Privacy & Surveillance in King County, WA (2026)
2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in King County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Facial Recognition Ban
King County administrative offices and executive departments are banned from obtaining, retaining, accessing or using facial recognition technology, with narrow exceptions.
King County Facial Recognition Ban
Heavy RestrictionsKing County Code § 2.67.020
It shall be unlawful for any King County administrative office or executive department to: a. obtain, retain, possess, access or use: (1) any facial recognition technology; or (2) any facial recognition information; and b. issue any permit or enter into any contract or agreement that authorizes any third party, on behalf of a county administrative office or executive...
License Plate Readers
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 without a judge's warrant.
King County ALPR Data Barred From ICE
Some RestrictionsKing County Code §§ 2.15.005, 2.15.020
Provide personal information to federal immigration authorities for purpose of civil immigration enforcement, except as required by state or federal law, about any person, including place of birth or household members, the services received by the person or the person's next court date or release date, absent a warrant signed by a judge or a law requiring disclosure.
Privacy & Surveillance by City in King County
4 cities in King County have their own privacy & surveillance rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All King County ordinances
See every category we cover for King County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
King County Ordinance Hub →