Local Rules Near University of Washington

Seattle requires every motor vehicle to run a working muffler that prevents excessive or unusual noise, and bars cut-out or bypass devices entirely. Heavy trucks using engine ("Jake") compression brakes must keep exhaust noise at 83 dBA or less (80 dBA for post-1988 vehicles) or face escalating fines.

Seattle sets numeric exterior noise limits by zoning district under SMC 25.08.410 Table A, ranging from 55 dB(A) between residential properties up to 70 dB(A) for industrial-to-industrial noise, measured as a one-minute or one-hour Leq. Brief peaks (Lmax) may run up to 15 dB(A) above the table's limit before counting as a violation.

Seattle SMC 25.08 limits construction equipment to 80 dBA measured at the receiving property line, with maximum-noise exemptions during permitted weekday daytime hours. Impact equipment like jackhammers requires noise-reduction measures.

SMC 25.08.500.A makes loud, frequent, repetitive, or continuous animal noise an unlawful 'public disturbance noise' in Seattle once a police officer or animal control officer orders it stopped. Owners of a repeat-violator animal, or one whose owner can't be located, face impoundment under SMC Chapter 9.25, and conduct under this section is a crime under SMC 25.08.800.B.

Between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays, and 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends and legal holidays, SMC 25.08.420 cuts Seattle's exterior sound level limits by 10 dB(A) for any noise reaching a residential district: a mandatory quiet-hours reduction layered on top of the Table A limits in SMC 25.08.410.

Outdoor concerts and amplified performances on Seattle public property are capped at a 95 dB(A) one-minute average measured 50 feet from the source. SDCI, Parks, SDOT or Seattle Center can shut a show down once it hits 105 dB(A) for five minutes in any 30-minute window, under SMC 25.08.520.

Every licensed short-term rental operator in Seattle must carry liability insurance covering the rental use in an aggregate of at least $1,000,000, or book exclusively through a platform whose own policy meets or beats that amount. The requirement is set in SMC 6.600.070.A.10.

Booking platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo are directly liable under Seattle's short-term rental ordinance for letting unlicensed listings run. SMC 6.600.110 lets SDCI's Director cite a platform $500 per day per listing for the first ten days of noncompliance, then $1,000 per day until it's fixed.

Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 6.600 limits a short-term rental operator to a maximum of two dwelling units citywide: the operator's primary residence (where they live more than six months a year) and one secondary unit within Seattle, with grandfathered exceptions for some Downtown Urban Core legacy listings. SMC 6.600 does not set a specific guest-per-bedroom cap, but the underlying dwelling is still subject to occupancy and life-safety standards in the Building, Fire, and Housing codes. STRs are prohibited in RVs, tents, garages, boats, floating residences, waterfront residences, live-work units, and commercial caretaker quarters.

Seattle doubles the civil penalty for repeat short-term rental violations: a first violation under SMC 6.600.120 draws a $500 citation (or a warning at the Director's discretion), while any second or later violation within five years jumps to $1,000 per violation, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.

Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 6.600 does not impose a dedicated off-street parking requirement on short-term rentals, and SMC 23.42.060 (Land Use Code) does not require additional parking specifically for STR use beyond what applies to the underlying dwelling. STR guests parking on city streets must follow standard SDOT rules: posted time limits, street-cleaning postings, the 72-hour vehicle storage limit, and Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) rules. In RPZ areas, only one guest hangtag is issued per household; short-term day permits are available in most zones (up to 5 per day, 50 per year per address).

A Seattle short-term rental operator license covers just one dwelling unit unless one of the units is the operator's own primary residence, in which case the cap rises to two. The primary-residence requirement is defined and enforced by SDCI under SMC 6.600.040.B.

Seattle charges short-term rental operators $75 per dwelling unit annually and bed and breakfast operators $75 per unit, paid when the license application is submitted to the Department of Finance and Administrative Services under SMC 6.600.090. Operators must also remit all applicable local, state and federal taxes.

Seattle makes it unlawful to run a short-term rental without a Director-issued operator license, and unlawful to operate a booking platform without its own platform license. Both licenses come from SDCI under SMC 6.600.040 and must be renewed annually.

Seattle normally caps a short-term rental operator license at one unit, or two if one is the operator's primary residence. A grandfather clause in SMC 6.600.040.B.1 lets operators who were already renting short-term before September 30, 2017 keep licensing up to two units, then add a third after one year of renewal if it's their primary residence.

Seattle's housing code makes landlords install smoke detectors within 4 to 12 inches of the ceiling inside and outside every sleeping room, plus carbon monoxide alarms on every level, and test both devices whenever a housing unit becomes vacant between tenants.

SMC 18.12.270 confines fires in Seattle parks to a designated stove or fire ring, or an approved beach-fire area at Carkeek Park, and bans all park fires between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., regardless of location.

Seattle doesn't regulate fireworks through a standalone ban ordinance: it permits them through the Fire Code Permit and Fee Ordinance. Anyone staging a public fireworks display needs a Seattle Fire Department permit, applied for in writing at least 30 days ahead, with fees running from $902 for a barge load/unload to $1,805 for an outdoor display under SMC 22.602.045.B.

Curb space in Seattle isn't first-come, first-served once the City wants to allocate it: SMC 11.23.420 lets the Director of Transportation issue curb space parking permits for charitable, educational, community, and vending uses, while SMC 11.23.440 lets SDOT carve out signed zones for taxis, loading, disabled parking, car share, and RPZs, but bars exclusive commercial franchises in the public roadway.

Seattle Municipal Code § 23.54.034 requires new parking built with new multifamily construction to be EV-ready. Surface lots serving multiple dwelling units must make the first 12 of up to 25 spaces EV-ready, then 45 percent once a lot exceeds 25 spaces; parking garages serving multiple units must also hit 45 percent, and private garages for individual units need at least one EV-ready space per unit.

No vehicle may sit on a Seattle street or municipal property for more than 72 hours. SMC 11.72.440 sets the citywide limit, with signed shorter limits enforceable 24 hours after posting and impound authority for violators.

SMC 23.44.160.D bars parking within 20 feet of a front lot line and 5 feet of a side street lot line in Neighborhood Residential zones, with narrow carve-outs for alley-accessed pads, uphill or downhill lots, and a limited two-space driveway option.

