King County, WA Environmental Rules: Defensible Space (2026)
Key Facts
- No-permit zone
- understory clearing within 15 ft of house
- Ladder-fuel pruning
- up to 30 ft, 10 ft vertical clearance
- Crown spacing
- 18 ft between crowns within 30 ft
- Extended clearing
- to 100 ft needs risk assessment
- Applies to
- unincorporated King County only
Summary
Unincorporated King County lets property owners clear brush and prune trees for wildfire defensible space without a clearing permit, but only within fixed distances from the house set by K.C.C. 16.82.051.E.23.
Clearing for the purposes of wildfire preparedness ..., as follows: a. understory clearing within fifteen feet of a residential structure containing habitable space or an attached deck; ... c. within thirty feet of a residential structure ..., understory clearing and tree pruning underneath a tree crown to provide up to ten feet of vertical clearance from the ground to remove ladder fuels. Tree pruning shall not exceed one-third of the tree height; ... e. tree removal and pruning to provide up to eighteen feet between tree crowns;
Full Breakdown
The county's clearing and grading code exempts wildfire-preparedness clearing from permitting: understory clearing within 15 feet of a habitable structure or attached deck, ladder-fuel pruning for 10 feet of vertical clearance within 30 feet, and tree removal/pruning for 18 feet between tree crowns within 30 feet. Clearing beyond 30 feet, up to 100 feet, requires a certified wildfire risk assessment or DNR-approved forest stewardship plan. The exemption doesn't apply if K.C.C. 16.82.156 (urban growth area tree retention) or Title 21A critical-areas rules apply instead, a companion critical-areas provision (K.C.C. 21A.24.045.D.22) separately allows wildfire-prep clearing in critical area buffers within the wildland-urban interface, but bars it outright in wetlands, aquatic areas and wildlife habitat conservation areas. This is unincorporated King County only, Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, Auburn, Redmond, Kirkland, Sammamish, Burien, Shoreline and Issaquah all enforce their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Clearing beyond the permit-exempt distances, or clearing in a critical area buffer, wetland or wildlife habitat area outside these conditions, requires a clearing and grading permit from the Department of Local Services, Permitting Division; unpermitted clearing is enforceable as a code violation subject to civil penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to clear brush around my house for wildfire safety in unincorporated King County?
Can I clear vegetation more than 30 feet from my house?
Does this rule cover my property in Seattle or Bellevue?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
Compare King County to another location·View the Washington environmental rules overview
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