Rockaway Beach, Oregon Airbnb Rules & Investment Guide (2026)

A property cannot operate as a short-term rental without a City license, and the City currently reports more licenses than the 420-license cap. Treat license availability as a threshold acquisition issue.

• Confirm the parcel is inside Rockaway Beach city limits.
• Check the current licensed-property list and waiting-list process.
• Verify lawful residential use and dwelling status.
• Budget licensing, lodging taxes, insurance, safety, and management costs.
• Review deed, HOA, lease, lender, and insurer restrictions separately.
• Model revenue and expenses from property-specific evidence rather than market-wide projections.

The City short-term-rental page publishes current forms, fees, license records, waiting-list material, and complaint information. Do not assume a purchase, existing listing, or prior license guarantees a new license. Plan a Rockaway Beach Property Strategy Call to organize the parcel, license-cap status, operating plan, and unresolved approvals before acquisition.

The City Council set a cap of 420 short-term-rental licenses. The City currently states that active licenses exceed the cap, so new applicants should expect the waiting-list process to control availability.

• Check the City page for the current cap and license count.
• Review Resolution 2024-08 and later Council actions.
• Submit the current waiting-list application and fee if eligible.
• Keep contact and ownership information current while waiting.
• Do not advertise or accept stays without an issued license.
• Treat timing and queue position as unresolved until confirmed by the City.

Resolution 2024-08 set the 420-license cap. Chapter 113 authorizes the waiting list and annual Council review. Obtain written, address-specific confirmation before relying on a transfer or queue position.

Section 113.04 imposes address, local-agent, parking, garbage, noise, posting, guest-registry, and response standards. The exact property and its construction history can affect compliance.

• Post a visible street address and required identification sign.
• Maintain required off-street parking when applicable.
• Provide regular garbage service and secured containers.
• Give guests the City noise and fireworks rules.
• Keep a qualified owner or local agent reachable at all times.
• Respond to City or law-enforcement contact within 30 minutes.

Use Code section 113.04 for the complete standards. Confirm the parking requirement for the dwelling because the code distinguishes certain construction and conversion dates.

Transient lodging is subject to Oregon state lodging tax and Rockaway Beach local transient lodging tax. The City currently imposes a 10% local tax, administered through the Oregon Department of Revenue.

• Register through Oregon Revenue Online when required.
• Collect tax on taxable rent and nonoptional charges.
• Use the current state rate for the stay end date.
• Report the Rockaway Beach local tax with the state return.
• File quarterly when required, even if a platform collects some tax.
• Reconcile direct and marketplace bookings before each filing.

Oregon publishes current rules on its transient lodging tax page. Rockaway Beach section 34.02 imposes the local 10% tax, and the City explains its DOR administration in the payment instructions. Rates and filing duties can change.

A compliant acquisition depends on the exact parcel, an available license, lawful dwelling conditions, operating capacity, taxes, private restrictions, insurance, and documented property costs.

• Confirm City jurisdiction and parcel identity.
• Get written confirmation of license or waiting-list status.
• Verify bedrooms, egress, parking, utilities, and safety conditions.
• Read HOA, deed, lease, lender, and insurer documents.
• Price management, cleaning, utilities, taxes, insurance, repairs, and reserves.
• Stress-test the property without assuming market-wide averages.

Treat any unresolved license, waiting-list, land-use, safety, private-restriction, or insurance issue as a pre-acquisition risk. A seller statement or platform listing does not replace City confirmation.