Auburn, WA

RCW 16.60 governs boundary fences and cost-sharing in Washington. ACC 18.31.020 controls height and placement. Spite fences allow civil remedy. A survey before building is strongly…

Auburn's retaining wall rules under ACC 18.31.025 tier setback allowances by height: walls under 48 inches can go anywhere in a residential setback, walls between 48 and 84 inches are…

Auburn bans barbed wire fencing outside the P-1, M-1 and M-2 zones, with a one-acre pasture exception, under ACC 18.31.020(G). Electric fences are confined to the RC, R-1, C-2, M-1…

Auburn caps residential fence height under ACC 18.31.020(C) at 42 inches in the front setback (72 inches for see-through chain link, wrought iron or similar material), and 72 inches in…

Auburn requires a building permit for any fence exceeding 84 inches in height under ACC 18.31.020(B)(3). Fences built on top of a retaining wall may also need a permit, and a permit…

Auburn follows WA Cottage Food Law RCW 69.22. Home food producers may sell up to $25,000/year of approved low-risk foods direct to consumers after WSDA permit. Auburn Business License…

Auburn permits home-based (family) daycare as a right in every residential zone under ACC 18.07.020, provided the operator holds a state license and an approved city business license…

Auburn caps home occupation traffic at eight two-way client or delivery trips per day for appointment-only businesses without overlapping visits, and five two-way trips per day for…

Auburn allows home occupations in any residential zone under a business license, but ACC 18.60.020 imposes 11 numbered requirements on floor area, employees, hours, parking, and…

Auburn limits a home occupation to a single nonilluminated sign no larger than 18 by 24 inches under ACC 18.60.020(G), unless the home occupation sits in a commercial or industrial…

Washington has no microenterprise home kitchen permit. WAC 246-215-08300 bars operating a food establishment without a permit from the local health jurisdiction, and the one permit…

Auburn STR operators must obtain a City business license and comply with Washington RCW 64.37 requirements. Platforms verify compliance before listing goes live in many cases.

Washington requires short-term rental operators to maintain at least $1 million in primary liability insurance, or to operate through a platform providing equivalent coverage, under…

Washington imposes statewide sales tax and lodging taxes on short-term rental stays under 30 days. Operators must register with the Department of Revenue, collect applicable taxes, and…

Auburn pools must comply with federal VGB Act anti-entrapment drain covers, WAC 246-260 for commercial pools, and building code barriers. Private homeowners should also follow safety…

Auburn adopts the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code by reference under ACC 15.07.010(D)(11), covering residential pool and spa construction, and requires the same…

Auburn caps household pets at four dogs, four cats, or any combination totaling four, per ACC 6.04.040. The cap does not apply to humane societies, animal shelters, veterinary…

Auburn makes it a misdemeanor to shoot, trap, kill or otherwise molest robins, larks, sparrows, wrens and other songbirds or insectivorous birds within city limits, including their…

Auburn bans owning an unaltered dog or cat over six months old unless the owner holds a city unaltered-animal license, per ACC 6.04.050. Guide-dog puppies in training and police…

Auburn cats need a current city license after 8 weeks old under ACC 6.04.010, and a female cat in heat must be confined so she cannot reach a male, per ACC 6.02.020, or she can be…

Auburn will not release a repeat-impounded dog or cat until it is microchipped. Under ACC 6.01.100(A), if an un-microchipped dog or cat has been impounded before in the last 24 months…

Any dog off its owner's property in Auburn must be on a leash or chain no longer than eight feet, controlled by the owner or another competent, authorized person, under ACC 6.02.040…

Auburn does not ban dogs by breed; instead the animal control authority declares individual dogs "dangerous" based on their conduct, then requires a $250,000 bond or insurance policy…

Feeding any wild bird or animal in an Auburn city park is unlawful under ACC 2.22.130, along with touching, molesting, or offering wildlife tobacco, alcohol, or anything else known to…

Auburn's zoning code confines veterinary clinics and small animal hospitals to commercial and light-industrial land. Table 18.23.030 permits them outright in the C-1, C-2, C-AG and M-1…

Auburn zones pet grooming under Animal Sales and Services, ACC 18.57.040(B), which caps overnight boarding, restricts outdoor dog runs to 8am-6pm and 50 feet from homes, and requires…

Auburn permits up to two honeybee hives as an accessory use on lots under 10,000 square feet, but every hive must be registered with the State Department of Agriculture and kept at…

Auburn allows up to four domestic fowl on a 6,000-square-foot lot, with one more bird per extra 2,000 square feet up to a 10-bird cap; roosters and peafowl are banned outright, and…

