Pierce County, WA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max cumulative days
- 8 days per 12-month period
- Applies to
- Every zone classification in the table
- Affidavit required
- No, exempt under footnote 3
- Parking/landscaping
- Exempt within the 8-day cap
- Max civil penalty
- $2,500 per violation
Summary
Pierce County caps garage sales at 8 cumulative days within any 12-month period on the same property, the same limit in every zone classification from Urban Centers to Rural Residential. Unlike most other temporary uses under Chapter 18A.38 PCC, garage sales are the one use type the code specifically exempts from having to file a temporary-use affidavit with Planning and Public Works first.
A. The numbers in this Table represent the cumulative number of days the specific temporary use may be allowed on an individual property within any 12-month period. It is the applicant's discretion as to how the days are utilized throughout the 12-month period. A temporary use as listed below shall not be subject to parking provisions contained within Chapter 18A.35 PCC or the landscaping provisions of Chapter 18J.15 PCC. ... Garage Sales (3) ... 8 ... 3Garage sales are not subject to affidavit requirements of PCC 18A.38.030.A.1.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-515, and legislation passed through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020, Temporary Uses Allowed, Number of Days Allowed, sets garage sales at 8 cumulative days per 12-month period, and that ceiling is identical across every zone classification the table covers: Urban Centers, Urban Districts, Urban Residential, Employment Center, Resource Lands, Rural Centers, and Rural Residential alike. The table's lead-in sentence explains how the count works: it is the applicant's discretion how those 8 days are spread across the year, so a homeowner can run one eight-day sale or several shorter sales that add up to eight, but the total on that property in any 12-month period can't exceed it.
030(A)(1), the filing that otherwise makes a temporary-use proponent tell Planning and Public Works the type of use, its location, and its specified days and hours of operation before it starts. Produce stands, flower sales, carnivals, community festivals, and parking lot sales all still need that affidavit; garage sales do not. 15 PCC landscaping standards that would otherwise apply to the site.
Violations & Fines
A garage sale that runs longer than 8 cumulative days in a 12-month period loses its temporary-use exemption under Chapter 18A.38 PCC and becomes a Title 18A development regulation violation. PCC 18.140.050(B) lets the Director issue a written notice and assess a civil penalty of up to $2,500 for the violation, with each additional day beyond the limit counted as a separate violation, and 30 days to pay if the penalty isn't appealed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days can I hold a garage sale in unincorporated Pierce County?
Do I need to file anything with the county before a garage sale?
What happens if a garage sale runs past the 8-day limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pierce County
Compare Pierce County to another location·View the Washington garage & yard sales overview
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