Whatcom County, WA Parking Rules: EV Charging (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning status
- accessory use, WCC § 20.59.100(.107)
- Districts covered
- RGC, NC, STC, GC, TC, GM, RIM
- Equipment standard
- Chapter 19.28 RCW, RCW 19.27.540
- Battery exchange facilities
- separate definition, Chapter 19.27 RCW
- Enforcement
- Chapter 20.94 WCC
Summary
Unincorporated Whatcom County treats electric vehicle charging stations as an outright accessory use in its commercial and industrial zoning districts, including Rural General Commercial, Neighborhood Commercial, Small Town Commercial, General Commercial, Tourist Commercial, General Manufacturing and Rural Industrial and Manufacturing. No conditional-use review applies; the equipment itself must meet state charging standards.
"Electric vehicle charging station" means a parking space that is served by battery charging equipment that has as its primary purpose the transfer of electric energy (by conductive or inductive means) to a battery or other energy storage device in an electric vehicle and that meets or exceeds any standards, codes, and regulations set forth by Chapter 19.28 RCW and consistent with rules adopted under RCW 19.27.540. ... § 20.59.100. Accessory uses. ... .107 Electric vehicle charging stations and battery exchange facilities.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4963078; v4 updated 2026-06-23; through 06-23-2026).
Full Breakdown
050). 27 RCW. 100, plus the Neighborhood Commercial, Small Town Commercial, General Commercial, Tourist Commercial, General Manufacturing and Rural Industrial and Manufacturing districts), placing it in the same accessory-use category as things like day-care homes and one-story storage buildings, with no square-footage or siting condition attached to the charging-station entry itself. A separate provision allows electric vehicle rapid charging stations as accessory to a neighborhood food market that keeps no more than two gasoline pump islands. Because the entry sits in each chapter's accessory-use list rather than its conditional-use list, installing a station tied to an already-permitted primary use in these districts does not trigger a separate land-use hearing; it still must meet the underlying building and electrical permit requirements administered by Planning and Development Services.
Violations & Fines
Charging equipment that does not meet the Chapter 19.28 RCW standard referenced in WCC § 20.97.050, or a station installed as a stand-alone primary use rather than an accessory use in a district where it is only listed as accessory, falls outside the permission and is a zoning code violation enforceable under Chapter 20.94 WCC (Enforcement and Penalties), the county's general zoning enforcement chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a special county permit to add an EV charging station in unincorporated Whatcom County?
What equipment standard does a Whatcom County charging station have to meet?
Can a gas station in unincorporated Whatcom County add rapid EV charging?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whatcom County
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