Kirkland, WA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Aggregate capacity limit
- 2,000 gallons water capacity
- Governing rule
- IFC 6104.2 as amended by KMC 21.20.610
- Enforcing agency
- Kirkland Fire Prevention Bureau
- Exception authority
- Fire code official may alter limit
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 90 days jail
Summary
Kirkland limits the total propane (LP-gas) stored at any single installation to an aggregate water capacity of 2,000 gallons under KMC 21.20.610, the city's amendment to International Fire Code Chapter 61. The Kirkland Fire Prevention Bureau administers the limit, and the fire code official can adjust it case by case based on topography, occupancy, container size and available fire protection. LP-gas storage must also meet Kirkland Zoning Code standards.
6104.2 Maximum Capacity. Within the limits established by law restricting the storage of liquefied petroleum gas for the protection of heavily populated or congested commercial areas within the boundaries of the City of Kirkland, the aggregate capacity of any one installation shall not exceed a water capacity 2,000 gallons (7570 L). Exception: In particular installations, this capacity limit may be altered at the discretion of the chief, after consideration of special features such as topographical conditions, nature of occupancy and proximity to buildings, capacity of proposed LP-gas containers, degree of fire protection to be provided, and facilities of the local fire department. The storage of liquefied petroleum gas shall conform to the provisions of the Kirkland Zoning Code.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4945, passed July 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
610. 2, Maximum Capacity: within the limits established by law restricting LP-gas storage for the protection of heavily populated or congested commercial areas within Kirkland's boundaries, the aggregate capacity of any one installation cannot exceed a water capacity of 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters). That cap covers the combined water capacity of every LP-gas container at one installation, not a single tank. The code carves out a discretionary exception: for particular installations, the fire code official (the chief) may alter the capacity limit after weighing topographical conditions, the nature of the occupancy, proximity to buildings, the capacity of the proposed containers, the degree of fire protection to be provided, and the capabilities of the local fire department.
Any LP-gas storage must also conform to the separate standards of the Kirkland Zoning Code. 030 designates the Kirkland Fire Prevention Bureau as the city's code compliance agency, with the fire code official responsible for implementing, administering and enforcing the Fire Code, including the Chapter 61 LP-gas amendments. The current version of the amendment was adopted by Ordinance 4752 Section 1 in 2021.
Violations & Fines
Under IFC Section 112.4 as amended by KMC 21.20.030, violating the LP-gas storage limit or any other Fire Code provision is a misdemeanor or civil offense, at the fire code official's discretion, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both. Each day a violation continues after the city serves notice counts as a separate offense, and the city can also pursue civil code enforcement under Chapter 1.12 KMC.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much propane can I store on my property in Kirkland?
Can Kirkland allow more than 2,000 gallons of propane storage?
Who enforces Kirkland's propane storage limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkland
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Propane Storage in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle propane storage.