Everett, WA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governs
- Designated public sidewalks/ROW
- Warning required
- Yes, before citation
- Max jail
- 90 days
- Max fine
- $500
- Medical/disability exception
- Yes
Summary
Everett bans sitting, lying down, or placing bedding, backpacks, or furniture on designated public sidewalks and rights-of-way, with narrow exceptions.
No person shall sit or lie down upon, or place a blanket, sleeping bag, back pack, chair, mattress, couch, stool, or any similar equipment, item, or furniture upon, a public sidewalk or any portion of the public right-of-way, whether improved or unimproved, in the area identified in Exhibit A.
B. Exceptions. The prohibitions in subsection (A) of this section shall not apply to any person:
1. Temporarily sitting or lying down on a sidewalk due to a medical emergency;
2. Who, as the result of a disability, utilizes a wheelchair, walker, or similar device to move about the public sidewalk;
3. Operating or patronizing an activity on the public sidewalk pursuant to a city-issued permit for the activity; or a person participating in or attending a parade, festival, performance, rally, demonstration, meeting, or similar event conducted on the public sidewalk pursuant to a street use or other applicable permit issued by the city. Nothing in any of these exceptions shall be construed to permit any conduct which is prohibited by any city ordinance or regulation.
C. No person shall be cited under this section unless the person engages in conduct prohibited by this section after having been notified by a law enforcement officer that the conduct violates this section and refuses or intentionally fails to cease such activity when ordered to do so.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4194-26, passed July 29, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Everett Municipal Code § 13.94.010, no person may sit or lie down on, or place a blanket, sleeping bag, backpack, chair, mattress, couch, stool, or similar item on a public sidewalk or right-of-way within the area mapped in the ordinance's Exhibit A. Exceptions cover medical emergencies, wheelchair or walker users, and permitted street activities. Police must first warn a violator and give them a chance to stop before any citation issues. This sits within Everett's city limits in Snohomish County, Washington, and is separate from any Snohomish County rule for unincorporated areas outside the city, and from any similarly named ordinance in Everett, Massachusetts.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor: up to 90 days in jail, a fine up to $500, or both, but only after a law enforcement warning and refusal to comply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be cited immediately for sitting on a sidewalk in Everett?
Does the Everett sit-lie ban apply citywide?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Everett
Compare Everett to another location·View the Washington homelessness & encampment rules overview
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Sit-Lie Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle sit-lie rules.