County Reviewing Short-Term Rental License Fee Increases for the First Time in Four Years

On Wednesday, June 7, Lincoln County Commissioners discussed the county’s first increase to its short-term rental license fees since 2019. The potential increase would bring the county’s fees more in line with the cost of administering the program, as well as with other coastal counties.

If approved, fee increases will be effective July 1. The proposed fee for a new short-term rental license is $750, up from $350. The proposed fee for a renewal license is $500, up from $125. As Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Support Services Director Lisa Combs explained, the fee increases are needed to offset the expense of the licensing program to the county.

Yearly wages for two staff dedicated to the licensing program cost the county just under $200,000, while the county’s short-term rental software subscription costs more than $20,000 annually. Miscellaneous other personnel and equipment costs, including the vehicle used by inspectors, brings the total annual administrative costs to approximately $255,000.

With few new licenses expected to be issued in the next several years due to area license caps, the county will largely rely on renewal fees from the approximately 500 currently licensed short-term rentals to cover costs. The total from 500 short-term rentals paying annual $500 renewal fees is $250,000 a year, just less than the estimated total cost of administering the program. 

Other counties on the Oregon coast charge similar or higher fees. Clatsop’s fee is $550 for both the original license and subsequent annual renewals. Curry County charges an initial $2,000 fee and biannual $500 renewals.

The commissioners tasked Combs with additional analysis of personnel costs for review during their June 21 meeting. They’ll use this information to determine if the proposed license fee increases are sufficient. 

The proposed increases to short-term rental license fees are accompanied by dozens of other fee adjustments proposed this year to account for rising costs. See the packet from the June 7 Board of Commissioners meeting, available on the county website, for the full proposed revised fee schedule, with changes highlighted in yellow. Watch a recording of the meeting at www.youtube.com/live/mVymGJqtBkE. 

Written public comment can be submitted online at https://tinyurl.com/LCPublicInput. In-person or virtual public comment can be made during the commission’s meeting at 10 a.m. June 21. 

For questions, contact Public Information Officer Kenneth Lipp at public_affairs@co.lincoln.or.us or 541-265-4100.