King County does not regulate coyotes directly; the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife handles non-domestic wildlife under RCW Title 77, while RASKC and KCSO respond only to immediate public-safety threats from coyotes.
Coyotes are classified as wildlife under RCW Title 77 and managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), not King County. KCC Title 11 applies to domestic animals only. Residents experiencing coyote conflicts should contact WDFW's regional office; Regional Animal Services of King County does not capture or relocate coyotes. KCSO or local police respond if a coyote poses an imminent threat to people. Feeding wildlife (including coyotes) is separately addressed under King County animal regulations and discouraged because it habituates predators near homes in unincorporated and rural King County.
Discharging a firearm at coyotes inside city limits or developed county areas violates RCW 77.15 and local discharge laws; trapping requires WDFW permits.
King County, WA
In unincorporated King County, fences 6 feet or less in height may be built on or within property lines without a building permit. Fences over 6 feet require...
King County, WA
Unincorporated King County's marine shoreline along Puget Sound and Vashon-Maury Island is regulated under the Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58), the King...
King County, WA
In unincorporated King County, an above-ground pool that can hold water more than 24 inches deep is regulated as a swimming pool under the Washington State R...
King County, WA
In unincorporated King County, a one-story detached storage shed of 200 square feet or less, accessory to a residential or agricultural use, is exempt from a...
King County, WA
Unincorporated King County requires private swimming pools to be enclosed by a barrier at least five feet high under K.C.C. 16.70.020, with self-closing/self...
King County, WA
King County Ordinance 18467 (2017) limits county cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and Washington's Keep Washington Working Act (RCW 10.93.16...
See how King County's coyote management rules stack up against other locations.
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