Auburn follows Washington RCW 16.30 banning private ownership of dangerous wild animals (big cats, bears, non-human primates, venomous reptiles). ACC 6.02 adds local enforcement…

Unincorporated King County has no ban on retail dog or cat sales: pet shops can sell commercially sourced animals. But every pet shop, animal shelter, hobby kennel, and hobby cattery…

Auburn bans all outdoor fires unless they fall into a short, enumerated list, and even those require a written permit from the fire chief before ignition. ACC Chapter 8.32 leaves no…

Auburn limits legal fireworks discharge to 9 a.m.-11 p.m. on July 4th and 6 p.m. December 31st through 1 a.m. January 1st under ACC 8.24.020. Sales run only on a set June 28-July 4…

Auburn's fire code amendment, ACC 15.36A.051, requires LP-gas containers of 125 gallons or more to be anchored or strapped against displacement and fitted with an approved earthquake…

Auburn bans outdoor fires citywide except for religious or ceremonial fires, firefighting instruction, disease control, or bulky waste and vegetation disposal where no reasonable…

Auburn follows the 2021 IFC under ACC 15.36. Smoke alarms required in each bedroom, outside sleep areas, every level. CO alarms required in dwellings with fuel appliances per RCW…

Unincorporated King County lets homeowners clear brush and prune trees near a house for wildfire safety without a clearing permit, but only within fixed distance limits set by county…

Unincorporated King County allows limited tree and brush clearing near homes for wildfire preparedness without a clearing and grading permit, including clearing up to 100 feet with a…

Auburn bans mixing yard debris into the garbage or recycling stream and requires food scraps and yard waste to go into a city-approved compostables cart, with plastic bags treated as a…

Auburn has no standing odd/even watering-day schedule. Instead, the mayor can order water use restrictions and conservation measures under ACC 13.14.020 during a drought, utility…

Auburn caps lawn grass on occupied residential lots at six inches under ACC 8.20.010(C); taller grass, weeds, brush or dead vegetation citywide is a declared public nuisance. The RC…

Auburn declares any tree, shrub or vine that overhangs a sidewalk, street or alley a public nuisance under ACC 8.20.010 if it creates a sight-distance hazard or blocks full use of the…

Auburn requires developers to retain every "significant tree" (six-inch evergreens or four-inch deciduous trees) standing in a project's required perimeter landscaping area under ACC…

Unincorporated King County's landscaping code treats stored rainwater as an approved 'alternative water source' for required irrigation and exempts rainwater-fed outlets from the…

Unincorporated King County requires new landscaping to use native or climate-adapted plants and encourages keeping existing natural vegetation in place rather than ripping it out for…

Auburn bars construction noise, including equipment, power tools and hammering, before 7:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. on weekdays, and before 9:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. on Sundays…

Auburn caps audio volume from vehicle stereos and portable audio equipment such as radios and CD players at whatever is audible beyond 50 feet, whether the sound comes from a parked or…

Auburn bans frequent or continuous horn and siren sounds except danger warnings, disruptive engine starting, repair, rebuilding or testing noise in residential districts, tire…

Auburn treats yelling, shouting, whistling or singing on or near public streets as a public disturbance noise, particularly between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., or at any time it…

Auburn restricts noisy yard equipment, lawnmowers, powered hand tools and snow removal machines, used for homeowner maintenance or repair projects to between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m…

Auburn makes it unlawful for a dog, cat or other animal's owner or custodian to let the animal habitually howl, yelp, bark or make other noises that unreasonably disturb another…

Auburn caps operational noise from battery energy storage systems (BESS) measured at the property line by zone: 60 decibels next to residential uses, 65 next to commercial, and 70 next…

In unincorporated King County, noise from aircraft and helicopters in flight, plus airport flight operations, is fully exempt from the county noise ordinance's maximum sound level and…

Auburn limits vehicles in marked loading zones to expeditious loading or unloading only, capping the stop at 15 minutes under ACC 10.36.520. The restriction runs during business hours…

Auburn's city engineer creates Restricted Parking Zones (RPZs) under ACC Chapter 10.41 to reserve on-street parking for abutting residents where a documented parking problem exists…

Auburn caps unpermitted recreational-vehicle parking in the public right-of-way at 24 hours and bans overnight occupancy of a parked RV under ACC 10.36.191. Residents can get a permit…

Auburn allows electric vehicle charging stations by right in every zoning district under ACC 18.47.020, from the PUD, RC and R-1 districts through commercial and industrial land, with…

Auburn requires every parking area on private property, including driveways, to be paved with concrete, asphalt, grass block pavers or pervious pavement under ACC 18.52.050(E)…

Auburn bans parking any commercial vehicle on residential property zoned R-2, R-3, R-4 or planned unit development under ACC 18.52.065. In the R-1 zone, a property may host only one…

Vehicles left over 72 hours on Auburn streets, or with expired tabs and flat tires, can be tagged and towed as abandoned under RCW 46.55 and ACC Title 10 enforcement.

