Snohomish County, WA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SCC 11.04.010
- Mailbox buffer
- 10 feet along county roadway
- Penalty class
- Traffic infraction, RCW 46.63
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county roads only
- Adopted
- 1969 resolution, amended 1999
Summary
Snohomish County bans parking on ways signed for pedestrian, animal, or nonmotor traffic, and prohibits parking within ten feet of any mailbox on a county roadway. Violations are traffic infractions under RCW 46.63, not misdemeanors.
Except when necessary to avoid conflict with traffic or in compliance with the law or the direction of a police officer or official traffic-control device, or when a vehicle is disabled, it is unlawful for any person to: (1) stop, stand, or park a motor vehicle upon ways designed and designated by an official sign for pedestrian, animal, or nonmotor vehicular traffic, or (2) park a motor vehicle within ten feet of a mailbox located along a county roadway.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through legislation passed August 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
010 makes it unlawful to stop, stand, or park a motor vehicle on ways designed and designated by an official sign for pedestrian, animal, or nonmotor vehicular traffic, unless doing so is necessary to avoid a conflict with traffic, is done in compliance with law or a police officer's direction, or the vehicle is disabled. The same section separately bars parking a motor vehicle within ten feet of a mailbox located along a county roadway, protecting mail carrier access on rural routes where curbside boxes are common.
The county adopted this rule by resolution back in 1969 and amended it under Ordinance 98-135 in 1999 to add the mailbox clause. Because Title 11 SCC governs only unincorporated county roads, drivers in Everett, Marysville, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Monroe, Arlington, and Lake Stevens are under those cities' own parking codes instead. 010 give drivers a defense if they stopped only to avoid a hazard.
Violations & Fines
A first violation is a traffic infraction under chapter 46.63 RCW, carrying a monetary penalty set by the state infraction schedule rather than jail time. Vehicles blocking a mailbox or a marked pedestrian/nonmotor way can be cited by the Sheriff's traffic unit; infractions are contested through Snohomish County District Court, not a criminal proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park in front of a mailbox on a county road?
Is a parking violation in Snohomish County a criminal charge?
Does this rule apply inside Everett or Marysville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Snohomish County
Compare Snohomish County to another location·View the Washington parking rules overview
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