Federal Way, WA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing standard
- NFPA 58 and NFPA 54, adopted by reference
- Residential code section
- FWRC 13.22.020 (2021 IRC amendments)
- Non-residential parallel
- FWRC 13.11.060(3), code priority order
- Permit required
- Yes, under adopted residential/mechanical code
- Maximum penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 90 days jail
- Enforcing agency
- Federal Way building official
Summary
Federal Way regulates residential propane and LP-gas installations through the adopted International Residential Code, which points installers to NFPA 58 and NFPA 54 rather than the general fuel-gas chapter of the IRC. Any LP-gas tank, line, or appliance hookup on a one- or two-family home must meet those national standards, and the work requires a building permit reviewed by the Federal Way building division.
The 2021 Edition of the International Residential Code (IRC) as published by the International Code Council (ICC) is hereby adopted by reference pursuant to Chapter 19.27 RCW and Chapter 51-51 WAC, with the following additions, deletions, and exceptions; provided, that Chapters 11 and 25 through 43 of this code are not adopted; that energy conservation construction is regulated by Chapter 51-11R WAC; that plumbing is regulated by Chapter 51-56 WAC; that electrical installations are regulated by Chapter 296-46B WAC or the National Electrical Code (NEC) as published by the National Fire Protection Association, as adopted by the city of Federal Way. The standards for liquefied petroleum gas installations shall be NFPA 58 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code) and NFPA 54 (National Fuel Gas Code). All other fuel gas installations shall be regulated by the International Mechanical Code (IMC) and International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-1049, passed August 11, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020, but carves fuel-gas work out of the code's general mechanical provisions: the ordinance states that the standards for liquefied petroleum gas installations shall be NFPA 58 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code) and NFPA 54 (National Fuel Gas Code) rather than the mechanical code's own gas-piping chapter. 1/NFPA 54 instead. In practice this means a homeowner installing, replacing, or relocating a propane tank, regulator, or gas line in Federal Way is not held to a locally written volume or setback table; the applicable storage, handling, and installation limits are whatever the current edition of NFPA 58 specifies, enforced by the Federal Way building official as part of the adopted residential or mechanical code.
010. Owners should confirm permit and inspection requirements with the building division before installing an LP-gas tank, since the city's own code text does not restate NFPA 58's tank-size or clearance tables.
Violations & Fines
Installing or altering LP-gas piping, tanks, or appliance connections without a permit, or contrary to NFPA 58 and NFPA 54 as adopted in FWRC 13.22.020 and 13.11.060(3), is a misdemeanor under FWRC 1.10.010: a fine up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with every day the violation continues counted as a separate offense the building official can pursue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install a propane tank at my Federal Way home?
What standard governs propane storage in Federal Way?
What happens if I install LP-gas equipment without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Federal Way
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