On-street parking in Auburn is governed by ACC Title 10 and RCW 46.55, with a 72-hour limit on continuous parking and strict no-park zones near hydrants, driveways, and intersections.

In unincorporated King County, parking outside the hours posted on time-limit signs is unlawful. There's no blanket overnight ban: the restriction only applies on streets where the…

Unincorporated King County designates certain arterials and school bus routes as snow emergency routes: the roads plowed and sanded first when winter weather hits, ahead of…

The county traffic engineer picks where loading zones, passenger-loading zones, and tow-away zones go on county roads and marks them with signs or words stenciled right on the curb…

Washington caps what a private-property tow can cost. Under RCW 46.55.118, a class A, D or E tow truck operator's filed hourly towing rate cannot exceed 135 percent of the State…

Auburn lets homeowners convert garage space into an accessory dwelling unit, but ACC 18.32.010(E)(3) requires the garage door be swapped out for materials matching the house's…

Auburn allows two ADUs per residential lot outright in any residential zone that permits single-unit detached or middle housing, capping each unit between 300 and 1,000 square feet…

Auburn lets you skip a building permit for a one-story detached tool or storage shed only if its floor area stays at or under 200 square feet. Go bigger, or add plumbing or wiring, and…

Unincorporated King County exempts accessory dwelling units from school impact fees under County Code § 21A.43.070.A.9, so building an ADU triggers no per-unit school fee that a new…

Washington allows tiny houses on permanent foundations under IRC Appendix Q (adopted in the state building code) for dwellings 400 square feet or less. RCW 35.21.686 governs tiny…

Auburn follows the Department of Ecology Western Washington Stormwater Manual through ACC Title 13 surface water code, requiring runoff control for new and redeveloped sites in the…

Auburn requires new construction in the Special Flood Hazard Area to be built to a flood protection elevation one foot above the base flood elevation. The floodplain administrator, the…

Auburn requires a Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for any project that disturbs land, spelling out clearing limits, sediment controls and slope stabilization. The…

Auburn regulates construction in FEMA-mapped Zone AE floodplains along the Green River and White River under ACC Title 15.68 and the Critical Areas Ordinance, requiring elevation and…

Unincorporated King County lets property owners clear brush and prune trees for wildfire defensible space without a clearing permit, but only within fixed distances from the house set…

Unincorporated King County limits shoreline docks to water-dependent uses, caps most residential lots to one dock or moorage facility, and bans new private boat launch ramps entirely.

Washington's Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58) requires Shoreline Substantial Development Permits for most construction within 200 feet of marine and freshwater shorelines statewide.

Washington RCW 59.18.650 requires just cause to terminate most residential tenancies. Auburn landlords must identify one of the 16 statutory grounds and use the state-prescribed notice…

Every rental housing business operating in Auburn, from single rentals to multifamily complexes, must hold a city business license in good standing under ACC 5.22.030, renewed and paid…

Auburn's amended International Property Maintenance Code requires landlords who rent, lease or let dwelling units to supply heat year-round, keeping habitable rooms, bathrooms and…

Rent control is preempted statewide by RCW 35.21.830, so Auburn landlords set market rents; tenant protections come from RCW 59.18 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act) and HB 1351 notice…

Since 2021, Washington's just-cause statute RCW 59.18.650 prohibits no-fault evictions of month-to-month tenants. Landlords in King County must cite one of sixteen enumerated causes…

For nonpayment of rent, a Washington landlord must serve a 14-day pay-or-vacate notice in the form set by RCW 59.18.057 before filing an unlawful detainer under RCW 59.12.030…

RCW 59.18.150 requires a Washington landlord to give at least two days' written notice before entering to inspect, repair, or maintain the unit, and at least one day's notice to show…

Under RCW 59.18.170, a Washington landlord may not charge any late fee on rent paid within five days of its due date; a fee may begin only once rent is more than five days past due…

Under RCW 59.18.200, a Washington tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 20 days' written notice. A landlord, however, cannot end a periodic tenancy at will: RCW…

