Kent, WA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- King County Code Ch. 11.28, adopted by reference
- Adoption citation
- KCC 8.03.020(A)(5)
- Enforcement
- King County Animal Control or Kent police
- Default fine (unspecified violation)
- $125 class 2 civil infraction
Summary
Kent does not write its own exotic-animal rule; it adopts King County Code Chapter 11.28, "Exotic Animals," wholesale under KCC 8.03.020(A)(5), applying it inside city limits with every reference to "King County" read as the City of Kent.
A. Chapters adopted. The following chapters of the King County Code, as currently enacted or hereafter amended or recodified, are adopted by reference for enforcement and application within the city of Kent and shall be given the same force and effect as if set forth herein in full: ... 5. King County Code, Chapter 11.28, entitled "Exotic Animals" ... B. Agency references. Unless the context requires otherwise, references to "King County," "county," and "unincorporated King County" in the King County provisions adopted by reference through subsection (A) of this section shall be interpreted to mean the city of Kent.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4542, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
32 Guard Dogs. Subsection (B) directs that unless context requires otherwise, every reference to "King County," "county," or "unincorporated King County" in those adopted chapters means the City of Kent, so the exotic-animal restrictions apply exactly as King County wrote them. 010 explains why: Kent contracts with King County's animal control section for animal control, sheltering, and licensing services, and that interlocal agreement is on file for public review in the city clerk's office. 080. 28 provisions must be read directly for the specific prohibited species and permit standards.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the adopted King County exotic-animal chapter may be enforced by King County animal control officers under the King County Code, or independently by Kent law enforcement as a civil infraction filed with the Kent municipal court under KCC 8.03.080, which sets a class 2 civil infraction ($125) as the default fine for chapter violations not otherwise specified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kent have its own exotic-pet law?
Who enforces the exotic animal rule inside Kent?
Where do county references point when applied in Kent?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent
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Exotic Pets in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle exotic pets.