King County, WA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard hours
- 30 min before sunrise to sunset+30
- Entry ban section
- K.C.C. 7.12.255
- Max civil fine
- $500 per infraction
- Coverage
- Unincorporated county parks only
Summary
Unincorporated King County parks run on set hours: thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset. Staying or entering after that under County Code Section 7.12.255 is prohibited, apart from paid campers, overnight boat moorage, and permitted events. Seattle and other cities run separate systems.
A person shall not enter or remain in a park area outside regular park hours except persons who have paid the applicable user fees to camp in campsites or trailer sites, to moor boats overnight at designated marine area or marine facility sites, and to use a park area as part of an event authorized by the director. If a person is using a regional trail that passes through another park area, the hours applicable to the regional trail apply. (Ord. 19771 § 20, 2024).
Full Breakdown
King County Code 7.12.030.A sets park operating hours at thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset for county parks and recreation facilities, other than regional trails, which follow the same hours until the director adopts different rules. Section 7.12.255 bars entering or remaining in a park area outside those regular hours, with exceptions for people who paid campsite or trailer-site fees, boaters mooring overnight at designated marine facilities, and events the director has authorized. This covers only King County Parks and Recreation Division sites in unincorporated areas; Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and roughly two dozen other cities run their own separate park systems and set their own hours.
Violations & Fines
Violating Section 7.12.255 is a civil infraction under K.C.C. 7.12.650, punishable by a fine up to $500 and suspension of park privileges; sheriff's deputies and park rangers issue the citations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are King County park hours?
Does this rule cover Seattle parks?
What happens if I'm in a park after hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
Compare King County to another location·View the Washington curfew laws overview
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