Public Health Rules in Yakima, WA: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Yakima or are thinking about moving there, public health rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Yakima has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of public health rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Rodent Control

Yakima puts the burden of proving and fixing a rodent or pest infestation on the property owner. YMC § 11.40.309.1.1 states the city itself 'does not inspect or verify the existence of infestation,' leaving that to the health officer or a pest control professional at no cost to the city, while § 11.40.309.2 makes the structure's owner responsible for pest elimination whether the property is owner-occupied or rented out.

Key details: Governing sections: YMC §§ 11.40.309.1.1, 11.40.309.2. Verification: Health officer or pest control pro, not the city. Elimination duty: Property owner, owner-occupied or leased. Penalty: $250-$1,000 escalating (§11.40.106.4). Related: 'Vermin/rat infested' = unfit for occupancy (§11.40.108.1.3).

Once the health officer or a licensed pest control professional verifies an infestation, the property owner who fails to eliminate it after notice under § 11.40.107 is subject to the § 11.40.106.4 penalty schedule: $250 for missing the abatement deadline, escalating to $500, $750 and $1,000 for repeat offenses within 24 months, plus $50 for each additional day of noncompliance, or a discretionary civil infraction up to $250.

Food Handler Certification

Vendors selling food or beverages inside a permitted Yakima special event venue must obtain and display a food handler's card or permit, plus any other health permit the Yakima Health District requires, in the form the city's economic development manager specifies. The duty sits on each vendor individually: the event permit itself does not substitute for the card, and vendors also owe their own taxes and fees to local, state and federal agencies.

Key details: Governing section: YMC § 9.70.260(c). Who must comply: Food/beverage vendors at special events. Health permit issuer: Yakima Health District. Format set by: City economic development manager. Penalty: Misdemeanor, up to $500/90 days (§9.70.310).

Selling food or beverages at a Yakima special event without a food handler's card, or without the vendor authorization the event organizer issued, violates YMC §§ 9.70.260 and 9.70.290. Under YMC § 9.70.310(b), violating Chapter 9.70 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both. Operating an unauthorized event or vendor also exposes the organizer to cost-recovery billing under § 9.70.300.

The Bottom Line

Yakima's public health rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Yakima is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Yakima's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.