Washington pegs most private impound rates to a percentage of the State Patrol's negotiated contract rate, but Seattle writes its own dollar ceilings on top of that framework. SMC 6.214.220 caps a private impound tow at $183 for the first hour and $130.60 for each hour after it, storage at $30.37 per 12-hour period, and an after-hours release at $100, with the Director adjusting the towing and storage figures annually by the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton CPI-U Transportation index. Before a car may be hooked up from a private lot the tow company needs a Seattle tow company license, a written contract with the property owner, RCW 46.55 signage, and date-stamped digital photographs of the vehicle as parked. Vehicles the City itself impounds run on a separate track under SMC Chapter 11.30, where notice is mailed within 24 hours and the owner has 10 days to demand a Municipal Court hearing.

Seattle fixes the meaning of curb colors citywide: red is a tow-away zone. Stop, stand, or park in a space signed or marked red and Seattle Municipal Code 11.72.410 makes it unlawful, the code states outright that violators will be impounded, not just ticketed, wherever the marking appears in the city.

Seattle forbids parking a detached trailer or camper, including boat and RV trailers, on any street or alley. SMC 11.72.430 allows only a narrow 24-hour exception after a collision, with a lighted red signal required.

Seattle bars parking in front of driveways and alley entrances and bars parking against the flow of traffic. SMC 11.72.110 keeps a 5-foot buffer around driveway and alley returns; SMC 11.72.470 requires the parked vehicle to face the direction of travel on its side of the street.

Seattle bans overnight parking of wide trucks and trailers on residential streets. SMC 11.72.070 forbids parking a truck, trailer or other conveyance over 80 inches wide on any street or alley between midnight and 6 a.m., except in an Industrial Zone.

Seattle Municipal Code 11.72.500 bans parking a junk motor vehicle on any street, alley, or public property, backed by a flat $250 civil infraction under RCW Chapter 7.80 that a judge cannot suspend or defer. SMC 11.14.268 defines a junk vehicle using six weighted criteria, and vehicles meeting three or more are subject to impoundment under Chapter 11.30 SMC regardless of whether they sit on a street or private land.

In Seattle's Neighborhood Commercial and Commercial zones, SMC 23.47A.014.G.5 caps fences and freestanding walls inside a required setback at 6 feet, averaged over sloping grade in 6-foot segments but never exceeding 8 feet at any point. Retaining walls and bulkheads used to raise grade top out at 6 feet, and stacking a fence on a new bulkhead limits the combined height to 9.5 feet.

Seattle prohibits placing or keeping a barbed wire or electric fence along the margin of any public place, the line where private property meets a street, alley, or sidewalk, if it could hazard a pedestrian. SMC 15.48.020 targets the fence's location and danger to foot traffic, not barbed wire generally, and SDOT enforces it as a Title 15 street-use violation.

Most residential fences in Seattle do not require a building permit. Fences 8 feet or shorter without masonry or concrete above 6 feet are exempt. Fences in flood-prone areas, shoreline zones, or environmentally critical areas may need additional review.

Seattle land use law lets a pet grooming center board animals, but SMC 23.47A.039 caps boarding space at 30 percent of the shop's gross floor area and requires a Public Health – Seattle & King County permit under SMC 10.72.020 before any commercial kennel, pet shop, or grooming-center boarding operation can open in the city.

Seattle permits backyard beekeeping outright once the hives are registered with the state, but SMC 23.42.052.E caps lots under 10,000 square feet at four single-swarm hives and requires any hive within 25 feet of a lot line to sit 8 feet above grade or be screened behind a 6-foot solid fence or hedge.

Seattle does not require pet owners to spay or neuter their dogs or cats. The Seattle Animal Shelter sterilizes every adopted animal and runs a low-cost spay-neuter clinic for income-qualified residents.

Seattle requires every cat over eight weeks old to carry a City license under SMC 9.25.051, with fees of $30 altered/$80 unaltered plus a $30 late fee under SMC 9.26.020. Unlike dogs, cats are expressly exempt from the at-large offense in SMC 9.25.084(A), and a microchipped, registered cat can skip the physical tag under SMC 9.25.080(B).

Seattle caps household pets at three small animals per dwelling unit under SMC 23.42.052.A, but Neighborhood Residential lots of 20,000 square feet or more get a bump to four, plus one more for every additional 5,000 square feet, and any kennel housing four or more animals must sit 10 feet from the next lot.

Seattle allows cows, horses, sheep and similar farm animals as an accessory use, but only on lots of 20,000 square feet or more, at a density of one animal per 10,000 square feet, and their pens or barns must sit at least 50 feet from any neighboring lot in a residential zone under SMC 23.42.052.D.

A veterinary hospital in Seattle needs a permit under SMC 10.72.020, and SDCI must first confirm the use is consistent with Seattle zoning under SMC 10.72.030(A). One overlay district goes further: SMC 23.74.008(B)(6) bans new veterinary offices outright in the Stadium Transition Area near the ballparks.

Seattle law defines "at large" as a dog off its owner's property and not under control by a leash of 8 feet or shorter (SMC 9.25.020(E)), and SMC 9.25.084(A) makes it unlawful to let a dog run at large or trespass. The only exception is a City-designated off-leash area under SMC 18.12.080(B), such as Golden Gardens or Magnuson Park.

Seattle has no breed-specific ban. Under SMC 9.25.020(G), the Director of Finance and Administrative Services declares an animal "dangerous" only after an unprovoked bite or attack: breed is legally irrelevant. SMC 9.25.083 then makes it a gross misdemeanor to own a declared dangerous animal, enforced through SMC 9.25.035's notice-and-hearing process.

Seattle doesn't mandate microchipping citywide, but SMC 9.25.080(B) lets a licensed, microchipped cat skip its physical tag as long as the chip is registered with Seattle Animal Control. The Director also implants chips in shelter animals leaving through adoption, redemption, or release under SMC 9.25.030(A)(15), and removing a City-implanted chip is a separate offense under SMC 9.25.080(I).

