Yakima County, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Hobby kennel cap
- 10 adult dogs, license required
- Commercial/foster kennel trigger
- more than 6 dogs
- Commercial/foster kennel license fee
- $300/year
- Hobby kennel license fee
- $100/year + $10/unaltered dog
- Unlicensed kennel fine
- $950 per violation
- Base dog registration required
- $125 fine if unlicensed
Summary
Yakima County doesn't cap how many dogs a household may own outright. Once you keep more than six dogs, or run what the code calls a "hobby kennel" of up to ten adult dogs, YCC § 19.18.250 and § 8.36.350 require a zoning permit and a kennel license from the Yakima Humane Society.
Applicability. This Section applies to commercial and foster shelter kennel facilities for more than six dogs. Kennels defined by YCC Subsection 8.36.020(12), including commercial and foster shelter kennels for more than six dogs, and hobby kennels for ten or fewer adult dogs, are subject to an additional kennel license required by Yakima County Sheriff – Animal Control. All kennels of whatever size shall be operated in compliance with Yakima County Code public nuisance and noise codes... "Hobby kennel" means a kennel where ten or less adult dogs are kept for hunting, breeding, exhibition, organized events, field working, working of livestock or obedience trials... It is unlawful for any person to own, maintain or operate a kennel unless such person has obtained the applicable license as provided hereinafter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4871853; v6 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Yakima County Code doesn't set a flat per-household dog or cat limit the way some cities do. 020(12) defines a "hobby kennel" as a kennel keeping ten or fewer adult dogs for hunting, breeding, exhibition, organized events, field working, working of livestock, or obedience trials, and a "commercial kennel" as the business of boarding, breeding, letting for hire, selling, bartering, or giving away dogs, with up to three litters a year from a hobby kennel not counted as commercial. A "foster shelter kennel" is a kennel keeping six or more adult dogs to temporarily house owner-released dogs before adoption.
28) codes. 350 from the Yakima Humane Society, which reviews the applicant's address, the maximum number of adult dogs the kennel will hold, and, for commercial or foster shelter kennels, a certificate of zoning compliance under Title 19. 370: a commercial or foster shelter kennel runs $300 a year, split $200 to the Humane Society and $100 to the Sheriff's Office, while a hobby kennel is $100 a year plus a $10 surcharge for each unaltered dog. 350. 090, separate from any kennel license.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed kennel, hobby or commercial, is punishable by a $950 fine for each violation under YCC § 8.36.350. A commercial or foster shelter kennel operating without the required zoning compliance certificate and license under § 19.18.250 also faces Title 21 code enforcement, and keeping an individual adult dog without the base registration required by § 8.36.090 draws a separate $125 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can I keep at my Yakima County home without a permit?
What's the difference between a hobby kennel and a commercial kennel?
How much does a kennel license cost in Yakima County?
What happens if I run an unlicensed kennel?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima County
Compare Yakima County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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