Pop. 91,482 · Whatcom County
BMC 10.24.120 prohibits 'construction and industrial noises, including motorized construction and equipment operation, hammering, blasting, drilling and sawing' in residentially zoned…
BMC 10.24.120 specifically regulates amplified music: it must end before 10:00 p.m. citywide, except inside the Downtown Entertainment District (depicted in Figure 10.24.120(A)) and…
Industrial noise in Bellingham is regulated under BMC 10.24.120 (public disturbance noise) layered with WAC 173-60-040 Class C (industrial) source-to-receiving-class dBA matrix…
Bellingham does not publish a leaf-blower-specific ordinance. Gas-powered and electric leaf-blower use is governed by the general BMC 10.24.120 public-disturbance-noise standard and…
Aircraft-in-flight noise is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990. Bellingham International Airport (KBLI / BLI) is owned…
Bellingham regulates noise under BMC 10.24.120 (Public Disturbance Noise) within BMC Chapter 10.24 (Offenses Against Public Order). The city's stated policy is to minimize residents'…
Bellingham codifies barking-dog enforcement in BMC Title 7 (Animals) - specifically the BMC 7.04.030 definition of 'barking dog' (any dog which by frequent or habitual howling…
BMC 10.24.120 does not codify a numeric dBA cap for general noise - it operates on a 'public disturbance noise' reasonableness standard supported by enumerated examples (50-foot…
Outdoor music in Bellingham is governed by BMC 10.24.120 (citywide amplified music cutoff at 10:00 p.m., with the 11:00 p.m. extension inside the Downtown Entertainment District…
Short-term rentals in Bellingham carry the standard Washington lodging tax stack. The Washington state retail sales tax is 6.5% (RCW 82.08.020) plus the Bellingham local sales tax…
Bellingham regulates short-term rentals (residential dwelling or portion thereof rented for fewer than 30 consecutive nights) under BMC 20.10.037, adopted by Ordinance 2018-11-024 and…
Bellingham operates a layered STR registration system. Every operator must (1) register with the Washington Department of Revenue Business License Service (bls.dor.wa.gov) and obtain a…
Bellingham does not codify STR-specific quiet hours. STR guests are subject to the citywide Public Disturbance Noise Ordinance in BMC 10.24.120, which prohibits frequent, repetitive…
Bellingham does not impose a city-specific STR insurance dollar amount above the statewide floor. Every short-term rental operator in Washington - including Bellingham - must comply…
Bellingham does not require an operator to be physically present during every rental night, but BMC 20.10.037 effectively requires host presence in residential zones through two…
BMC 20.10.037 requires every short-term rental to provide at least one off-street parking space for guests on site during the guest stay. The Planning Director may, through a…
BMC 20.10.037 imposes a hard per-stay guest cap on every Bellingham STR: no more than two guests, excluding children five years old and under, are permitted per bedroom per guest stay…
Bellingham imposes a hard annual night cap on whole-unit STR rentals in residential zones under BMC 20.10.037: the dwelling unit may be rented as a whole unit no more than 95 days per…
Bellingham imposes one of Washington's stricter primary-residence frameworks under BMC 20.10.037. In residential zones, the dwelling unit hosting the STR (including any accessory…
Bellingham regulates on-street parking of recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers through Chapter 11.33 (Parking, Standing, and Stopping) of the Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC)…
On-street parking in Bellingham is governed by BMC Chapter 11.33 (Parking, Standing, and Stopping), BMC Chapter 11.36 (Parking Meters), and BMC Chapter 11.38 (Residential Parking…
Loading zones in Bellingham are installed and signed by the city under BMC Chapter 11.39 (Loading and Loading Zones), following federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices…
Driveway approaches and curb cuts in the Bellingham public right-of-way require a permit from the City of Bellingham Public Works Department. On-lot driveway and front-yard parking…
Bellingham does not impose a general citywide overnight parking ban on properly registered passenger vehicles, but under BMC 11.33.060 no vehicle may remain continuously parked for…
Bellingham regulates commercial vehicle parking through BMC Title 20 (Land Use Development) for off-street and on-lot standards and through BMC Chapter 11.33 (Parking, Standing, and…
Curb markings on Bellingham public streets are installed and maintained only by the City of Bellingham Public Works Department under federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices…
Bellingham follows Washington state EV-charging law. Under RCW 64.34.395 (Condominium Act, effective until January 1, 2026) and RCW 64.90.513 (Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act…
