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Chelan County, WA Code Violation Reporting: Response Times (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Appeal a notice and order
14 days
Appeal a citation
14 days
Appeal hearing held within
60 days of request
Superior court review window
21 days
Lien filed within
90 days of nonpayment

Summary

Chelan County's enforcement title runs on fixed clocks, not open-ended review. A cited person has 14 days to pay a citation or appeal it under Chelan County Code § 16.08.020, and 14 days to appeal a notice and order under §§ 16.06.030 and 16.12.010. Once an appeal is filed, § 16.12.020 requires a hearing before the hearing examiner within 60 days.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Chelan County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(9) A statement advising that the order shall become final unless, no later than fourteen days after the notice and order are served, any person aggrieved by the order requests in writing an appeal before the hearing examiner; ... (1) Any person issued a citation, notice and order, or stop work order may file a notice of appeal of such order with the department within fourteen days of the date of issuance. ... (2) Such appeal hearing shall be conducted within sixty days after receipt of the request for appeal.

Full Breakdown

The Chelan County enforcement title sets the same 14-day window at every stage where a person can respond. 010(1) confirms the same rule for any citation, notice and order, or stop work order: the recipient "may file a notice of appeal of such order with the department within fourteen days of the date of issuance," and a citation can be appealed by filling out the request on the back of the citation itself within the same 14 days. 030(2) gives the person 21 days from the date of the final order to seek review in superior court before it becomes conclusive.

020(1) requires the administrator to file a lien within ninety days from the date the civil penalty is due or from completion of the abatement work. Missing any deadline, the 14 days to appeal above all, renders the notice, order or citation final without a hearing.

Violations & Fines

Missing the 14-day appeal window under § 16.06.030 or § 16.12.010 makes a notice and order, citation or stop work order final without a hearing, and the $750.00 first-offense or $1,500 repeat-violation fine under § 16.16.010 becomes collectible as a lien on the property within 90 days under § 16.18.020.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to appeal a Chelan County code citation?
Fourteen days from the date of issuance. Chelan County Code § 16.08.020(3) requires you to either pay the fine or file an appeal within that window; missing it makes the citation a final determination that the violation occurred, per § 16.08.020(4).
How long does the county have to hold my appeal hearing?
Sixty days. Chelan County Code § 16.12.020(2) requires the hearing examiner to conduct the appeal hearing within sixty days after receipt of the request for appeal, whether the appeal is from a citation, a notice and order, or a stop work order.
Can I go to court if I lose my code enforcement appeal?
Yes, but only within 21 days. Chelan County Code § 16.12.030(2) makes the hearing examiner's final order conclusive unless you begin superior court review proceedings within twenty-one days of the date of issuance of the order, so the clock starts the day the decision is issued.
How soon can the county put a lien on my property for unpaid fines?
Chelan County Code § 16.18.020(1) requires the administrator to file the lien claim within 90 days from the date the civil penalty was due or within 90 days from completing any abatement work the county performed, whichever applies.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Chelan County

All Chelan County rules

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