6.5% state + 2.4% local + 2% special = roughly 10.9%
Platform collection
Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit all three layers (state sales tax, local sales tax, special hotel/motel tax) as marketplace facilitators across most of Washington. The state’s marketplace-facilitator law is one of the broadest in the country.
The Washington Department of Revenue publishes the current facilitator agreements. Coverage is near-universal for major STR markets.
What this means in practice
- For all three tax layers on platform bookings — Airbnb and Vrbo handle it. You don’t file.
- For direct bookings — you must register for a Washington UBI (unified business identifier), collect all three layers yourself, and file with the DOR (typically quarterly).
- For 30+ night stays — exempt from the special hotel/motel tax. State sales tax may still apply depending on the rental structure (long-term residential lease is exempt).
- Seattle has additional STR licensing requirements separate from tax registration. License compliance is a precondition for operating, even if tax is handled by the platform.
- King County (Seattle metro) tracks STR operators aggressively. Get the license; renewing late triggers fines.
How to use the calculator above
- Enter your booking subtotal (nightly × nights + cleaning fee, before tax).
- Set the local add-on. Seattle ≈ 5.85% (3.85% local + 2% special). Spokane ≈ 4.4%. Leavenworth ≈ 3.6%.
- Read the effective rate and tax total. Platform-booked stays show the same number guests see.
Source: Washington Department of Revenue. Verified 2026-05-11. Not tax advice — confirm with a CPA or the WA DOR before filing.
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