Under RCW 59.18.140, a Washington landlord must give at least 90 days' prior written notice before raising rent (30 days for income-based subsidized housing). The 2025 Rent…

Washington sets no dollar cap on residential security deposits, but it controls how they are collected and returned. A landlord may collect a deposit only with a written rental…

Washington's general adverse possession period is 10 years under RCW 4.16.020, requiring possession that is actual, open and notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous. A shorter…

Scaffolding at Auburn construction sites follows Washington State Building Code (RCW 19.27) and WISHA safety rules, with permits required for scaffolds over 10 feet and right-of-way…

Auburn adopts the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code by reference under ACC 15.07.010(D)(8) and classifies plumbing permits as Type I administrative decisions. Applicants file with the…

Auburn requires a written permit application to the department of community development before any work covered by the adopted International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fire…

Auburn's amended fire code, ACC 15.36A.041(C), mandates automatic sprinklers in most new buildings over 10,000 square feet, taller than 30 feet, or needing more than 2,500 gpm fire…

Auburn's building official inspects construction in defined stages under ACC 15.07.090: a combined rough-in inspection for mechanical, gas, plumbing and electrical work before it is…

Auburn does not run its own electrical permit program: ACC 15.28.010 requires all electrical wiring, equipment and appliances to conform to state statutes and states that no additional…

Auburn adopts the 2021 International Green Construction Code by reference under ACC 15.07.010(D)(13), but only as an optional guide for developers who choose to build to it; the city…

Auburn elevators are regulated by Washington Department of Labor and Industries under RCW 70.87 and WAC 296-96. Annual inspections, operating permits, and licensed contractor…

Unincorporated King County lets state-licensed family day care homes build to the residential code instead of the commercial code; larger stand-alone child care centers still must meet…

Unincorporated King County requires dwelling entry doors to have a dead bolt lock operable from inside without a key, mounted no higher than 48 inches.

Auburn's residential zoning table caps a house at 35 feet in the RC and R-1 zones, rising to 45 feet in R-3 and R-F, and up to 75 feet in the denser R-4 and R-NM zones. The limit is…

Auburn caps how much of a residential lot can be covered by buildings, driveways and other hard surfaces through a maximum impervious area percentage that varies by zone. The limit…

Auburn's residential setback table, ACC 18.07.030(E), sets a 35-foot front setback in RC and R-1, dropping to 10 feet in R-2, with rear setbacks from 10 to 35 feet and interior side…

Washington's RCW 64.38.055 and RCW 64.90 limit how Auburn homeowners associations can restrict rooftop solar, protecting reasonable installations from outright bans while allowing…

Unincorporated King County waives a building permit for roof-mounted home solar panels weighing under 4 pounds per square foot and rising no more than 18 inches above the roof; bigger…

Auburn rental housing owners and managers must sometimes provide a certificate of inspection under ACC 5.22.057 to keep their city business license in good standing. The inspection…

Anyone going house to house or place to place selling goods or services in Auburn needs a solicitor's license under ACC 5.20.220, subject to a police chief background check. Every…

Unincorporated King County lets any occupant bar door-to-door solicitors just by posting a sign. Under King County Code § 12.66.010, once a "No Solicitation" or "No Trespassing" sign…

Auburn requires every food establishment employee covered by ACC 8.04.010 to hold a valid food handler health record, permit, card or certificate on file with their employer, backed by…

Auburn's nuisance code, ACC 8.12.020, specifically bans unprotected cesspools and pits, uncovered trash and packing debris, garbage cans without tight lids, and weeds or grass…

Auburn allows licensed card rooms under Chapter 3.80 ACC, but every operator needs both a Washington State Gambling Commission license and a city business license, and the city taxes…

Washington exempts bona fide charitable and nonprofit organizations from Gambling Commission licensing when raffle, bingo, or amusement-game revenue stays under $5,000 a year…

Washington law defines a "player" under RCW 9.46.0265 as someone who gambles on equal terms with no profit beyond personal winnings. A private card game among friends is legal without…

Sports betting is legal in Washington only at tribal casinos operating under a class III gaming compact amended to include it, as RCW 9.46.0364 authorizes following ESHB 2638 (2020 c…

Auburn requires its contracted solid waste service providers to collect garbage from every single-family, multifamily and commercial customer at least once a week, and garbage service…

Auburn requires garbage, recycling and compostables carts to be at the curb by the hauler's scheduled start time and back in storage within a reasonable time after pickup, and once…

Auburn makes it unlawful to place nonrecyclable solid waste into any container, curb spot, or drop-off site designated for recyclables, and separately bans dumping garbage, recyclables…

