Can an HOA stop short-term rentals (Airbnb)?

Yes, when the recorded declaration or an amendment says so. The most common form is a minimum lease term: a lease shorter than 30 days, six months or a year is not allowed, which ends nightly rentals without naming them. Some declarations ban "transient" or "hotel" use outright. A board rule alone usually cannot add a ban; the owners must amend the declaration.

What a declaration usually says

Three patterns cover most cases. A minimum lease term, which blocks short stays by length. A ban on transient, hotel or boarding-house use, which blocks short stays by kind. Or a single-family residential use clause, which some associations read to exclude paying guests. The third pattern is the least clear, and disputes over it end up in court.

In the covenants Setback has read, as of October 19, 2026, 56 of 1,258 recorded documents address short-term rentals by name, and 71 set a minimum lease term.

What to check before you buy

1. Read every amendment, not only the original declaration. Short-term rental limits are often added years later.
2. Note the minimum lease term, if any, and whether the clause counts days or months.
3. Check the city or county code too. A covenant and a local ordinance both apply, and the stricter one wins.

Where the law comes in

In Washington, chapter 64.90 RCW sets how a declaration is amended. Most amendments need at least 67 percent of the votes, and the amendment binds every lot once it is recorded. A city's short-term rental ordinance is separate from any covenant.