Seattle makes it unlawful to procure or keep an exotic animal under SMC 9.25.053, a category SMC 9.25.020(M) defines to include primates, big cats, bears, hyenas, crocodilians, elephants, hooved wild species, and any snake eight feet or longer. Violations are a gross misdemeanor under SMC 9.25.100(A), with narrow exceptions for zoos, schools, vets, and 30-day circus permits.

Seattle requires Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections approval in advance before any regulated tree can be removed as hazardous, per SMC 25.11.040, unless the work qualifies as an emergency action under SMC 25.11.030. A registered tree service provider with an ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification must first rate the tree Extreme or High Risk, and Tier 1 through Tier 3 replacements are mandatory once the Director approves removal.

Seattle Municipal Code 10.52.020 declares vegetation constituting a fire, health, or safety hazard a public nuisance on any property, with no set inch limit: the test is whether growth is dry and combustible, harbors rodents or poisonous plants, or blocks sightlines. SMC 10.52.030 puts the abatement duty on the property owner or occupant.

Seattle's Stormwater Code lets rainwater harvesting count as an approved on-site BMP for single-family and other projects under SMC 22.805.070, but only if it's sized correctly: Category 2 systems must meet the chapter's on-site performance standard, and Category 4 systems must cut annual runoff volume by at least 25 percent. It's optional, not mandatory.

Seattle's Green Factor landscaping standard, set out in SMC 23.86.019, awards a 0.1 bonus multiplier to any landscaping that consists entirely of drought-tolerant or native plant species, on top of credit already earned for the planted area itself.

Seattle has no year-round lawn-watering-day schedule. SMC 21.04.500 lets the Director of Seattle Public Utilities ban outdoor water use, including irrigation of lawns, turf and other outdoor surfaces, only after declaring a water-supply emergency, and only on the times and conditions the Director then sets for each declared event.

Property owners abutting a public sidewalk in Seattle must prune the street trees and vegetation fronting their lot so branches don't block streetlights, traffic signs, signals, or sightlines at intersections. SMC 15.43.040 sets a hard clearance floor: 8 feet above the sidewalk and 14 feet above the street. SDOT can do the pruning itself and bill the owner if the standard isn't met.

Seattle treats a licensed family child care business as a home occupation under SMC 23.42.050, permitted outright in every zone. The code expressly allows an outdoor play area for the program and any interior or exterior alterations required by state child-care licensing or construction codes, on top of the standard home-occupation traffic, parking and spillover limits.

Seattle allows a home occupation outright in every zone as an accessory use to a residence, so no separate zoning approval is required, but SMC 23.42.050 caps it at three vehicles of 10,000 lbs or less, bans outdoor storage and drive-in operations, and requires noise, odor, dust and glare to stay within the property line.

A Seattle home business may post exactly one sign in a residential zone, and SMC 23.55.020.D.8 caps it at 5 square feet and requires it to be nonilluminated, no backlighting, neon, or electric elements, while SMC 23.42.050.D.3 makes any home occupation sign subject to the full Chapter 23.55 sign code.

Seattle's home-occupation ordinance caps the vehicle traffic a home business can generate rather than counting customers: SMC 23.42.050(G) allows no more than three vehicles tied to the business on site at once, parking is confined to spaces already legal on the lot, and any spillover, including traffic-related noise, can't cross the property line.

Constructing a residential swimming pool in Seattle requires an SDCI building permit under Table D-2 for SMC 22.900D.010, which sets fees as multiples of the project's base fee: four times base fee for an unenclosed pool accessory to a single-family (Group R-3) home, six times base fee for pools accessory to other occupancies or principal-use pools, and lower multiples for standard-plan reviews.

Seattle's Water Recreation Facility Code (SMC 10.12) and Swimming and Spa Pool Code (SMC 10.56) require a Public Health–Seattle & King County permit to build or operate a spa pool, but SMC 10.12.050 exempts any facility used solely by residents and guests at a single-family dwelling.

Seattle allows tiny houses on permanent foundations as Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs) under SMC 23.42.022 and SMC 23.44.041, subject to the same code as any DADU. Tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) are treated as recreational vehicles and may not be used as residences in city residential zones. Sanctioned tiny house villages exist only as transitional encampments under SMC 23.42.054.

SMC 23.44.090(G) lets garages and carports sit in a required setback under specific conditions: a front-setback garage is capped at 300 square feet and 14 feet wide for one space, or 600 square feet and 24 feet wide for two, and a rear-setback garage must stay 5 feet off the rear line.

Seattle requires new construction in A-zone flood hazard areas to sit at least three feet above the base flood elevation, per SMC 25.06.030's definition of 'flood protection elevation.' SMC 25.06.110 applies the standard to residential and nonresidential buildings citywide, enforced by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections.

Seattle grading permits require erosion control from cut and fill slopes and cleared areas, per SMC 22.170.070. SDCI can demand a written plan for minimizing sediment, requires inspection of erosion and drainage control measures during work under 22.170.130, and won't sign off final approval under 22.170.140 until all erosion control measures are complete.

Seattle's Stormwater Code requires every development project to maintain natural drainage patterns and prevent adverse impacts to receiving waters, under SMC 22.805.020. Discharge points must preserve natural pathways and match downstream drainage capacity. Seattle Public Utilities and the Department of Construction and Inspections jointly enforce the code, and violations draw civil penalties up to $5,000 per day under SMC 22.808.050.

Seattle requires a floodplain development permit before any construction, fill, or substantial improvement in FEMA-mapped special flood hazard areas, per Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 25.06. SDCI administers approvals citywide; SDOT handles work in the public right-of-way. Violators face a cumulative civil penalty of $500 per day until compliance is achieved.

Installing or modifying boat docks in Seattle requires permits under the Shoreline Master Program (SMC 23.60A), federal Army Corps Section 10 permits, and potentially Washington Department of Ecology approvals. Docks must comply with environmental standards protecting salmon habitat and water quality. SDCI reviews all dock proposals within the shoreline district.

Seawall and bulkhead maintenance in Seattle is regulated under the Shoreline Master Program (SMC 23.60A) and the Washington Shoreline Management Act. Work on seawalls within the shoreline district requires a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit or exemption from SDCI. Environmental review under SEPA may be required for significant projects.

