Properties in unincorporated King County that generate three or more verified noise, disorderly-conduct, or code calls within a 12-month window may be declared chronic nuisances under King County Code Title 14, exposing owners to abatement orders.
King County's chronic nuisance ordinance applies to any property, including short-term rentals, where law enforcement or code enforcement responds three times in a year for verified offenses such as loud parties, illegal parking, illegal fireworks, or assaults. After the third verified incident, the county may issue a notice requiring the owner to submit an abatement plan; failure to comply allows the prosecutor to seek civil penalties up to $500 per day and an injunction halting STR operation. Seattle runs a parallel program with its own STR-specific strike system tied to operator license suspension after repeat platform complaints.
Three verified police or code responses within twelve months may trigger nuisance designation. Continued operation after a county abatement order can result in $500-per-day civil penalties and operator license revocation in cities that license STRs.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Seattle's repeat violator strikes rules stack up against other locations.
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