Yakima County, WA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum heat
- 68°F in habitable rooms, baths, toilets
- Warm-area exception
- 65°F where monthly average tops 30°F
- Required fixtures
- Bathtub/shower, lavatory, water closet, kitchen sink
- Enforcer
- Yakima County Public Services code enforcement division
- Unfit hearing timeline
- Held 10 to 30 days after notice
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor/civil infraction, each day a new offense
Summary
In unincorporated Yakima County, any landlord who agrees to supply heat must maintain at least 68°F in every habitable room, bathroom and toilet room under the county's Property Maintenance Code. Dwelling units must also have their own bathtub or shower, lavatory, water closet and kitchen sink, all kept in safe, sanitary working condition.
702.2 Residential occupancies. Dwellings shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a room temperature of 68°F (20°C) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms based on the winter outdoor design temperature for the locality indicated in TABLE R301.2 (1) of the International Residential Code. Cooking appliances shall not be used, nor shall potable unvented fuel-burning space heaters be used, as a means to provide required space heating. Exception: In areas where the average monthly temperature is above 30°F (-1°C), a minimum temperature of 65°F (18°C) shall be maintained. 702.3 Heat supply. Every owner and operator of any building who rents, leases or lets one or more dwelling unit, rooming unit, dormitory, sleeping unit or guestroom on terms, either expressed or implied, to furnish heat to the occupants thereof shall supply heat to maintain a temperature of not less than 68°F (20°C) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4871853; v6 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
030 adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, 2018 Edition, as amended, to govern existing rental housing in the unincorporated county. 2(1); cooking appliances and unvented fuel-burning space heaters cannot be used to meet that requirement. 3 puts the ongoing duty on the landlord directly: any owner or operator who rents, leases or lets a dwelling unit, rooming unit, dormitory, sleeping unit or guestroom and agrees, expressly or by implication, to furnish heat must actually supply heat holding 68°F in those same spaces. 5. 1 separately requires every dwelling unit to have its own bathtub or shower, lavatory, water closet and kitchen sink in safe, sanitary working condition, with the lavatory placed in or near the water closet room.
3 requires a posted notice and a hearing before the code enforcement official, held within 30 days but not less than 10 days after the notice issues. The Yakima County Public Services Department's code enforcement division administers these standards; violations run through YCC Title 21.
Violations & Fines
Failing to meet the heat or fixture standards is a strict liability offense under Section 106.3-106.4, prosecuted as a misdemeanor citation or civil infraction under YCC Title 21 Chapter 21.04.030, with each day the violation continues after notice counted as a separate offense. If a heating or plumbing failure makes a unit unfit for habitation, the code official can order repairs or a vacate-and-close, and landlords who trigger a tenant vacate must cover relocation assistance the tenant is owed under RCW 59.18.085.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my landlord in unincorporated Yakima County have to keep the heat on?
What plumbing fixtures does my rental have to include?
What can I do if my landlord won't fix a broken furnace?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima County
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