King County Code Title 11 requires cats over eight weeks old to be licensed with Regional Animal Services, but unlike dogs, cats are not required to be leashed; chronic nuisance cats can still trigger civil enforcement.
Under KCC Title 11, cats over eight weeks of age must hold a current RASKC license, with discounts for altered animals. Washington and King County do not require cats to be leashed or confined, so outdoor cats are legal. However, cats causing repeated nuisance, damaging neighbors' property, or running in feral colonies may be subject to civil action under KCC 11.04 and 11.32. RASKC supports trap-neuter-return for community cats and operates a low-cost spay/neuter referral program. Cities that contract with RASKC follow these same standards across most of King County's 39 jurisdictions.
Owning an unlicensed cat over eight weeks old, or allowing a cat to repeatedly damage another property, is a civil infraction under KCC Title 11.
Kirkland, WA
Leaf blowers and power equipment are restricted to 8 AM to 8 PM weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on weekends and holidays under KMC 11.84A. Kirkland has not adopted...
Kirkland, WA
Kirkland sits about 20 miles north of Sea-Tac and is lightly affected by commercial flights. Kenmore Air seaplanes and Renton Municipal general aviation caus...
Kirkland, WA
Kirkland does not impose a citywide overnight parking ban, but enforces the 72-hour rule, signed residential permit zones, and no-parking signs at parks, tra...
Kirkland, WA
Kirkland driveways must remain paved, accessible, and used for vehicle parking per KMC Title 115 zoning code, which limits front-yard paving and requires app...
Kirkland, WA
EV charging in Kirkland follows the Washington State Energy Code, which requires EV-ready capacity in new multifamily and commercial parking and protects pub...
Kirkland, WA
Under KZC 115.40, Kirkland fences may be up to 6 feet except within 15 feet of a street curb. Properties on a neighborhood access or collector street are cap...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in King County.
See how Kirkland's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
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