Edmonds, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Domestic animal cap
- 5 per dwelling unit
- Litter grace period
- 180 days after birth
- First violation fine
- $100.00
- Repeat violation (2 yrs)
- $250.00
- Violation class
- Class I civil infraction, Ch. 7.80 RCW
Summary
Edmonds City Code 5.05.015 limits every residential dwelling unit to five or fewer domestic animals, regardless of how many people live there. A newborn litter gets a 180-day grace period before the household must come back down to the cap, and small caged or tank pets kept indoors don't count against it.
For each residential dwelling unit, regardless of the number of occupants residing within each dwelling unit, the following maximum number of domestic animals may be kept or owned within the dwelling unit upon the lot or premises associated with such dwelling unit: ... ... B. Five or fewer domestic animals; C. One unweaned litter produced by any domestic animal permitted to be kept by this chapter; provided, that the total number of domestic animals kept shall not exceed that number provided in subsection (B) of this section more than 180 days following the birth of the litter.
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
030 when animal keeping was regulated out of the zoning code, sets the maximum number of domestic animals for any residential dwelling unit in the city. Subsection A carves out household pets kept and housed inside the home in numbers normally associated with residential use, listing hamsters, mice, gerbils, guinea pigs, nonvenomous snakes, parakeets, canaries, finches, other songbirds, and fish as animals that don't count toward the household limit. Subsection B then sets the hard number for everything else: five or fewer domestic animals per dwelling unit, no matter how many occupants live there or how large the lot is.
Subsection C addresses litters: a single unweaned litter produced by an animal the household is already allowed to keep is exempt from the count, but the total number of animals in the home cannot exceed the five-animal cap more than 180 days after the litter is born, meaning owners of newborn puppies or kittens have to find new homes for the extras or bring the household back into compliance within that window. 05's animal control provisions.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 5.05 sets a default penalty of a Class I civil infraction under Chapter 7.80 RCW for any violation not otherwise specified, including exceeding the pet cap. A first violation carries a $100.00 fine; a second or subsequent violation within two years carries a $250.00 fine under 5.05.002.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the five-pet cap apply per person or per household?
What happens if my dog or cat has a litter in Edmonds?
Do my fish tank and hamster cage count toward the five-animal limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmonds
Compare Edmonds to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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Pet Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle pet limits.