Benton County, WA Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Benton County, WA, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- BCC 6A.15.030(a), 6A.15.040, 6A.15.070
- Audibility test
- Plainly audible in dwelling or within 200 ft
- First-offense penalty
- Civil penalty up to $500 plus restitution
- Repeat offense
- Misdemeanor (BCC 6A.15.070(b))
- Enforcing agency
- Benton County Sheriff's Office
- Farm-dog exemption
- None; only actual farm animal sounds exempt
Summary
Benton County's public nuisance noise ordinance expressly names continuous or repeated dog barking as a public nuisance noise. It's unlawful under BCC 6A.15.040 if plainly audible inside a neighboring dwelling or within 200 feet of any dwelling and it disturbs someone, drawing a civil penalty up to $500.
6A.15.030 DEFINITIONS. (a) "Public nuisance noise" means the making, creation or maintenance of excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noises which are unusual in their time, place, and use, affect and are a detriment to the public health, comfort, convenience, safety, welfare and prosperity of the people of the county. Public nuisance noise shall include continuous or repeated barking from a dog which would otherwise fulfill the definition set forth above. (b) "Plainly audible" means able to be heard, understood or identified. 6A.15.040 PUBLIC NUISANCE NOISE--UNLAWFUL. It is unlawful for any person to make, continue, or cause to be made or continued or to allow to originate from his or her personal or real property any public nuisance noise which: (a) is plainly audible within any dwelling unit which is not the source of the sound or is generated within two hundred (200) feet of any dwelling; and, (b) either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the health, comfort, repose, peace or safety of others.
Full Breakdown
030(a) defines public nuisance noise to include continuous or repeated barking from a dog that meets the general definition of excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise unusual in its time, place and use that is a detriment to public health, comfort, safety or welfare. Subsection (b) defines the operative audibility test: 'plainly audible' means able to be heard, understood or identified. 040 makes it unlawful for anyone to cause or allow a public nuisance noise, including barking, to originate from their property when it is plainly audible within a dwelling unit that is not the source of the sound, or is generated within 200 feet of any dwelling, and it annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the health, comfort, repose, peace or safety of others.
060 to enforce the ordinance and issue a civil infraction notice on observation or witness reports. 070 sets the penalty: a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation plus restitution for any damage caused, with a second or subsequent violation elevated to a misdemeanor. 050 covers sounds from actual farm animals, not dogs, so a persistently barking dog on agricultural property is not automatically shielded.
Violations & Fines
A dog whose continuous or repeated barking is plainly audible inside a neighbor's dwelling, or heard within 200 feet of any dwelling, and disturbs someone's peace violates BCC 6A.15.040. First offense draws a civil penalty up to $500 plus restitution under BCC 6A.15.070; a second or later violation is charged as a misdemeanor, and the sheriff's office issues the infraction notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Benton County's noise ordinance specifically cover barking dogs?
What's the fine for a barking dog complaint in unincorporated Benton County?
Who enforces the barking dog nuisance rule?
Are farm dogs exempt from Benton County's barking nuisance rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
Compare Benton County to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview
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