Edmonds, WA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Basis for regulation
- Behavior, not breed
- Certificate of registration fee
- $100.00 annually
- Appeal window
- 5 business days
- Minimum owner age
- 18 (potentially dangerous dogs)
- Noncompliance penalty
- Gross misdemeanor
Summary
Edmonds has no breed ban. Instead, 5.05.122 lets the animal control authority declare a specific dog 'dangerous' based on its behavior, such as an unprovoked severe injury to a person. Owners then face a $100 annual registration fee, mandatory secure enclosure, muzzling off-property, liability insurance, and warning signs.
Upon declaration by the animal control authority that a dog is a dangerous dog as defined in ECC 5.05.010, the owner shall be served with a dangerous dog declaration. ... ... F. Requirements for Dangerous Dogs. Strict compliance with each of the following conditions is required to keep a dangerous dog in the city of Edmonds: ... The applicant shall apply for such certificate upon forms supplied by the Edmonds police department and pay an annual fee of $100.00, which shall not be prorated for any part of a year. ... The owner of a dangerous dog shall provide for proper enclosure of the dangerous dog. A dangerous dog may not be outside of the dwelling of the owner or outside of a proper enclosure of a dangerous dog unless muzzled and restrained by a substantial chain or leash and under the control of a responsible person. ... H. Penalty. ... Failing to comply with any dangerous dog requirement is a gross misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4444, passed August 3, 2026).
Full Breakdown
05 draws no line based on breed. 010 as an unprovoked severe injury to a person, killing a domestic animal off the owner's property, or a repeat aggressive incident after a prior potentially-dangerous finding. 00; keep the dog in a proper enclosure, meaning a securely confined, locked pen with a secure top designed to prevent escape and keep out young children, and muzzle and restrain the dog with a substantial chain or leash under a responsible person's control whenever it's outside that enclosure or the owner's dwelling; carry liability insurance or a surety bond as required by state law; and post the property with a clearly visible warning sign, plus a separate sign warning children.
121(C). Persons under 18 cannot own a declared dog either way, and the declaration follows the dog for life unless the owner appeals or the restrictions are lifted.
Violations & Fines
Failing to comply with any dangerous dog requirement, registration, enclosure, muzzling, insurance, or signage, is a gross misdemeanor under 5.05.122(H). A dangerous dog seized for noncompliance cannot be released during the investigation or prosecution, and a convicted owner must reimburse the city for boarding and disposition costs and forfeits any interest in the dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Edmonds ban pit bulls or other breeds?
What must I do if my dog is declared dangerous in Edmonds?
Can I appeal a dangerous dog declaration in Edmonds?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmonds
How Edmonds compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Edmonds to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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Breed Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle breed restrictions.