Abandoned and unauthorized vehicles in Bellingham are handled under BMC Chapter 11.18 (Vehicle Impoundment) and BMC Chapter 11.33 (Parking, Standing, and Stopping), supplemented by…
The City of Bellingham does not provide snow and ice control for driveways or public sidewalks; snow and ice control for these areas is the sole responsibility of the abutting property…
Bellingham regulates oversized vehicles through several BMC layers. Under BMC 11.33.060, no vehicle - including motorhomes, travel trailers, boat trailers, utility trailers, cars…
Bellingham recreational fires are governed by the 2021 Washington State Fire Code (WAC 51-54A / 2021 IFC) adopted at BMC Chapter 17.20, plus Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) rules…
Bellingham's wildfire exposure is concentrated along the Chuckanut Mountain foothills south of the city and around the Lake Whatcom watershed east of the city, where second-growth…
Bellingham Municipal Code 10.24.130 prohibits all consumer fireworks within city limits, including fountains, sparklers, smokeballs, ground-spinning fireworks (the 'safe and sane'…
Outdoor burning of yard debris and land-clearing materials is permanently banned inside the City of Bellingham, the Bellingham Urban Growth Area, and Whatcom County Fire District 8…
Propane and LP-gas storage in Bellingham are governed by Chapter 61 of the 2021 Washington State Fire Code (WAC 51-54A) adopted at BMC Chapter 17.20. IFC Section 308.1.4 prohibits…
Bellingham does not yet have a stand-alone defensible-space ordinance. Brush clearance is handled through the 2021 Washington State Fire Code adopted at BMC Chapter 17.20 (which…
A backyard fire in Bellingham must comply with three layers: (1) the 2021 Washington State Fire Code adopted at BMC Chapter 17.20 limits recreational fires to a 3-foot-diameter…
Smoke alarms in Bellingham dwellings are required under RCW 43.44.110 and the Washington State Building Code at RCW 19.27 (which adopts the IRC/IBC statewide). Carbon monoxide alarms…
Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 7.08 (Dog Control) requires that dogs be licensed annually and kept 'under control' as defined in BMC 7.04.030. Dogs must not roam, run, stray, or be…
BMC 7.12.130 (adopted by Ordinance 2017-10-024) prohibits the intentional feeding of deer and raccoons within Bellingham city limits. A person is presumed to feed if they place food…
Bellingham has NO breed-specific dog ban. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and other commonly restricted breeds are legal in Bellingham without…
BMC 7.12.060 nominally allows the keeping of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and other animals in Bellingham city limits subject to secure confinement and a 50-foot setback from neighbor…
BMC 7.12.060 (Keeping animals in the city - General regulations) allows hens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other domesticated fowl within Bellingham city limits if the birds are securely…
BMC 7.12.100 requires a permit from animal control to own or maintain ANY wild or exotic animal in Bellingham; the annual permit fee is $20 per approved location. The permit issues…
BMC 7.12.060 expressly authorizes urban beekeeping in Bellingham subject to a 25-foot property-line setback (waived if the hive is 8 feet or more above adjacent grade, OR if a 6-foot…
Washington RCW 16.52 criminalizes animal cruelty and neglect statewide, providing the legal foundation for animal hoarding prosecutions when owners fail to provide necessary food…
Bellingham exempts retaining walls not over 4 feet (1,219 mm) in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall from a building permit, unless the wall supports…
BMC 20.30.110 (Fences) does not enumerate permitted fence materials and focuses on height and location. Common materials including wood, masonry, vinyl, metal, and composite are…
Bellingham fence heights inside a required yard are set by BMC 20.30.110 (Fences) in Title 20 Land Use Development. Fences, walls, and hedges in a required yard may not exceed: 54…
Bellingham exempts fences not over 8 feet (2,438 mm) in height that do not have masonry or concrete elements above 6 feet from a building permit, per the Construction Administrative…
Bellingham's general fence requirements are in BMC 20.30.110 (Fences) and the Construction Administrative Code adopted under BMC 17.10.020. Inside a required yard, fences may not…
Bellingham's Title 20 Land Use Code regulates fence height, location, and the vision clearance triangle, but does not impose a cost-sharing requirement on adjoining neighbors and does…
Bellingham's BMC 20.30.110 (Fences) is silent on a closed list of prohibited materials for general residential fences, focusing instead on height, location, and the vision clearance…
