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Yakima County, WA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Sales per year
Two per dwelling unit
Duration limit
Three days per sale
Legal status
Accessory use to a dwelling
Covers
Garage, patio, estate, moving sales

Summary

Yakima County caps yard and garage sales at two per dwelling unit per year under YCC § 19.18.020(9), with each sale limited to three days. The rule treats a garage sale as an accessory use tied to a residence, not a standalone commercial activity.

City-specific rules exist: Yakima has its own frequency, duration & permits rules that differ from Yakima County's county-level regulations. If you live in Yakima, check the city-specific page instead.

Yard or Garage Sales. Yard or garage sales shall be permitted as an accessory use to a dwelling provided all of the following provisions are met:

(a) Only two yard or garage sales per dwelling unit, per year shall be allowed;

(b) Each yard or garage sale shall not exceed three days in duration. (Ord. 7-2013 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2015; Ord. 6-2017 § 2(C) (Exh. 1) (part), 2017; Ord. 6-2018 § 2(G)(i)(3) (Exh. 6(3)), 2018; Ord. 9-2019 (Exh. 1), 2019; Ord. 6-2023 (Exhs. 1(1), 2), 2023)

Source: Revised Code of WashingtonView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4871853; v6 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).

Full Breakdown

020(9) permits yard or garage sales as an accessory use to a dwelling, but only within strict frequency and duration limits: no more than two yard or garage sales per dwelling unit each year, and no single sale may run longer than three days. 070, backs this up by defining a 'yard sale' as a temporary event surplussing unwanted items as an accessory use to a residence or business that does not exceed three days or occur more than twice per calendar year; the term expressly covers garage sales, patio sales, estate sales and moving sales, though it excludes flea markets, junkyards, second-hand stores and auction houses.

18, a resident who exceeds two sales in a calendar year, or who runs a sale past three days, is operating outside the accessory use the county allows and can be treated as an unpermitted land use rather than an incidental residential activity. The rule applies countywide in the unincorporated area regardless of zoning district, since it sits in the general accessory-use section that governs every residential lot rather than in a district-specific table.

Violations & Fines

A yard or garage sale that runs more than three days, or a household that holds more than two such sales in a calendar year, no longer qualifies as the accessory use permitted under § 19.18.020(9). Yakima County code enforcement can treat the excess activity as an unauthorized land use subject to the county's general zoning enforcement and civil infraction process rather than as a lawful incidental sale.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many garage sales can I hold per year in unincorporated Yakima County?
Two per dwelling unit per year under YCC § 19.18.020(9). This is a hard cap tied to the accessory-use status of a yard or garage sale, not a suggested guideline.
How many days can a garage sale last?
Three days maximum per sale under § 19.18.020(9)(b). A sale that runs a fourth day exceeds the accessory use the county permits for a residential lot.
Does an estate sale count toward my two-sale limit?
Yes. The county's definition of 'yard sale' in § 19.01.070 expressly includes estate sales, patio sales and moving sales alongside garage sales, so all count toward the same two-per-year cap.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Yakima County

All Yakima County rules

Compare Yakima County to another location·View the Washington garage & yard sales overview

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