Auburn's contracted haulers are the city's exclusive agents for collecting recyclables citywide, though residents may self-haul their own recyclables in their own vehicle and…

Auburn requires every single-family customer to keep at least one rigid, service-provider cart as the primary garbage container, store it at its approved location under the zoning code…

Multiplex, multifamily and commercial dumpsters, trash compactors and recycling bins in Auburn must be fully screened from public view behind a solid fence, wall or gate under ACC…

Auburn's solid waste code does not publish a list of skipped holidays but builds the shift directly into the set-out rule: whenever a scheduled collection day falls on a designated…

Auburn makes it unlawful to mix yard debris or food scraps into the garbage or recycling set out at curbside; ACC 8.08.120 requires compostables to go in the provider's compostables…

Auburn defines yard debris narrowly under ACC 8.08.030: leaves and grass or plant clippings only, capped at four inches in diameter or four feet in length, with bundles tied in…

Dumping or dropping litter anywhere in Auburn outside an approved container is unlawful under ACC 8.16.030, a civil infraction carrying up to a $250 fine per day, location and…

Unincorporated King County has no curbside bulky-item pickup in its code; residents self-haul large items and appliances to county transfer stations, where drop box loads are capped at…

Auburn taxes gross receipts by classification under ACC 3.53.040: 0.10% on extracting and manufacturing, 0.18% on wholesaling, 0.05% on retailing, 0.15% on retail services, and 0.10%…

King County levies a 1% tax on vehicle parking charges at the stadium and exhibition center owned by the Washington State Public Stadium Authority, rising to 10% once construction…

Auburn's tight outdoor-burning law makes one clean carve-out for cooking: ACC 8.32.030 exempts domestic barbecues, smokers and similar outdoor cooking devices from the fire chief's…

Filming that closes a public street in Auburn needs a special event permit under ACC 2.23. The staff review committee can condition the permit on advance notice to residents and…

A film or movie shoot on Auburn's public property, streets, or parks needs a special event permit under ACC 2.23.040, since ACC 2.23.020(G) lists 'filming/movies' among the activities…

Auburn's special event permit chapter lets the staff review committee cap amplified sound and require compliance with noise laws as a permit condition under ACC 2.23.070(C)(9)…

Auburn bars anyone under 18 from public places or business premises between midnight and 6:00 a.m. under ACC Chapter 9.10, with civil infractions for the juvenile, an unsupervising…

Unless posted otherwise, Auburn parks open a half hour before sunrise and close a half hour after sunset under ACC 2.22.220. Anyone who enters or stays in a closed park faces criminal…

Auburn requires a $500-a-year establishment license and $50-a-year manager's license for adult entertainment businesses under ACC 5.30, and bans sexually oriented businesses within…

Auburn tow truck operators must run 24/7, reach a collision scene within 5 minutes by day or 10 by night, and get there within 20 minutes, under ACC 5.20.240. Licensees need at least…

Auburn pawnbrokers must be fingerprinted, keep a written transaction ledger, and report every transaction to the police chief before noon the next day under ACC 5.20.210. Pledged…

Auburn requires a regulatory license for every massage business, health salon and public bathhouse under ACC 5.20.170. The building department, city health officer and police chief…

Unincorporated King County requires any store selling cigarettes or other tobacco products, including vape and e-cigarette retailers, to hold a $210, three-year county tobacco license…

Anyone buying, selling or trading secondhand goods in unincorporated King County must hold a secondhand dealer's license under King County Code § 6.60.010. The $40-a-year license…

Unincorporated King County bans auto, truck, and heavy equipment repair or auto body work as a home occupation in the R, UR, NB, CB, and RB zones under County Code section 21A.30.080.

Auburn levies a 1% special excise tax on lodging charged by hotels, motels, rooming houses, tourist courts and trailer camps under ACC 3.58.010, layered on top of the state sales tax…

Auburn lets food trucks and mobile vendors operate in every nonresidential zone with no day limit, but caps residential-zone vending at three calendar days in the same spot under ACC…

Auburn food trucks and mobile vendors skip a city business license only if they operate 10 days or less per year and never sit on one parcel more than three straight days, under ACC…

Auburn requires a Type C right-of-way use permit to run a sidewalk vending cart selling food, beverages, flowers, plants, or merchandise from public right-of-way. The permit is…

Auburn's disorderly conduct ordinance, ACC 9.78.010(A)(8), makes it a misdemeanor to urinate or defecate anywhere open to public view outside a restroom or toilet facility. The same…