Residential pool barriers in Bellingham follow the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) adopted under BMC Chapter 17.10 and the Washington State Building Code (Chapter…
Hot tubs and spas in Bellingham are governed by the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) adopted under BMC Chapter 17.10 and Washington State Building Code (Chapter…
Residential pool safety in Bellingham follows the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) Section 305 as adopted under BMC Chapter 17.10 and the Washington State Building…
Residential swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas in Bellingham require a building permit from the Bellingham Permit Center under BMC Chapter 17.10 and the Washington State Building Code…
Residential pool, spa, and hot tub barriers in Bellingham follow the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) Section 305 as adopted under BMC Chapter 17.10 and the…
An above-ground pool in Whatcom County needs building and plumbing permits and a compliant barrier, but a prefabricated pool installed entirely above ground and less than 24 inches…
Bellingham regulates tree removal on multiple tracks: (1) the Emergency Landmark Tree Ordinance (adopted May 20, 2024; extended through September 2026) protects any healthy tree 36…
Within the Lake Whatcom watershed, BMC 16.80.080 requires residential single development to retain (or restore) at least 30% of the total site area as a Native Vegetation Protection…
The Bellingham Municipal Code does not set a specific numeric height limit (e.g., 8 or 12 inches) for grass or weeds on private property. Instead, vegetation is regulated under BMC…
Bellingham draws its drinking water from Lake Whatcom and asks residents to follow a voluntary summer watering schedule from June 1 to September 30 to reduce stress on the supply…
Under BMC Chapter 13.40 (Street Trees and Other Vegetation), no person may perform major pruning or remove trees in planting strips, improved rights-of-way, or other public places…
Washington State allows rooftop-collected rainwater to be used on the property where it is collected without a water-right permit, under Department of Ecology Interpretive Policy…
Weed control in Bellingham is enforced by the Whatcom County Noxious Weed Control Board under Washington State Law RCW Chapter 17.10, covering all Class A weeds and the County's…
The Bellingham Municipal Code does not contain a specific provision allowing or prohibiting artificial turf on private residential property. However, synthetic turf cannot satisfy the…
Washington requires jurisdictions over 25,000 to provide organics collection and bans certain organic waste disposal under RCW 70A.205.545.
Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC) 20.10.045 governs home occupations citywide under Title 20 (Land Use Development Code). A home occupation must be conducted inside the main residential…
Bellingham residents may sell homemade non-potentially-hazardous foods under the Washington Cottage Food Law (RCW 69.22, WAC 16-149) administered by the Washington State Department of…
BMC 20.10.045 permits a single home-occupation sign: a flat, unlighted sign flush against the main residential building, not exceeding two square feet in area, stating only the…
Exempt home occupations in Bellingham — bookkeeping and office work for a business conducted elsewhere with no outward manifestation and no customers or employees coming to the home…
BMC 20.10.045 keeps customer traffic in check through structural limits rather than an explicit trip count: the home occupation must be inside the main residential building, the…
A Family Home child care in Bellingham follows Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) licensing under RCW 43.216 and WAC 110-300. A Family Home license…
BMC 20.30.100 governs accessory buildings (including sheds) in Residential Single (RS) areas: max one story or 12 ft height, max 800 sq ft area (larger only by conditional use permit)…
BMC 20.30.100 treats detached carports as accessory buildings in RS zones: max one story or 12 ft height, max 800 sq ft, located in the rear yard or rear 22 ft of an interior side…
Bellingham updated BMC 20.10.036 effective August 22, 2023 to pre-emptively adopt most provisions of WA HB 1337 (RCW 36.70A.680-696) before the state deadline. Up to TWO ADUs are…
A tiny home on a permanent foundation in Bellingham is treated either as a primary single-family dwelling (must meet BMC 20.30.040 RS zone standards) or as an Accessory Dwelling Unit…
Converting a Bellingham garage to habitable space requires a building permit (plus electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits) from the Bellingham Permit Center under the 2018…
Bellingham does not have a stand-alone dark-sky ordinance. Outdoor lighting is regulated through the Shoreline Master Program at BMC 22.08.180 (Lighting), which requires master…
