Bellingham, WA Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)

Bellingham's skateboard ordinance, Chapter 11.52 BMC, makes it 'unlawful for any person to use, operate, play with or propel a skateboard upon, over or along the public streets, alleys, sidewalks, parking lots or other public places' inside three mapped zones: the central business district, the Fairhaven business district, and the city block surrounding the Bellingham Public Library (BMC 11.52.010). The central business district is defined by street boundaries running from Whatcom Creek along State Street to Maple, along Maple to Cornwall and the Chestnut/Bay intersection, west to Champion Street, southwest to Cornwall and York, and north back to Railroad Avenue and Whatcom Creek (BMC 11.52.020).

The Fairhaven district covers Mill Avenue between 10th and 13th Streets, Larrabee Avenue between 13th and 10th, and 10th Street back to Mill, plus 12th Street from Larrabee to Cowgill and Harris Avenue from 10th to 4th Street, including their sidewalks (BMC 11.52.025). The library zone is the single block bounded by Central Avenue, Grand Avenue, Lottie Street, and Commercial Street, including the sidewalks immediately adjacent to the library building (BMC 11.52.030). The ordinance does not restrict skateboarding citywide, only inside these three mapped districts; outside them, riding on a public street or sidewalk is not a Chapter 11.52 violation, though other traffic rules can still apply. The ban traces to Ordinance 1999-04-020 and was last amended by Ordinance 2001-01-004.