King County, WA Privacy & Surveillance: License Plate Readers (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- K.C.C. 2.15, last amended Ord. 20048 (2026)
- ALPR data status
- Counted as protected personal information
- ICE/CBP/USCIS sharing
- Blocked absent a judge-signed warrant
- Applies to
- County agencies, employees, and contractors
- Retention/council approval
- Not set in this chapter
Summary
King County treats license-plate-reader data as personal information and bars county agencies and contractors from handing it to ICE, CBP, or USCIS for civil immigration enforcement without a judge's warrant.
Provide personal information to federal immigration authorities for purpose of civil immigration enforcement, except as required by state or federal law, about any person, including place of birth or household members, the services received by the person or the person's next court date or release date, absent a warrant signed by a judge or a law requiring disclosure.
Full Breakdown
King County Code chapter 2.15 defines 'personal information' to include any data collected through an automated license plate recognition system (K.C.C. 2.15.005.S.10). County agencies, employees, and contractors are barred from handing that data to ICE, CBP, USCIS or any other federal agency for civil immigration enforcement -- covering a person's location, court dates, or release date -- unless a judge signs a warrant or another law compels disclosure (K.C.C. 2.15.020.B.5). The code sets no separate ALPR retention period or council-approval process here; it only regulates ICE/CBP/USCIS data sharing.
Violations & Fines
Anyone harmed by a violation may file a damages complaint with the King County Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice under K.C.C. 2.15.100 and 12.22.040; the chapter sets no fixed fine schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does King County Code set retention limits for license-plate-reader data?
Does this rule cover Seattle Police Department's license-plate readers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
Compare King County to another location·View the Washington privacy & surveillance overview
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