Chelan County, WA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed-specific ban
- None; classification is behavior-based
- Governing definition
- § 7.40.015, incorporating Ch. 16.08 RCW
- Registration fee
- $100 per dog
- Microchipping
- Mandatory for dangerous/potentially dangerous dogs
- Senior discount
- Does not apply to this fee
- Governing section
- § 7.40.060, Chelan County Code
Summary
Unincorporated Chelan County does not ban any dog breed by name. Instead, § 7.40.015 adopts the state definitions of "dangerous dog" and "potentially dangerous dog" from Chapter 16.08 RCW, and § 7.40.060 layers on mandatory microchipping and a $100 local registration fee for any dog that meets those definitions.
"Dangerous dog" and "potentially dangerous dog" mean any dog defined as such pursuant to Chapter 16.08 RCW et seq. ... The only exception to the foregoing rules is that the dangerous dog fee is required throughout Chelan County, unless previously imposed by a municipality pursuant to the authority of Chapter 16.08 RCW. ... Mandatory microchipping of dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs is required. Registration fees for potentially dangerous and dangerous dogs are one hundred dollars to offset the costs of the microchip, implantation and registration to be paid by the owners of potentially dangerous or dangerous dogs. ... These penalty provisions do not apply to owners of dangerous dogs who fail to register said animal. Rather, he or she is subject to the penalty provisions of Chapter 16.08 RCW et seq. or any amendments thereto.
Full Breakdown
Chelan County's animal control chapter does not single out any breed for restriction. 08 RCW, so classification turns on a dog's documented behavior and the state-law process, not its breed. 060 imposes county-specific obligations on top of the state process: mandatory microchipping of dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs, and a registration fee of one hundred dollars to offset the cost of the microchip, its implantation and the registration itself. 08 RCW. 08 RCW directly. Ordinary dog licenses are otherwise required only within the county's designated urban growth areas at twenty dollars per year for an altered dog and sixty dollars for an unaltered one, issued annually between November 1 and December 31.
Violations & Fines
Failing to microchip or register a dog once it is classified as dangerous or potentially dangerous under state law violates § 7.40.060(b)(4)'s mandatory registration and microchipping requirement. Because § 7.40.060(d)(3) exempts this failure from the county's own civil-infraction penalty schedule, the owner instead faces the penalty provisions of Chapter 16.08 RCW directly, which can include a criminal charge under state law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chelan County ban pit bulls or other specific dog breeds?
What must I do if my dog is declared a dangerous dog?
What happens if I don't register my dangerous dog?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelan County
How Chelan County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Chelan County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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