SMC 23.42.058 bans major cannabis activity, production, processing, or retail sale, in neighborhood residential and multifamily zones, NC1, Pioneer Square Mixed, the International District zones, both Downtown Harborfront zones, Pike Market Mixed, and eight historic and special review districts. Elsewhere, a state-licensed operator may locate subject to a 1,000-foot buffer from schools and playgrounds.

Washington RCW 69.50.331 requires cannabis retailers to sit at least 1,000 feet from elementary and secondary schools, playgrounds, parks, libraries, and child-care centers. Seattle SMC 23.42 aligns with the state buffer.

Washington state law (RCW 64.38.055) prohibits HOAs from banning solar installations, and Seattle's building code supports solar access with height exemptions, making it one of the most solar-friendly jurisdictions.

Seattle's sign code SMC 23.55 bans new off-premises billboards citywide, prohibits digital conversion of existing billboards, restricts on-premises electronic message centers to 8-second hold times in commercial zones, and bans flashing or animated signs in residential areas.

SMC 23.55.012 sets Seattle's limits on political and other noncommercial signs. Real estate, contractor, and noncommercial fabric or rigid signs are allowed in every zone at all times up to 8 square feet per lot in neighborhood residential zones and 24 square feet elsewhere, plus up to four extra 14-day display periods a year for banners, balloons, and similar temporary signage.

SMC 23.55.042 bars new off-premises and business signs within 660 feet of designated scenic freeway sections, including I-5, I-90, the West Seattle Freeway, and SR 520, and within 200 feet of their ramps if visible from the roadway. A narrow list of on-premises business signs is allowed outright; almost everything else needs a discretionary Type I exception.

Hanging decorative or seasonal string lights on a Seattle street tree is allowed without a permit if the installation doesn't damage the tree or block the sidewalk. But once the lights stay up more than 90 days, or the install or removal affects pedestrian or vehicle movement, SMC 15.43.030(G) requires a Street Use permit from the Department of Transportation first.

Seattle's Housing and Building Maintenance Code declares that substandard, deteriorating buildings 'in danger of causing or contributing to the creation of slums or otherwise blighted areas' are hazardous to public health and welfare (SMC 22.200.020.A). SDCI's Director can declare a building unfit for human habitation under SMC 22.208.010 and order it repaired, vacated and closed, or demolished under SMC 22.208.020, with demolition required whenever repair costs exceed 50 percent of replacement value.

Seattle's weed nuisance chapter, SMC 10.52, applies to vacant and unplatted land as much as built lots. "property" is defined to include unimproved parcels. SMC 10.52.040(E) specifically directs code officers to weigh hazards on land "maintained in a wholly undeveloped and unimproved state" before ordering corrective action.

Seattle puts snow-and-ice removal squarely on the property owner or occupant, not the City. SMC 15.48.010 requires clearing the sidewalk abutting the property in a timely manner and, where practical, keeping it from turning icy, ridged, uneven, or humped enough to endanger anyone walking past.

SMC 23.55.014(E)(3) caps how brightly Seattle billboards and other off-premises signs can be lit: incandescent illumination is limited to 1.25 watts per square foot of sign area, fluorescent or other illumination to 1 watt per square foot, and signs that use lights as part of the advertising message itself, chasing displays or message boards, are banned outright.

Seattle's Land Use Code requires exterior lighting on commercially zoned lots to be shielded and pointed away from neighboring properties. SMC 23.47A.022 also caps light poles at 30 feet (40 feet in taller zones with an energy-efficiency offset), requires parking-garage lighting to be shielded against nighttime glare, and forces glare screening around any driveway or lot serving more than two vehicles.

Seattle rental units must meet minimum habitability standards under SMC Chapter 22.206, enforced by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections through the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO). Heating systems must hold at least 68°F in winter, hot water must reach 100°F at the tap, and every habitable room needs at least 120 square feet of floor area. Landlords who fail these checks face civil penalties.

Seattle's tenant anti-harassment rules under SMC 14.06 and tenant protection chapters bar landlords from using threats, repeated unwanted contact, false statements, or service interruptions to drive tenants out, with enforcement by the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR).

Seattle requires every property with rental housing units to hold a current rental housing registration issued by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections before renting to anyone, with each registration valid for two years and renewal required before it expires.

Washington state law (RCW 35.21.830) preempts local rent control, and Seattle cannot impose limits on rent increases, though the city has enacted other tenant protections including mandatory relocation assistance for large rent increases.

Seattle's curbside compostable-waste program is mandatory, not optional: SMC 21.36.085.A requires food scraps and other compostable waste to be 'set apart from refuse for pickup in a manner that is readily identifiable by the collectors.' Food waste is also a required-recycling stream under SMC 21.36.083, carrying a $1 per-can fee for putting it in the garbage instead.

Seattle Public Utilities runs residential garbage collection on a fixed once-a-week schedule under SMC 21.40.050, billing every subscribed service unit monthly whether or not the can gets set out that week. Even households that decline pickup still owe a $6.85 monthly minimum charge covering landfill closure, billing, Low-Income Rate Assistance, and hazardous-waste costs, unless they hold a pre-1989 zero-container exemption.

SMC 23.54.040 sets exact placement, paving, and access standards for commercial dumpsters and roll-off containers at Seattle developments. Staging and collection areas must be paved with asphalt or concrete, dumpsters can't sit in driveways or parking spaces, and roll-off containers need 12-foot-wide gated access with overhead clearance of 14 to 18 feet depending on the container's height and dock setup.

Seattle keeps yard waste out of the garbage stream under SMC 21.36.085: 'Yardwaste shall not be mixed with garbage, refuse or rubbish for disposal.' Curbside yard-waste bundles are capped at 4 feet long under the chapter's bundle definition, while material dropped at a City transfer station can run up to 8 feet, and none of it may go out in plastic bags.

Seattle requires every residence to keep a sufficient number of garbage containers under SMC 21.36.050, with at least one service unit as a garbage can, mini-can, or collector-supplied cart. Ashes must be bagged or boxed and never set out hot, garbage can't go out in loose bundles, and filled containers can't exceed weight limits set in SMC 21.36.070.

Every commercial establishment in Seattle, including self-haulers, must separate paper, cardboard, glass and plastic bottles/jars, aluminum and tin cans, food waste, compostable paper, and yard waste for recycling under SMC 21.36.082. None of those materials may go into a garbage container, drop box, or the City's transfer stations: violators face a $50 fee per collection.

