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Port Townsend, WA Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

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

Barking dog rules in Port Townsend, 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

First violation
$66 fine
Second violation
$114 fine
Third violation
$209 fine
3+ violations/year
Misdemeanor, up to $1,000/90 days
Animal handling
May be seized and impounded

Summary

Port Townsend treats frequent or continuous barking, howling, yelping, or whining as a public disturbance noise under PTMC 9.09.030(C)(8), enforced through citizen complaints, police warnings, and escalating civil infraction fines.

Barking and other noise prohibited. Animal noise shall be regulated as set forth in PTMC 9.09.030(C)(8). ... The frequent, repetitive or intermittently continuous sounds made by any animal, owned by or in the possession of a person, including but not limited to, barking, howling, yelping, or whining. Animal noise defined in this section is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and is subject to abatement procedures, seizure and impoundment, as prescribed by law.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).

Full Breakdown

PTMC 8.04.200 routes animal noise into the city's general noise ordinance: PTMC 9.09.030(C)(8) lists 'frequent, repetitive or intermittently continuous' barking, howling, yelping, or whining as a public disturbance noise and public nuisance, subject to abatement, seizure, and impoundment. Before a citation issues, an officer must first receive a citizen complaint and give the owner a warning to stop; a repeat violation within 24 hours, or a third warning within 12 months, skips the warning step. Fines run $66 for a first offense, $114 for a second, and $209 for a third within one year, per PTMC 9.09.060.

Violations & Fines

First offense: $66 civil infraction after a citizen complaint and police warning. Second: $114. Third within a year: $209. Three violations in a year become a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 or 90 days in jail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is barking dog noise illegal in Port Townsend?
Yes. PTMC 9.09.030(C)(8) makes frequent, repetitive animal noise like barking, howling, or whining a public nuisance and a civil infraction.
Does an officer need a sound meter reading to cite a barking dog?
No. A meter reading isn't required: just a citizen complaint plus an officer's finding that the noise is unreasonably disturbing.
What happens after repeated noise citations?
Three violations of the same offense within a year become a misdemeanor: up to a $1,000 fine or 90 days in jail.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Port Townsend

Quiet HoursSome RestrictionsConstruction HoursSome RestrictionsVehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsDecibel LimitsSome RestrictionsAmplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Wildlife FeedingSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Wildfire ZonesSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Brush ClearanceSome Restrictions

All Port Townsend rules

Compare Port Townsend to another location·View the Washington noise ordinances overview

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