Whatcom County zoning requires outdoor lights be arranged to direct light away from adjoining property and public roads. There is no countywide residential foot-candle cap. Bellingham…
Bellingham requires city permits for three categories of tree removal: (1) any landmark tree (36 in. DBH or greater, healthy) under the Emergency Landmark Tree Ordinance; (2) any…
Bellingham's Emergency Landmark Tree Ordinance — adopted May 20, 2024 and extended four times, most recently on March 9, 2026, remaining in effect through September 2026…
Bellingham's urban-forestry framework is built on four authorities: (1) the Emergency Landmark Tree Ordinance (May 20, 2024, extended through September 2026) protecting healthy…
Under BMC Chapter 16.60 (Land Clearing), significant trees (6 in. DBH or greater) that must be removed during development are replaced at a ratio determined by the Planning and…
Bellingham's floodplain regulations live in BMC Chapter 17.76 (Construction in Floodplains) and BMC Chapter 16.55 (Critical Areas, frequently flooded areas). The areas of special flood…
Erosion and construction stormwater controls in Bellingham are codified in BMC Chapter 15.42 (Stormwater Management) with site-specific overlays in BMC Chapter 16.80 (Lake Whatcom…
Bellingham operates a regulated Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) under the Washington Department of Ecology Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit…
Bellingham's grading and drainage review sits at the intersection of BMC Chapter 15.42 (Stormwater Management), BMC Chapter 15.40 (Drainage), BMC Chapter 16.55 (Critical Areas), BMC…
Whatcom County's Salish Sea shoreline, Bellingham Bay, Lake Whatcom, and the Nooksack River are shorelines of the state. Under the Shoreline Management Act, work within 200 feet of the…
Bellingham building setbacks are set in BMC 20.30.040 Table 20.30.040 (Residential Single Minimum Yards) for RS zones and corresponding tables in BMC 20.32 for RM (Residential Multi)…
Whatcom County limits how much of a lot structures may cover, set by zoning district. Rural Residential lots may be covered by the greater of 5,000 square feet or 20 percent, capped at…
Whatcom County caps building height by zoning district. The Rural Residential district limits structures to 35 feet under WCC 20.32.400. Land near Bellingham International Airport…
Home cultivation of recreational cannabis is prohibited statewide in Washington under Chapter 69.50 RCW — Initiative 502 (2012) legalized purchase and possession but did NOT legalize…
Bellingham opted IN for licensed cannabis retail. After Washington's Initiative 502 (2012), the city adopted interim zoning regulations and later updated BMC Title 20 (Land Use…
Residential garbage, recycling, and FoodPlus! organic waste collection in Bellingham are provided by Sanitary Service Company (SSC), a locally-owned (since 1929) hauler under contract…
Bellingham's Sanitary Service Company (SSC) — operating under BMC Chapter 9.12 — requires residential carts to be set out at curbside or alley side the evening before scheduled pickup…
Sanitary Service Company (SSC) provides bulk disposal options for Bellingham residents under BMC Chapter 9.12, including (1) regular curbside bulky-debris pickup beside the toter (cut…
Recycling is mandatory in unincorporated Whatcom County — but the duty sits on the haulers, not you. County Code 8.10.050 requires every single-family home on garbage service to get…
Washington state law sharply limits what a Bellingham HOA may do to a solar installation. RCW 64.38.055 declares that the governing documents of a homeowners' association 'may not…
Bellingham is one of the most solar-friendly permit jurisdictions in Washington — the city created the first photovoltaic building permit exemption program in Washington State in 2009…
BMC Chapter 10.28 (Nuisances) governs property blight, junk vehicles, accumulated debris, and dangerous conditions on private property in Bellingham. BMC 10.28.020 declares specific…
Bellingham requires every single-family home to maintain its own garbage and recycling service under BMC Chapter 9.12 (Garbage Collection). SSC (Sanitary Service Company) is the…
Vacant lots in Bellingham are held to the same nuisance standards as occupied properties. BMC Chapter 10.28 (Nuisances) covers accumulated debris, junk vehicles, and obstructions…
The City of Bellingham does not provide snow and ice control for driveways or sidewalks — that responsibility is on the abutting property owner or tenant. Bellingham's snow-and-ice…
Bellingham does not require a city permit for residential garage, yard, or estate sales and does not codify a hard maximum number of sales per year. Activity is constrained by the BMC…
Bellingham does not impose a calendar-based take-down deadline for residential holiday lights or seasonal decorations, and they are not treated as 'signs' subject to BMC 20.12.040…