Dumping solid waste anywhere in Seattle without authorization is unlawful under SMC 21.36.420. Anything over 1 cubic foot is a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor depending on volume, and violators must remove the waste and pay a litter cleanup restitution payment on top of any fine.

Seattle provides bulky item collection through Seattle Public Utilities and operates transfer stations for large items that do not fit in regular collection carts, with special rules for construction debris, appliances, and electronics.

Seattle requires every resident in a single-family home, multifamily building, or mixed-use structure to separate paper, cardboard, glass and plastic bottles/jars, aluminum and tin cans, food waste, and compostable paper for recycling under SMC 21.36.083. None of it belongs in the garbage: curbside violators pay $1 extra per can, detachable-container customers pay $50 extra per collection.

SMC 21.36.080 tells Seattle residents exactly where to put garbage containers for pickup and how long they can sit there. Backyard-collection cans go near the rear of the building or alley at ground level (or a rack no more than 14 inches high); curbside containers go within one yard of the curb, alley, or sidewalk, and can't sit out until shortly before collection.

FAA controlled-airspace rules govern Seattle drone flights. Sea-Tac (KSEA) and Boeing Field (KBFI) blanket most of the city in Class B or D airspace, requiring LAANC pre-authorization or Part 107 waiver before takeoff.

Seattle Fire Department requires its own annual fire-code permit for any food truck that cooks with propane, natural gas, solid fuel or an open flame: separate from SDCI's food-business license. Permit code 8206-TRK covers an SFD inspection and costs $490 a year to obtain or renew under the Fire Code Permit and Fee Ordinance, SMC Chapter 22.602.

Seattle designates specific food-vehicle vending zones, most commonly in curb spaces adjacent to sidewalks. Zones are established by SDOT considering pedestrian flow, traffic safety, and proximity to businesses. Sidewalk and plaza street-food permits are valid for one year and are split between daytime (6 AM-8 PM) and nighttime (8 PM-6 AM) periods.

Mobile food carts and trucks in Seattle must comply with SDOT vending permits, King County Health requirements, Seattle Fire Department regulations, and the Seattle Municipal Code. Carts must meet size restrictions for sidewalk placement and maintain required clearances. Food trucks require specific vehicle compliance in addition to vending permits.

Seattle residents can post No Soliciting signs that solicitors must legally respect, and trespass laws protect homeowners who ask solicitors to leave their property.

Seattle regulates door-to-door solicitation through its business license requirements and consumer protection regulations, requiring commercial solicitors to carry identification and comply with consumer protection rules.

SMC 18.12.245 sets general park operating hours from 4:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. citywide; individual parks are closed to the public between 11:30 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. unless the Superintendent designates different hours or opens a specific park 24 hours a day.

SMC 23.44.080 caps structure coverage at 50 percent of the lot in Seattle's Neighborhood Residential zones, rising to 60 percent for stacked dwelling units or for low-rise courtyard developments in frequent transit areas. Underground structures, small architectural projections, and low decks and porches don't count toward the cap.

SMC 23.44.090's Table A sets Neighborhood Residential front setbacks at 15 feet for lots with one or two units and 10 feet for three or more, rear setbacks of 10-15 feet (waived at an alley), and side setbacks averaging 5 feet with a 3-foot minimum.

SMC 23.44.070 caps most structures in Seattle's Neighborhood Residential zones at 32 feet, rising to 42 feet for developments with three or more units and a 20-foot front setback, or for qualifying stacked units. Accessory structures in required setbacks are capped at 12 feet, with a 3-foot pitched-roof allowance.

Seattle requires street trees for any development adding a dwelling unit under SMC 23.44.120.G. SDCI's Director and the Seattle Department of Transportation jointly set the number, species and spacing planted in the right-of-way planting strip, and existing street trees can't be removed without SDOT's approval.

Seattle's overhauled Tree Protection Ordinance, SMC 25.11 (effective 2023), creates a tiered system. Tier 1 exceptional trees, Tier 2 heritage trees, and Tier 3 trees over 12-inch DBH need permits and replacement.

Seattle designates heritage trees as Tier 1 under SMC 25.11.050 and bars removing or topping them on any lot, developed or undeveloped, unless the tree is hazardous or an emergency action applies under SMC 25.11.030 or 25.11.040. Even when a lot is being developed, Tier 1 trees still cannot be removed for construction convenience.

HOA assessments in Seattle are governed by WUCIOA (RCW 64.90). Associations must adopt an annual budget and may levy regular and special assessments. Special assessments require member approval unless the declaration provides otherwise. Assessment liens are priority liens for up to six months of unpaid assessments, taking priority over first mortgages.

HOAs in Seattle are governed by the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA), RCW 64.90. Board meetings must be open to all unit owners. Boards must begin each meeting with at least 15 minutes for homeowner comments, and individual owners may be limited to 90 seconds of speaking time. Executive sessions are permitted only for limited purposes such as legal matters and personnel issues.

CC&R enforcement in Seattle HOAs is governed by WUCIOA (RCW 64.90). Associations may impose fines, suspend privileges, and pursue legal action for covenant violations. The board must provide written notice of violations and an opportunity to be heard before imposing sanctions. Fines must be reasonable and authorized by the declaration or rules.

HOA architectural review in Seattle is governed by WUCIOA (RCW 64.90) and each association's declaration and CC&Rs. Architectural committees must apply standards consistently and provide written guidelines. Under WUCIOA, owners may attend architectural review committee meetings. Associations cannot prohibit display of the U.S. flag, Washington state flag, or certain political signs.

WUCIOA (RCW 64.90) provides structured dispute resolution procedures for HOA conflicts in Seattle. Owners and associations may pursue internal grievance procedures, mediation, or arbitration before litigation. The act encourages alternative dispute resolution and provides for recovery of attorney fees by the prevailing party in most HOA disputes.

Seattle has identified over 1,100 unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings that pose earthquake collapse hazards. SDCI maintains a public database of all known URM buildings. The 2021 Existing Building Code adopted in November 2024 establishes minimum retrofit standards. The city is developing financial support programs including FEMA grants and transfer of development rights to help fund mandatory retrofits.