Auburn Municipal Code Chapter 9.50 defines loitering and lets police order people to move on when they block streets, sidewalks or business entrances. Anyone who refuses a lawful…

Auburn bans skateboarding and roller skating on any street, alley, sidewalk or public parking lot within the downtown central business district under ACC 10.58.040. Les Gove Park…

Auburn bans smoking, vaping, and all tobacco use in every city park except its golf courses under ACC 2.22.085. The rule covers e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, cigars, pipes, and…

Auburn enforces Washington's statewide open-container law by reference: opening a liquor package or drinking alcohol in a public place is a class 3 civil infraction under RCW…

Unincorporated King County treats a loud house party as a public disturbance noise violation, and the person in possession of the property, not just whoever is making the racket, is…

Auburn requires a Type C right-of-way use permit before a restaurant or cafe can put tables and chairs on the sidewalk outside its building. The city engineer reviews insurance…

Auburn treats a block party as a Type B short-term right-of-way use permit, covering closures of less than 30 days for sidewalk sales, rallies, and similar events. Applicants pay a…

Anyone organizing a parade, march or similar public procession in Auburn needs a permit from the police chief, with the mayor's concurrence, under ACC 10.64.030. Applications cost…

Because ACC 2.23.020(G) counts filming/movies among the activities defined as a special event, a commercial production shooting in Auburn's public spaces triggers ACC 2.23.030(B)(4)…

Anyone organizing entertainment, a demonstration, or a public gathering in an Auburn park needs a permit from the parks director under ACC 2.22.040. Applications are due at least one…

A street fair, carnival, or festival on Auburn's public property or rights-of-way needs a special event permit under ACC 2.23.040, since ACC 2.23.020(G) defines 'fairs' and similar…

Auburn Municipal Code 18.02.067(G) and (H) grant a 50 percent density bonus for housing on land owned by religious organizations and for additions to existing commercial, mixed-use and…

Auburn adopts its downtown Auburn design standards by reference under ACC 18.29.070, giving the community development director authority to apply them to every DUC-zoned project. New…

Auburn has no landmarks commission of its own; instead ACC 15.76.020 designates the King County landmarks and heritage commission to act as the city's landmarks body, with an…

Auburn inspectors can enter any building served by city water to look for leaky pipes or fixtures wasting water, and once the city serves written notice, the owner or occupant has…

King County's wastewater utility must actively pursue reclaimed water reuse and keeps exclusive ownership of all reclaimed water its treatment plants produce.

Auburn bars any driver from stopping, standing or parking a vehicle within a marked bicycle lane under ACC 10.36.270(A)(23), one of 29 listed no-parking locations citywide. Blocking a…

Auburn police may run automated traffic safety cameras at intersections and in school speed zones under ACC 10.42.010, but the cameras may capture only the vehicle and plate, never a…

King County's traffic code regulates every motorized foot scooter operated on unincorporated county roads, alleys, trails and park property, including shared and dockless units. Riders…

In unincorporated King County, a transportation network company vehicle may not stop, stand or park on a county road except in a designated taxicab stand, unless it is briefly stopped…

King County Code lets Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes use regional trails and paved pathways in county parks, but bans Class 3 e-bikes from every trail and pathway in park areas.

Washington splits small street-legal vehicles into three statutory classes by top speed, and the rules for each are different. A golf cart tops out at 20 mph and may use public streets…

Sounding a car horn or alarm siren repeatedly or continuously in Auburn violates ACC 8.28.010(B)(1) unless it warns of danger or is otherwise required by law. The rule is part of the…

Running a generator or other internal combustion engine in an Auburn residential district violates ACC 8.28.010(B)(2) if it creates frequent, repetitive or continuous sound that…

Auburn's noise ordinance makes it unlawful for frequent, repetitive or continuous sound from music, audio systems, band sessions or social gatherings inside any building to disturb…

Auburn treats ongoing engine, horn, hydraulic or air-brake sounds from delivery trucks near residential property as a public disturbance noise under ACC 8.28.010(B)(10) when they…

In unincorporated King County, air conditioners, heat pumps and other stationary equipment noise must stay under the county's district-based sound level table, dropping 10 dB(A)…

In unincorporated King County, amplified bass that's plainly audible or felt 50 feet from the source (300 feet for watercraft) in a residential or rural district is a public…

Under ACC 12.12.232 and 12.12.234, the property owner abutting a public sidewalk, not the city, bears the cost of maintaining and repairing it, including clearing debris, moss, snow…

ACC 12.32.010 reserves Auburn's public sidewalks exclusively for pedestrians and bicycles. ACC 12.32.020 bars placing any bench, rack, sign, merchandise or other object on a sidewalk…

