The taxes, line by line
| Tax or fee | Rate | Applies to / notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined lodging tax, Seattle short-term rental | 15.7% | State + local sales tax and lodging taxes combined (DOR lodging table) | [1] |
| …of which King County convention center tax | 7% | Included in the 15.7% | [1] |
| Seattle STR operator license | $75 per unit per year | Regulatory license, renewed annually | [3] |
Who collects it (and what's still on you)
- Check the quarter: Washington publishes lodging rates quarterly; DOR's Q4 2026 page (effective Oct 1, 2026) lists no lodging rate change notices.[2]
- Licenses: Seattle requires both a business license tax certificate and an STR regulatory license; the license number must appear on every listing in the format STR-OPLI-##-######.[3]
- Unit limit: most operators may run two units: their primary residence and one other.[3]
A real booking, worked out
Say you list at $200 a night for 3 nights with a $100 cleaning fee: a $700 subtotal. Airbnb's fee and the lodging taxes are separate things. Airbnb's single host fee is 15.5% of your nightly price and fees, and taxes aren't part of that fee base, so the guest pays taxes on top while your payout is set by the platform fee.
| Booking line | Airbnb (15.5% host fee) | Vrbo (12% from Oct 29, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Your subtotal (rent + cleaning) | $700.00 | $700.00 |
| Platform host fee | −$108.50 | −$84.00 |
| Your payout | $591.50 | $616.00 |
| Lodging taxes on top for the guest (if the full $700 is taxable) | $109.90 | $109.90 |
Taxes use the rates in the table above. What counts as taxable (cleaning fees, platform service fees) is set by each agency, so treat this as an estimate. Run your own numbers in the Airbnb fee calculator or the Vrbo 12% calculator.
Holiday-season host prep for Seattle
Wet boots and muddy paws: a vacuum that fits under the beds and enzyme cleaner for the rug save the next guest's first impression. Our Airbnb cleaning supplies checklist lists what to buy, how many and when to skip (that page contains affiliate links). Getting ready for cold snaps? See the winter-ready rental checklist.