Bellingham regulates signs through BMC Chapter 20.12 (General Standards) of the Land Use Development code. Political signs are treated as temporary signs and must be on private…
Garage-sale signs in Bellingham fall under the temporary-sign provisions of BMC 20.12.040 and may not be placed in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, street signs…
Operating a food truck in Bellingham requires (1) a Whatcom County Health and Community Services Mobile Food Unit annual permit (plan review + annual operating permit), (2) Washington…
Bellingham food trucks may operate on private property with the owner's permission or in the public right-of-way only after obtaining a Commercial-Related Temporary Right-of-Way Use…
Federal law (FAA Part 107 and 49 U.S.C. § 44809) governs U.S. airspace and preempts local altitude/flight-path regulation. Bellingham sits inside Class D controlled airspace at…
Commercial drone work across Whatcom County follows FAA 14 CFR Part 107: hold a Remote Pilot Certificate, register the aircraft, stay below 400 feet, and keep visual line of sight. The…
Good news for sellers: neither unincorporated Whatcom County nor the City of Bellingham requires a permit or registration for an occasional residential garage or yard sale. The rules…
No Whatcom County or Bellingham ordinance fixes garage-sale hours. Daytime weekend sales are the norm. The real limits are the general noise rules — no early-morning amplified…
Whatcom County and Bellingham set no fixed number of garage sales per year for a genuine household sale. The real line is commercial activity: hold sales often enough that the property…
Washington has no statewide juvenile curfew, and neither Whatcom County nor Bellingham enforces one today. Bellingham's downtown curfew was struck down as unconstitutional in 1997, and…
Whatcom County day-use parks are open sunrise to sunset, and being in a park after hours is trespassing. Lake Whatcom Park runs 8 a.m. to dusk. Bellingham parks close overnight under…
Whatcom County keeps no county-wide do-not-knock registry. A posted "No Soliciting" or "No Trespassing" sign carries legal weight: a solicitor who enters or stays after that notice can…
Door-to-door sellers in Whatcom County's cities, including Bellingham, Lynden, and Ferndale, generally need a peddler or solicitor license from that city. Everywhere in the county…
Washington no longer leaves rent to the open market. Since HB 1217 took effect in May 2025, annual residential rent increases are capped statewide. For 2026 the ceiling is 9.683%, and…
Washington has statewide just-cause eviction under RCW 59.18.650. A Whatcom County landlord cannot end a tenancy or refuse to renew except for a legally listed reason, with proper…
Bellingham requires every residential rental to register and pass a periodic safety inspection under its Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program (BMC 6.15). Unincorporated…
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 59.18.060 requires Washington landlords to keep rentals 'fit for human habitation' — structurally sound, weathertight, with working plumbing, heat, hot water, electrical systems…
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…
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 has no statewide predictable scheduling law and does not preempt local rules, allowing cities like Seattle to enforce secure scheduling ordinances.
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 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 requires HOA board meetings to be open to owners and gives owners broad record-access rights. WUCIOA communities follow RCW 64.90.445 (open meetings) and RCW 64.90.495…
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…
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 statutes override HOA covenants that ban solar panels, the U.S. or state flag, or political signs. WUCIOA RCW 64.90.510 protects all three for newer communities; older HOAs…
Washington has no state E-Verify mandate, and RCW 49.60 prohibits employment discrimination based on national origin or immigration-related characteristics statewide.
Washington's Keep Washington Working Act under RCW 10.93.160 limits state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, establishing statewide sanctuary protections.
Washington's Growth Management Act under RCW 36.70A.170 requires counties and cities to designate and protect agricultural lands of long-term commercial significance through zoning.
Washington RCW 7.48.305 protects established agricultural activities from nuisance lawsuits when operations existed before nearby nonagricultural land uses changed the area.
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 RCW 70.345 requires licensing for vapor product retailers, distributors, and delivery sellers, with state Department of Revenue oversight and tax collection.