Washington Bill Would Allow Short-Term Rentals Like Airbnb to Offer Complimentary Marijuana to Guests

A newly filed Washington bill that is now set for a public hearing would create a first-of-its-kind pathway for short-term rental operators to legally offer complimentary marijuana prerolls to adult guests staying at their properties. House Bill 2639, filed January 23 by Representatives Melanie Morgan (D), Natasha Hill (D) and Nicole Macri (D), has been scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business at 8:00 AM on January 30.

The proposal would create a new annual permit allowing short-term rental operators — such as those running Airbnb and similar properties — to provide each adult guest age 21 or older with a complimentary prerolled marijuana product containing up to one gram of useable marijuana.

Under the bill, operators would pay a $75 annual fee for the permit, which would apply to all rental properties they own or operate. Before providing a preroll, the operator or a staff member physically present at the property would be required to verify the age of each guest using valid identification at check-in. Guests must also be informed that the marijuana is being offered to them and reminded that Washington law still prohibits opening or consuming marijuana in public view or public places.

Importantly, guests must not have previously declined the offer. The preroll could be consumed on the rental property, as long as it complies with existing public consumption laws, or it could be taken off the premises for later use.

The measure does not change Washington’s public consumption rules under RCW 69.50.445. Instead, it creates a narrow exception allowing licensed short-term rental operators to legally provide marijuana in a hospitality-style setting, something that is currently not clearly allowed under state law.

The bill also outlines a straightforward permitting process. Upon application and payment of the fee, and once the Liquor and Cannabis Board is satisfied the applicant qualifies, the permit must be issued.

For purposes of the legislation, the terms “short-term rental,” “operator,” and “guest” follow the definitions already established in RCW 64.37.010, tying the measure directly into Washington’s existing short-term rental regulatory framework.

If approved, Washington would become the first state to explicitly allow marijuana to be offered as a complimentary amenity in the short-term rental industry, opening the door to a new form of cannabis tourism and hospitality integration while maintaining strict age verification and compliance with public use restrictions.

The January 30 hearing will give lawmakers their first opportunity to publicly debate whether marijuana prerolls should join Wi-Fi passwords, bottled water, and coffee pods as a standard perk for adult guests staying in Washington’s growing short-term rental market.