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    Permits available now

    Short-Term Rental Management in Lake Chelan

    Unincorporated Chelan had 63 of its 127 permits in use as of the county's 11 August 2026 count — 64 still available, the largest opening left in the county.

    Permitting authority
    Chelan County (unincorporated)
    From our office
    about 2.5 hours from Kennewick
    Managed by
    Brendan Burke, licensed WA broker

    What Chelan County (unincorporated) actually requires

    • The cap is 6% of housing units across most unincorporated areas and urban growth areas of Chelan County.
    • The Community Development Director sets each area's share annually by March 15.
    • Applications are accepted once a year, between June 1 and July 31 — miss the window and you wait a full year.
    • Tier 1 short-term rentals are excluded from the cap count, as are commercially zoned properties and pre-established Master Planned Resorts.
    • Liability insurance meeting RCW 64.37.050, the state Short-Term Rental Act minimum.

    Washington's Short-Term Rental Act (RCW 64.37) sets the floor everywhere in the state: operators carry liability insurance, post required safety information, and remit lodging taxes. A standard homeowner's policy does not satisfy it.

    Verified 2026-09-13 against Chelan County Community Development — Short-Term Rental Statistics (cap table, updated 11 Aug 2026). Rules change — confirm before you make an offer.

    Who books here

    Lake Chelan's summer season carries the year — swimming, boating and the wine trail from late June through Labor Day — with a shoulder season that rewards operators who price for it rather than going dark.

    Our honest read

    The one capped Chelan County market still genuinely open, and the reason we tell owners to look here rather than Leavenworth. The annual application window is the constraint people miss: buying in August means your first legal season is nearly two years out unless the property already holds a permit.

    What we run ourselves

    We are not pitching a market we have only read about. The properties below are under our management right now, and these are the figures they are on pace for this year.

    $67,137
    4 bed / 3 bath, Kennewick, WA
    pool, hot tub, game room — short-term
    $38,400
    3 bed / 2.5 bath, Tri-Cities, WA
    mid-term, $3,200/mo
    $44,400
    4 bed / 3 bath, Umatilla, OR
    mid-term, $3,700/mo

    Figures are full-year 2026 gross revenue the property is on pace for, before management fee, cleaning, utilities and taxes.

    Read the full Tri-Cities case study

    Common questions

    Can I get a short-term rental permit in Lake Chelan right now?

    Unincorporated Chelan had 63 of its 127 permits in use as of the county's 11 August 2026 count — 64 still available, the largest opening left in the county.

    What does Chelan County (unincorporated) require to operate a short-term rental?

    The cap is 6% of housing units across most unincorporated areas and urban growth areas of Chelan County. The Community Development Director sets each area's share annually by March 15. Applications are accepted once a year, between June 1 and July 31 — miss the window and you wait a full year. Tier 1 short-term rentals are excluded from the cap count, as are commercially zoned properties and pre-established Master Planned Resorts. Liability insurance meeting RCW 64.37.050, the state Short-Term Rental Act minimum.

    You are based in Kennewick. How do you manage a property in Lake Chelan?

    We run Lake Chelan properties from our Tri-Cities office with a contracted local cleaning and maintenance bench in market. Guest communication, pricing, listing management and compliance filings are handled by us directly; turnovers, repairs and any requirement for an on-call local contact are covered by the in-market vendors we hire and supervise. About 2.5 hours from Kennewick, so we are on site when a property genuinely needs us.

    What insurance does a short-term rental need in Washington?

    Washington's Short-Term Rental Act (RCW 64.37) sets the floor everywhere in the state: operators carry liability insurance, post required safety information, and remit lodging taxes. A standard homeowner's policy does not satisfy it.

    What would your Lake Chelan property earn?

    Send the address and we will come back with a realistic revenue range, the permit position in Chelan County (unincorporated), and what it costs to manage.

    You reach Brendan Burke directly, not a call center. We never sell or share your information.

    Prefer to talk? Call or text (509) 581-5559

    Other markets we manage