Auburn requires a right-of-way use permit under ACC 12.60.010 before anyone makes private use of a public sidewalk, street or landscape strip. Four permit types cover banners, short…

Auburn bans sitting or lying on public sidewalks in the downtown and neighborhood commercial zones between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. under ACC 10.68.010. Officers must warn a person…

Auburn lets a religious organization host a homeless encampment on its property only under a detailed sanitation and site plan approved by the city: portable toilets, hand-washing…

Auburn requires city engineer permission before anyone plants or removes a tree or shrub in a public parking strip under ACC 12.36.030. ACC 12.36.040 bans specific species and sets…

Auburn's street tree code, ACC 12.36.040, names ailanthus, the tree of heaven, among the species it is unlawful to plant in any public parking strip because its roots damage sewers…

Auburn's amended International Property Maintenance Code bans noxious weeds outright and caps other weeds or plant growth at six inches under ACC 15.20.080, giving the city authority…

ACC 12.40.010 gives every person occupying or controlling a lot in Auburn just 24 hours to clear all ice and snow from the sidewalk abutting their property, with violations enforced as…

Auburn requires owners to register any property that sits vacant for more than 30 days under ACC 15.20.100, then keep it secured, lit, winterized and free of overgrown vegetation…

Auburn's public nuisance code, ACC 8.12.020, declares junk-covered yards, unsightly or dangerous buildings, junkyards and uncontained trash to be public nuisances citywide, and the…

Auburn bans billboards outright citywide: the large off-premises advertising signs typically aimed at freeway traffic cannot be erected or placed anywhere in the city under the sign…

Auburn caps any window sign meant to be seen from the street at half the window's area, and treats permanent window signage as a wall sign subject to the wall sign area limits for the…

Auburn allows electronic changing message center signs only in specific commercial and industrial zones, one per frontage, capped at 8,000 nits by day and 500 nits at night, with a…

Auburn exempts temporary political signs from its sign code entirely: any temporary sign limited exclusively to noncommercial speech, the category political and campaign signs fall…

Auburn requires every outdoor light fixture to be shielded on all sides so the bulb itself cannot be seen from or beyond the property line, and caps illumination spilling onto…

Auburn requires all outdoor lighting fixtures covered by Chapter 18.55 ACC to be shielded on every side so the bulb itself is never visible past the property line. ACC 18.55.030 caps…

Unincorporated King County allows billboards to be illuminated, but light sources must sit no farther from the sign than its height and can't shine directly into homes or streets.

Auburn caps marijuana retail stores at four citywide, requires them to sit at least one mile apart, at least 1,320 feet from residential-zoned land, and up to 2,640 feet from schools…

Auburn requires marijuana retailers to sit at least 1,320 feet from residential zones and one mile from another marijuana retailer, with additional 2,640-foot and 1,320-foot buffers…

Washington uniquely prohibits recreational home cultivation of cannabis statewide, with cultivation only permitted by licensed producers and qualifying medical patients.

Auburn exempts garage and yard sales from home occupation permitting only if they run no more than 20 days total in a calendar year and involve only household goods that were not…

Auburn exempts temporary holiday lighting from its outdoor lighting chapter entirely, so seasonal light displays are not subject to the shielding, height or foot-candle limits that…

Auburn's residential conservancy (RC) zone allows a defined list of agricultural enterprise uses on parcels of at least 10 acres, but only under an administrative or conditional use…

Washington RCW 64.90 (WUCIOA) governs HOA board procedures for associations formed after July 2018. Boards must hold open meetings, keep records, and follow notice rules.

Washington has two regimes. Communities created on or after July 1, 2018 fall under WUCIOA (RCW 64.90), whose lien carries a 6-month super-priority over first mortgages and can be…

Washington HOAs may adopt and enforce rules and architectural standards and enforce the recorded declaration. Under WUCIOA, RCW 64.90.405 authorizes rule adoption and enforcement…

This right applies only within Washington homeowners' associations governed by the Homeowners' Association Act, chapter 64.38 RCW: communities formed before July 1, 2018, excluding…

Washington homeowners associations and condo boards may not prohibit or unreasonably restrict a unit owner's electric vehicle charging station installed for personal, noncommercial use…

Washington's older Homeowners' Association Act, chapter 64.38 RCW, applies to HOAs formed before July 1, 2018 that have not opted into the newer Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act…

Both Washington regimes let HOAs impose reasonable fines, but only after notice and an opportunity to be heard and only under a fine schedule already adopted by the board and furnished…

Washington associations do hold a super-lien. Under RCW 64.90.485(3)(a)(i) of the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act, an association's lien jumps ahead of a first…

Washington condominium and HOA boards cannot cap or ban unit leasing by ordinary board rule. RCW 64.90.510(10)(c) lets a board restrict leasing only to the extent the rule mirrors…

King County administrative offices and executive departments are banned from obtaining, retaining, accessing or using facial recognition technology, with narrow exceptions.

