Parking Rules in Thurston County, WA (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated Thurston County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
RV & Boat Parking
Thurston County lets residents store operable RVs, boats and trailers on their property as long as the vehicles don't block right-of-way or sightlines and aren't used as living quarters.
RV & Boat Storage Rules in Thurston County
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 21.57.060(C)(2)
Operable motor vehicles, boats, trailers, recreational vehicles and the like may be stored on the premises provided that they do not obstruct the use of public right-of-way or interfere with traffic visibility, especially the visibility of and at intersections of streets. Vehicles so stored shall not be used as living quarters.
Driveway Rules
Any Thurston County driveway or parking area serving more than four vehicles must be hard-surfaced: asphalt, concrete, permeable pavement, or similar, built durable and dust-free and graded to drain properly. The county engineer signs off on where driveways connect to the street, and multifamily buildings with five or more units can't be laid out so residents back straight into traffic.
Thurston County Driveway Surfacing Rule
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 21.72.050(A),(B),(E),(F)
Parking area design shall include: A.Ingress and Egress. The location of all points of ingress and egress to parking areas shall be subject to the review and approval of the county engineer. ... B.Backing Out Prohibited. In all commercial and industrial developments and in all residential buildings containing five or more dwelling units, parking areas shall be so arranged as to make it unnecess...
Commercial & Oversized Vehicles
Thurston County lets residents keep operable trucks, trailers, and RVs on residential property under TCC 21.57.060, as long as they don't block the right-of-way or sightlines.
Thurston County Truck Parking Rules
Light RestrictionsThurston County Code § 21.57.060(C)(2)
Operable motor vehicles, boats, trailers, recreational vehicles and the like may be stored on the premises provided that they do not obstruct the use of public right-of-way or interfere with traffic visibility, especially the visibility of and at intersections of streets. Vehicles so stored shall not be used as living quarters.
Street Parking Limits
Thurston County bars stopping, standing, or parking in intersections, crosswalks, sidewalks, and within five feet of driveways or fifteen feet of fire hydrants on county roads outside incorporated cities.
Thurston County Street Parking Restrictions
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code Section 12.61.395
Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device, no person shall: (a) Stop, stand or park a vehicle: ... (iii) Within an intersection, (iv) On a crosswalk... (b) Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger or passengers: (i) ...
EV Charging
Thurston County allows electric vehicle charging stations as an accessory use in every zoning district, from single-family garages to commercial parking lots near Interstate 5.
EV Charging Stations Allowed Thurston County
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 21.55.030
A.Allowed Where. "Electric vehicle charging stations" shall be considered an allowed use in association with a primary permitted use in every zoning designation. B.Compatibility. For land use compatibility purposes, the charging activity should be proportionate to the associated permitted use; "Electric vehicle charging station(s)" shall be permitted in a single-family garage designed to serve ...
Abandoned Vehicles
Thurston County limits how long a junk vehicle can sit outside on residential property. Zoning Code Section 21.57.060(C)(1) bars storing junk vehicles, inoperable appliances or other inoperable mechanical equipment outdoors for more than thirty days, with a narrow exception for one actively restored special-interest vehicle and up to two screened parts vehicles.
Thurston County Junk Vehicle Storage Limit
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 21.57.060(C)(1)
In the conduct of any business, the storage of merchandise, raw materials, equipment, fixtures, scraps or solid wastes shall comply with the following requirements: ... C.Storage in residential areas shall comply with the same requirements as those specified for business establishments and shall, in addition to the requirements of Section 21.57.060A and B, comply with the following:1.Junk vehic...
Loading Zones
In Thurston County's Neighborhood Commercial zoning district, County Code Section 21.36.070 lets a business double up its required parking as loading space. Subsection B allows parking spaces to double as loading zones, provided loading operations never block driveways, while the rest of the section fixes exactly how much parking a site must have and where it can sit.
Thurston County Commercial Loading Zone Rules
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 21.36.070
A.One parking space for each five hundred square feet of gross floor area shall be required.B.Parking spaces may be used for loading zones in this district, provided that loading operations shall not obstruct driveways.C.Off street parking spaces are to be so arranged as to make it unnecessary for vehicles to back out into the public right-of-way.D.Parking shall be provided to the rear or side ...
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