Commercial drone work across Whatcom County follows FAA 14 CFR Part 107: hold a Remote Pilot Certificate, register the aircraft, stay below 400 feet, and keep visual line of sight. The county issues no drone license; controlled airspace near Bellingham International Airport requires LAANC.
Any drone flight for business in Whatcom County, from real estate and berry-field surveys around Lynden and Ferndale to inspections over Bellingham, falls under FAA 14 CFR Part 107. Section 107.12 requires the person at the controls to hold a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating, or to fly under a certificated pilot's direct supervision. Operators register the aircraft, stay below 400 feet, keep visual line of sight, and obtain LAANC authorization in the controlled airspace around Bellingham International Airport. Washington adds no statewide commercial drone license, and the county neither licenses nor grounds a lawful flight. Cities may regulate only takeoff and landing from public property, and the Canadian border remains a hard limit.
The FAA enforces Part 107 with civil penalties reaching tens of thousands of dollars for flying commercially without a Remote Pilot Certificate. Cities can restrict launch and landing from public land; the county adds no separate permit.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Bellingham, WA
The Bellingham Municipal Code does not contain a specific provision allowing or prohibiting artificial turf on private residential property. However, synthet...
Bellingham, WA
Within the Lake Whatcom watershed, BMC 16.80.080 requires residential single development to retain (or restore) at least 30% of the total site area as a Nati...
Bellingham, WA
Bellingham food trucks may operate on private property with the owner's permission or in the public right-of-way only after obtaining a Commercial-Related Te...
Bellingham, WA
Operating a food truck in Bellingham requires (1) a Whatcom County Health and Community Services Mobile Food Unit annual permit (plan review + annual operati...
Bellingham, WA
Bellingham does not require a city permit for residential garage, yard, or estate sales and does not codify a hard maximum number of sales per year. Activity...
Bellingham, WA
The City of Bellingham does not provide snow and ice control for driveways or sidewalks — that responsibility is on the abutting property owner or tenant. Be...
See how Bellingham's commercial drones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.