Grant County, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Limit
- 3 dogs/cats/similar pets per 5,000 sq ft of lot
- Puppies/kittens under 6 months
- Excluded from the count
- Above-limit numbers
- Reclassified as Livestock Maintenance
- Livestock Maintenance requirement
- Permitted Use zoning district, GCC § 23.08.240
- Governing section
- GCC UDO § 23.08.020(h)(3)
Summary
Unincorporated Grant County limits dogs, cats and similar household pets to three per 5,000 square feet of lot area, under GCC UDO Section 23.08.020(h)(3). Animals under six months old do not count toward the limit. Owning more pets than the lot allows turns the extras into a Livestock Maintenance use requiring a zoning district that permits it.
(h)Domestic Animal Maintenance: In addition to livestock maintenance allowed in certain zoning districts, as specified in Tables 3, 4 and 5 of GCC § 23.04, the following animals may be maintained: ... (3)Not more than three (3) dogs, cats or similar household pets, exclusive of animals under six (6) months of age, for each five thousand (5,000) square feet of area of the parcel of land upon which such dogs, cats or similar household pets are kept.(4)Maintenance of animals other than those identified herein (including hogs) or in numbers greater than those specified herein shall be considered Livestock Maintenance. Livestock maintenance may be permitted only in those zoning districts specifying livestock maintenance as a Permitted Use, and shall comply with the requirements of GCC § 23.08.240.
Full Breakdown
020(h)(3) caps household pets at not more than three dogs, cats or similar household pets for each 5,000 square feet of the parcel where they are kept, and it excludes any animal under six months of age from the count, so litters of puppies or kittens do not immediately put an owner over the limit. 020(h), which also covers fowl, rabbits, horses and goats on separate per-acreage formulas. 240. This limit applies only to unincorporated county land; Moses Lake, Ephrata and Grant County's other incorporated cities and towns set their own pet limits under their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
GCC Section 1.32.140 sets a $500 fine per occurrence for violating the pet-limit standard in Section 23.08.020(h)(3). Repeat violations on the same property within 24 months add escalating fines of $500, $1,000 and $2,000 under Section 1.32.220, and the authorized official can pursue additional remedies such as a certificate of noncompliance recorded on the property's title under Section 1.32.230.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs or cats can I own in unincorporated Grant County?
What if I have more pets than the limit allows on a small lot?
Does the three-pet limit apply inside Moses Lake or Ephrata?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grant County
Compare Grant County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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