Washington state requires seismic gas shutoff valves for buildings where a building permit was first issued on or after January 26, 1995. Valves must be installed downstream of the gas utility meter and comply with ANSI Z21.93 standards. The valve automatically closes the gas supply when it detects significant seismic activity (5.2 magnitude or greater).

Seattle adopted the 2021 Existing Building Code recognizing URM retrofits on November 15, 2024. The city has identified over 1,100 collapse-hazard unreinforced masonry buildings housing or employing over 22,000 people. Compliance is currently voluntary but mandatory retrofits are planned once supportive resources are established. Two retrofit pathways exist: code-based and the Alternate Method similar to California's Bolts+ approach.

Seattle Office of Film + Music issues a free citywide Master Film Permit for productions including student films. Small handheld shoots may proceed without paperwork; tripods, crews, or street use trigger permit and insurance requirements.

Seattle requires film permits for any production activity on public property at a flat rate of $25 per day regardless of filming impact. Three impact levels determine the application lead time: low impact (3 business days), medium impact (5 business days), and high impact (10+ business days). Productions with budgets under $10,000 pay $25 for up to 14 consecutive shoot days.

Seattle's housing code requires anyone repairing painted surfaces in a pre-1978 rental building to follow state lead-based paint rules, and lets the Department of Construction and Inspections demand proof a certified renovator did the work once damage exceeds set thresholds.

Seattle enforces its own Electrical Code, the 2023 National Electrical Code plus selected portions of WAC 296-46B, adopted by SMC 22.101.010 with local amendments in Attachment C, and requires an SDCI electrical permit for wiring installations, additions, and alterations. SMC 22.900D.150 charges permit fees on a valuation basis when plans are reviewed, or from a flat fee table when they are not, with a $105.12 minimum self-issued permit.

Owners of Seattle rental buildings must install carbon monoxide alarms outside each sleeping room, on every level of the dwelling, and inside any bedroom with a fuel-burning appliance or fireplace. The duty comes from the Housing and Building Maintenance Code, SMC 22.206.160.B.5, and applies on every change of tenancy.

Seattle's Energy Code SMC 22.901 is among the strictest in the U.S., paired with the Living Building Pilot SMC 23.40.060 offering zoning incentives for ultra-green projects. Building Emissions Performance Standard SMC 22.925 covers existing buildings.

Seattle requires a building permit from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) for new construction, additions, alterations, and repairs to existing buildings, issued under the locally adopted Seattle Building Code (2021 International Building Code, Clerk File 323091). SMC 22.900A.070 makes it unlawful to proceed with any construction, installation, alteration, or repair once the required permit fee is due and unpaid, and SDCI may post a stop-work order until compliance.

Childcare facilities in Seattle must hold a Washington DCYF license under WAC 110-300 and meet Seattle Building Code Group E or I-4 occupancy provisions in SMC 22.601. Inspections by SDCI, SFD, and Public Health are mandatory.

SMC 22.206.140 requires multi-unit building entrance doors to be self-closing and self-locking with a 1-inch-throw deadlatch, and every individual housing unit's entrance door to carry its own dead bolt or deadlatch with at least a 1/2-inch throw that can be opened from inside without a key.

Seattle's Plumbing Code is chapter 51-56 WAC as in effect March 15, 2024, plus City Council amendments and a locally drafted Chapter 1, adopted by SMC 22.502.016 and filed with the City Clerk under Clerk File 323098. SMC 22.500.040 applies the code to the erection, installation, alteration, addition, repair, relocation, replacement, maintenance, or use of any plumbing system, so nearly every plumbing job in the city needs SDCI permit review.

Seattle requires permits for scaffolding erected on public rights-of-way through the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). The Seattle Building Code and Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) establish safety standards for scaffold construction, inspection, and use. All scaffolding must comply with OSHA and L&I fall protection standards.

Seattle regulates elevators through the Seattle Building Code Chapter 30 and Washington state conveyance regulations. All elevators must be registered with the state, inspected annually, and maintained according to ASME A17.1 safety standards. The owner is responsible for safe operation, maintenance, and keeping current inspection certificates posted.

Seattle SMC Title 15 requires a Special Event Permit from the Special Events Committee for parades, races, and festivals using city streets. Applications must be submitted at least 30 days in advance, and major events 90+ days.

SMC 15.16.010 bars anyone from operating a café in a Seattle public place without a Street Use permit from the Director of Transportation. The applicant must be the owner or occupant of the abutting food service business, carry liability insurance, and meet siting standards that protect a pedestrian clear zone and a 3-foot-wide pedestrian straight path.

Seattle Parks and Recreation requires permits for outdoor events in city parks including festivals, concerts, and walk/run events. Applications must be submitted through the Parks Event Scheduling Office and can be filed up to one year in advance. Processing takes 5-15 business days depending on the season, with late fees for applications submitted less than 30 days before the event.

SMC 15.04.010 makes it unlawful to occupy or encroach on any Seattle public place, sidewalk, planting strip, alley, or roadway, without a written Street Use permit from the Director of Transportation, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, or the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, covering everything from areaways and overhangs to fencing and stored materials.

When Seattle's Director of Transportation finds a sidewalk unfit or unsafe for public travel, SMC 15.72.010 puts the fix on the abutting property owner: the Director serves a notice instructing repair, clearing, cleaning, or renewal. Owners can arrange with SDOT to do the permanent restoration themselves rather than let the City do it and bill them.

SMC 15.46.010 lets SDOT's Director of Transportation remove any obstruction, hazard, or nuisance from a sidewalk or other public place whenever it serves public safety or convenience, then bill whoever caused it for the removal cost plus a 15 percent administrative surcharge. Occupying a public place without a Street Use permit is a separate Title 15 violation with its own citation and civil-penalty exposure.

Bars, clubs and other non-residential properties in Seattle cannot let amplified sound carry into a neighbor's home overnight. SMC 25.08.501 bans amplified noise plainly audible inside a receiving dwelling unit between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., enforced by SDCI's Noise Administrator with a warning first, then citations and civil penalties.

A Seattle tenant who reports a problem can trigger a City inspection directly: SMC 22.214.050.C requires SDCI to send an inspector into any rental unit a tenant complains about, and if that unit fails on a covered condition, the Director can force every other unit in the building onto the same inspection and certificate-of-compliance track under the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance.

