Seattle, WA Privacy & Surveillance: License Plate Readers (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- SMC 14.18, adopted 2017-2018
- Approval required
- City Council ordinance before acquisition
- Oversight body
- Community Surveillance Working Group (7 members)
- Equity review
- CTO report due Council by Sept. 15 yearly
- Legal-process sharing
- Allowed despite SIR limits (14.18.040.C)
- Private suit notice period
- 90 days before filing
Summary
Before Seattle Police or any city department can acquire an automated license plate reader or similar surveillance technology, SMC 14.18 requires City Council ordinance approval plus a public Surveillance Impact Report covering data retention, access controls and any sharing with outside agencies.
Unless exempted or excepted from the requirements of this Chapter 14.18 pursuant to Section 14.18.030, any City department intending to acquire surveillance technology shall, prior to acquisition, obtain Council ordinance approval of the acquisition and a surveillance impact report for the technology. A City department that directs a non-City entity to acquire or operate surveillance technology on the City's behalf is bound by the requirements of this Chapter 14.18 to the same extent as if the department were acquiring the surveillance technology.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 44 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
18 defines "surveillance" to expressly include identifying people through license plate data combined with other records, so ALPR/Flock-type camera programs fall squarely under the chapter. A, a department may not acquire surveillance technology, including directing a non-City entity to operate it on the City's behalf, until the Council approves both the acquisition and a Surveillance Impact Report (SIR) by ordinance. C). f). D). C), the hook that governs a legal-process request from a federal agency such as ICE. 050). 3), so red-light and school-zone cameras are not covered the same way ALPR is.
Violations & Fines
The CTO must direct any department that is not complying with Chapter 14.18 to stop acquiring or using the surveillance technology or its data (SMC 14.18.070.A). A person who is surveilled and injured by a material violation can sue the City in court for injunctive or declaratory relief or a writ of mandate, but only after giving the City Attorney's Office written notice of the specific section violated and at least 90 days to respond before filing (14.18.070.B).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Seattle require Council approval before deploying license plate readers?
How long can Seattle departments keep license plate data?
Can Seattle share license plate data with ICE or other outside agencies?
What happens if a Seattle department uses surveillance technology without approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Seattle
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