King County treats license-plate-reader data as personal information and bars county agencies and contractors from handing it to ICE, CBP, or USCIS for civil immigration enforcement…

King County agencies and the sheriff's office won't spend resources on civil immigration enforcement or hold people on ICE detainers without a judicial criminal warrant.

Unmanned model aircraft, rockets, and drones are banned in King County parks and trails unless the county specifically designates and posts an area for that use or the parks director…

Commercial drone operations in Washington are governed by FAA Part 107, with state law adding criminal liability for invasive uses and limited authority over state-owned land.

King County targets citations within 60 days of a complaint and notice-and-orders within 120 days, per code enforcement guidelines.

Unincorporated King County residents report suspected code violations through the county's online Permitting portal or by calling code enforcement at 206-296-6600; the code authorizes…

Washington RCW 49.46 sets a statewide minimum wage adjusted annually for inflation; as of 2026 it is $17.13 per hour. Washington does not preempt local minimum wages, so several cities…

Washington RCW 49.46.200 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees, and RCW 50A.04 provides paid family and medical leave funded by payroll premiums.

Washington issues concealed pistol licenses under RCW 9.41.070 on a shall-issue basis to qualified applicants, with statewide preemption preventing local concealed carry rules.

Washington RCW 9.41.290 broadly preempts local firearm regulation, reserving authority over firearm laws to the state legislature with very limited exceptions.

Washington allows open carry of firearms by qualified adults without a permit, with limited statutory restrictions and broad preemption barring most local open carry rules.

Washington RCW 9.41.050 governs carrying firearms in vehicles statewide, requiring a concealed pistol license to carry a loaded handgun in a motor vehicle.

Washington does not operate sobriety checkpoints, and no section of the Revised Code of Washington authorizes one. The only suspicionless power to stop a driver that the Legislature…

Washington is an all-party consent state, and the rule lives in the Washington Privacy Act at RCW 9.73.030. That section reaches only a private communication or a private conversation…

Washington has no general stop-and-identify statute. Someone stopped on a sidewalk in Seattle, Spokane or Tacoma and asked who they are has no statutory duty to answer, and staying…

Washington has no statute telling an adult driver what happens when an officer asks to search the car, and there is no logging or written-consent requirement of the kind Texas and…

Washington RCW 70A.530 bans single-use plastic carryout bags statewide and requires retailers to charge a pass-through fee for compliant paper or reusable bags.

Washington RCW 70A.245 bans expanded polystyrene foam food service containers, packing peanuts, and coolers in phases starting June 2024 to combat plastic pollution.

Washington RCW 70A.550 limits single-use food service ware including plastic straws and utensils to upon-request distribution at restaurants and food service businesses.

Washington RCW 26.28.080 sets the minimum age for purchasing tobacco and vapor products at 21, aligning with federal Tobacco 21 standards statewide.

Washington has not enacted a statewide flavored tobacco ban, leaving flavor restrictions to limited Department of Health authority and federal FDA enforcement on flavored vapor…

Washington splits its extra-lighting rules between the statute and the State Patrol's rules, and the part most drivers care about lives in the rules. RCW 46.37.180 allows up to two…

Washington has no statute that names dash cameras, so mounting one is governed by a single test in RCW 46.37.410(2): no sign, poster or other nontransparent material may sit on the…

Lane splitting is expressly illegal in Washington. RCW 46.61.608(3) states flatly that no person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows…

Washington bans license plate covers outright. RCW 46.16A.200(7)(c)(i) makes it unlawful to use license plate holders, frames, covers, or other materials that conceal, obstruct…

Nothing in Washington law restricts a radar detector in a private passenger vehicle. Chapter 46.37 RCW, the vehicle equipment chapter that fixes fog lamp mounting heights to the inch…

Washington allows metal studded tires only in the winter half of the year. RCW 46.37.420(2) makes it unlawful to use metal studs imbedded within the tire between April 1st and November…

Washington lets you tint every window except the windshield down to 24 percent light transmission, with outward reflectance capped at 35 percent, but RCW 46.37.430(5)(a) measures that…