Seattle's Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance requires the Department of Construction and Inspections to inspect at least 10 percent of registered rental properties every year and every property at least once every ten years, using a random selection method and 60 days' advance notice to the owner.

Seattle SDCI prioritizes code complaints by severity. Emergency life-safety issues receive immediate response. Standard building and housing complaints are typically investigated within 20 business days, though complex cases may take longer.

Seattle's most common code violations include unpermitted construction, overgrown vegetation and weeds, substandard housing conditions, illegal use of property, and work exceeding permit scope. SDCI enforces the Seattle Municipal Code and International Building Code.

Seattle accepts code violation reports through the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) by phone at (206) 615-0808, online via the Seattle Services Portal, or by mail. The Find It Fix It app handles city infrastructure issues but not building code complaints.

Seattle follows the Washington State Noxious Weed List and King County's noxious weed regulations. Property owners must control Class A, B, and C noxious weeds. Common prohibited species include knotweed, Scotch broom, English ivy, and Himalayan blackberry.

Before Seattle Police or any city department can acquire an automated license plate reader or similar surveillance technology, SMC 14.18 requires City Council ordinance approval plus a public Surveillance Impact Report covering data retention, access controls and any sharing with outside agencies.

Washington is a two-party (all-party) consent state under RCW 9.73.030. Recording any private conversation without consent from all parties is a gross misdemeanor. This applies to phone calls, in-person conversations, and audio features on security cameras.

Washington permits open carry of firearms without a permit for adults 21 and older. Seattle cannot ban open carry in most public spaces due to state preemption, but RCW 9.41.300 prohibits openly carried weapons at permitted demonstrations and the state Capitol.

Under RCW 9.41.050, you may not carry a loaded pistol in a vehicle in Washington without a Concealed Pistol License. Long guns must be unloaded. Seattle follows state rules without supplemental restrictions.

Washington requires a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) to carry a loaded handgun concealed off your premises. King County Sheriff issues CPLs to Seattle residents under RCW 9.41.070. The state is shall-issue with background checks.

Washington RCW 9.41.290 reserves firearms regulation to the state, blocking most city-level gun rules. Seattle has tested narrow ordinances on storage and parks, but courts have struck several down under the preemption statute.

Seattle's Minimum Wage Ordinance SMC 14.19 sets a citywide floor well above Washington's, reaching $20.76 per hour in 2025 for all employers with a single rate after small-business tip and benefit credits sunset in 2025.

Seattle's Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) Ordinance SMC 14.16 requires every employer to give workers paid leave that accrues from the first hour worked, usable for illness, family care, domestic violence, and public health closures.

Seattle's Secure Scheduling Ordinance SMC 14.22 requires large retail and food-service employers (500+ employees worldwide; 40+ for full-service restaurants) to give 14 days advance notice of schedules and pay premiums for last-minute changes.

Seattle treats urban farming as a protected accessory use in every residential zone under SMC 23.42.051, letting a household grow and sell produce on site as long as retail hours run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., deliveries are capped at one per day, and no more than two 10,000-pound vehicles support the operation.

Seattle bars sitting or lying on a public sidewalk, or on a blanket, chair, or stool placed on one, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the Downtown Zone and in Neighborhood Commercial zones such as Pioneer Square Mixed, C1, C2, and NC1-NC3. SMC 15.48.040 exempts medical emergencies, mobility-device users, permitted vendors and events, and people waiting at a bus stop.

Seattle Municipal Code 23.42.054 lets a transitional encampment operate as an accessory use on property owned or controlled by a religious organization, capped at 100 residents, but subsection B.3 requires the operator provide chemical toilets or indoor toilet access, continuous running water discharged to a City-approved location, and garbage removal frequent enough to prevent overflow.

SMC 11.50.570 authorizes Seattle's automated traffic safety cameras to catch stoplight violations at signaled arterial intersections, railroad-crossing violations, and speeding in school, park, hospital, and work zones, plus transit-lane and ferry-queue violations, under RCW 46.63.210-260. SDOT must complete an equity analysis before adding or relocating a camera, and as of June 16, 2025 every new or relocated camera issues a penalty-free warning for its first 30 days.

SMC 11.46.010 tells riders of shared and personal motorized foot scooters and EPAMDs exactly where they can operate in Seattle: scooters get roadways, shoulders, alleys, bicycle lanes and public paths but not sidewalks, while EPAMDs get roadways, shoulders, sidewalks and alleys but not bicycle lanes. SDOT can also designate speed-limited zones capping EPAMDs and e-scooters at 5 mph on sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian zones under SMC 11.46.020.E.

SMC 11.53.190 bars any motor vehicle operator from driving in a Seattle bicycle lane except to make a turning maneuver, and even then the driver must yield to every bicyclist in the lane. Camera-detected violations under this section carry a $75 base penalty per SMC 11.31.121, and the rule sits alongside SMC 11.53.195's requirement that drivers yield to bicyclists in a marked bicycle crossing.

SMC 11.14.055 adopts three e-bike classes by motor behavior, Class 1 and 3 assist only while pedaling (cutting off at 20 and 28 mph), Class 2 can propel without pedaling up to 20 mph, and SMC 11.44.120 bars Class 3 e-bikes from Seattle sidewalks except where there's no alternative route.

Seattle property owners and lessees must keep service pipes and connections in good repair and protected from freezing, and are financially responsible for all damage from leaks and breaks. If repairs are neglected, SPU's Director can enter the premises, make the repairs, and bill the owner.

Seattle requires Design Review before permitting most downtown development: full design review applies at 50,000 square feet of gross floor area in DOC1, DOC2 or DMC zones, and at 20,000 square feet in DRC, DMR, DH1, DH2, PMM (outside the Pike Place Market Historical District), IB or IC zones. A Design Review Board applies citywide and neighborhood design guidelines before SDCI issues a permit.

Seattle's Mandatory Housing Affordability program (SMC 23.58B-C) grants extra height and FAR in upzoned areas in exchange for on-site affordable units or in-lieu fees. MHA evolved from the 2015 HALA framework.

Washington RCW 69.06 requires every food worker to obtain a Food Worker Card within two weeks of starting work. King County Public Health issues the card after a free online course and exam, valid for 2-3 years.

Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 10.34 makes it unlawful for a building owner or occupant to leave storerooms, warehouses, docks, or residences unprotected against rats, mice, and other rodents. The Director of Public Health–Seattle & King County can inspect any building and order the owner to apply approved eradication measures. Non-compliance is punishable in Seattle Municipal Court.

Seattle SMC 25.12 empowers the Landmarks Preservation Board to designate individual landmarks. Approved landmarks require a Certificate of Approval before any controlled-feature alteration; over 500 landmarks are listed citywide.

Seattle SMC 25.12 and 25.16-25.30 establish historic districts including Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, Ballard Avenue, Columbia City, Harvard-Belmont, Fort Lawton, International District, and Sand Point. Exterior changes need Certificate of Approval.

Massage businesses in Seattle must hold both a state Department of Health practitioner license under RCW 18.108 and a city massage business license under SMC 6.290, with background checks, anti-trafficking signage, and inspections targeting illicit massage operations.

Tow operators in Seattle need a WA State Patrol registered tow truck operator (RTTO) certificate under RCW 46.55 plus a Seattle business license, and must follow city impound-rate caps, signage rules for private-property impounds, and SDOT rotational towing contracts.

Operating a tattoo shop in Seattle without a City license is unlawful under SMC 6.102.020, and the application goes to the Director of Finance and Administrative Services with review by the Chief of Police and Director of Public Health before it can issue. The annual fee is $530, licenses expire February 28, and no one under 18 may hold one.

Seattle lets residents run automotive retail sales and services as a home occupation, but SMC 23.42.050(F) bars any "substantial increase in on-street parking congestion or...traffic within the immediate vicinity," and like every home occupation the business is capped to three associated vehicles on site, each under 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.

Operating an adult entertainment premises in Seattle without a license from the Director of Finance and Administrative Services is unlawful under SMC 6.270.040, and every entertainer and manager needs a separate license too. Premises licenses cost $905 a year, entertainers $170, managers $216, and no one under 18 may enter or work such a venue.

Pawnbrokers in Seattle operate under WA RCW 19.60, capping monthly interest at three percent plus a small fee, requiring 90-day loan terms, daily SPD reporting, and a 30-day police hold on pawned goods before forfeiture and sale.

Secondhand dealers in Seattle must register under SMC 6.288, comply with WA RCW 19.60 reporting, hold purchases for 30 days, photograph and electronically transmit transaction details to the Seattle Police Department through LeadsOnline, and verify seller identification.

Selling any tobacco product in Seattle, pipe tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, or cigarillos, without a City tobacco product retailer's license is unlawful under SMC 6.240.020. The license runs July 1 to June 30 annually, costs $135 per location, vehicle, or operation under SMC 6.204.120, and mobile vendors must follow a fixed, approved route.

Seattle Municipal Code 12A.10.100 makes it unlawful to intentionally urinate or defecate in any public place, streets, sidewalks, alleys, parks, parking lots, or even a parked car, where the act could be seen by the public. A first offense is a civil violation carrying up to a $500 fine under SMC 12A.02.080, not a criminal conviction.

SMC 12A.20.100 makes it unlawful to open a package of, or consume, marijuana, useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or marijuana concentrates in view of the general public or in a public place. Unlike most Title 12A offenses this is only a class 3 civil infraction, not a crime, with the penalty set to match public alcohol consumption.

Seattle Municipal Code 12A.10.010 makes it a misdemeanor to remain in a public place while intentionally soliciting, inducing, enticing, or procuring another person to commit prostitution. Officers weigh a list of specific circumstances, repeated flagging of vehicles or pedestrians, circling a block, leaning into car windows, with none alone controlling.

Seattle's noise code SMC 25.08 sets nighttime residential quiet hours of 10pm-7am weekdays (10pm-9am weekends) and authorizes officers to cite or shut down loud parties as public disturbance noise, with escalating fines and possible response-cost reimbursement.

Washington's 2024 Free to Walk Act amended RCW 46.61.250 so police may not stop pedestrians solely for crossing outside a marked crosswalk when no immediate hazard exists, though crossing into a vehicle's path remains an infraction enforced by SPD.

SMC 12A.24.025 bars opening, possessing an open container of, or consuming liquor in any public place in Seattle, except as specifically permitted under Title 66 RCW. SMC 12A.24.150.A classifies it as a class 3 civil infraction, a ticket, not a criminal charge, with narrow carve-outs for licensed premises and state-authorized events.

SMC 12A.12.015 makes it a misdemeanor "pedestrian interference" offense to aggressively beg in a public place: defined as begging with the intent to intimidate another person into giving money or goods. Simply asking for change is not covered; the law only reaches conduct meant to make a reasonable person feel fearful or compelled.

SMC 11.40.255 requires skateboarders and roller-skaters on Seattle sidewalks and public paths to move in a careful, prudent manner at a reasonable speed, factoring in pedestrian traffic, grade, width, and surface condition, obey traffic-control devices, and always yield to pedestrians. A companion rule, SMC 11.40.250, bars skateboards from the roadway of any arterial street or transit route except at a marked crosswalk.

Washington's Smoking in Public Places Act (RCW 70.160) bans smoking and vaping inside public places and within 25 feet of entrances, while Seattle SMC 10.30 and Parks rules add bans in parks, beaches, playgrounds, and on Metro transit property.

Seattle's business license (B&O-style) tax sorts every business into rate classifications under SMC 5.45.050, extracting, manufacturing, retailing/wholesaling, printing/publishing, motor-carrier freight, and a catch-all "service and other" category, each taxed on gross proceeds, gross income, or product value at its own rate.

Seattle taxes every commercial parking transaction at 14.5% of the parking fee, effective July 1, 2022, under SMC 5.35.030. The tax applies citywide to any covered or uncovered commercial parking lot that charges a fee, and lot operators must collect and remit it to the Director of Finance and Administrative Services.

SMC 12A.22.110 flatly bans running a public cardroom anywhere in Seattle: "It is unlawful for any person to conduct a public cardroom in the City." A companion ban at SMC 12A.50.010 also outlaws letting any premises be used for social card games, with narrow exceptions for licensed nonprofits and private homes.