Code Violation Reporting in Washington (2026)
27 rules on the books across Washington, 15 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
How to Report
Step-by-step guide to reporting code violations in your city, including 311 numbers, online portals, mobile apps, and what information to include.
Everett
Some RestrictionsEverett's code enforcement officer investigates and acts on reliable complaints about violations of city codes covering…
Read full rule →Grant County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Grant County, a code violation case opens when a citizen or employee files a complaint with the…
Read full rule →King County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated King County residents report suspected code violations through the county's online Permitting portal or…
Read full rule →Pierce County
Some RestrictionsPierce County investigates code complaints under PCC 18.140.035. You must identify yourself when filing; anonymous tips…
Read full rule →Port Townsend
Some RestrictionsPort Townsend logs every code complaint by name, location, violation, and outcome under PTMC 1.20.105, routing it to…
Read full rule →Seattle
Some RestrictionsSeattle accepts code violation reports through the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) by phone…
Read full rule →Snohomish County
Some RestrictionsCode enforcement in unincorporated Snohomish County starts once a director at Planning and Development Services or…
Read full rule →Spokane County
Some RestrictionsWhen a Spokane County code enforcement officer documents a nuisance, SCC 6.13.070 requires a written notice of nuisance…
Read full rule →Yakima County
Some RestrictionsYakima County Code Enforcement, part of the Department of Public Services, works from written citizen complaints or…
Read full rule →Pasco
Light RestrictionsPasco police and code enforcement cannot act on most noise complaints unless an identifiable resident, property owner…
Read full rule →Skagit County
Light RestrictionsAny person who believes a Title 14 or 15 violation has occurred in unincorporated Skagit County may file a written…
Read full rule →Tacoma
Light RestrictionsAnyone can report a suspected building or property code violation to the City of Tacoma, no residency or ownership…
Read full rule →Response Times
How quickly your city responds to code complaints, including priority levels for different violation types and typical timelines from report to resolution.
Grant County
Some RestrictionsAnyone cited for a code violation in unincorporated Grant County has fifteen calendar days to respond under GCC…
Read full rule →Seattle
Some RestrictionsSeattle SDCI prioritizes code complaints by severity. Emergency life-safety issues receive immediate response. Standard…
Read full rule →Spokane County
Some RestrictionsOnce Spokane County mails a notice of investigation for a zoning violation, the property owner has fourteen days to…
Read full rule →Spokane Valley
Some RestrictionsSpokane Valley code enforcement must document a violation and notify the responsible party as soon as reasonable cause…
Read full rule →Yakima County
Some RestrictionsYakima County Code Enforcement caps the correction period in a notice and order at 30 days under YCC § 21.03.010(4)…
Read full rule →King County
Light RestrictionsKing County targets citations within 60 days of a complaint and notice-and-orders within 120 days, per code enforcement…
Read full rule →Common Violations
The most frequently reported code violations in your city, including tall grass, junk vehicles, illegal construction, unpermitted signs, and noise complaints.
Seattle
Heavy RestrictionsSeattle's most common code violations include unpermitted construction, overgrown vegetation and weeds, substandard…
Read full rule →Federal Way
Some RestrictionsFederal Way enumerates 21 specific conditions treated as public nuisances and code violations under FWRC 7.03.040, from…
Read full rule →Franklin County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Franklin County, it's a zoning violation to build, alter, or use land without required permits, to…
Read full rule →Grant County
Some RestrictionsGrant County Code Chapter 1.32 lists six categories of code violations the county enforces countywide in unincorporated…
Read full rule →Pasco
Some RestrictionsPasco's public nuisance code (PMC Chapter 9.90) lists 21 specific conditions that count as reportable violations, from…
Read full rule →Spokane County
Some RestrictionsSpokane County Code Chapter 6.13 defines a "nuisance" as any unlawful act or condition that endangers others' health…
Read full rule →Spokane Valley
Some RestrictionsSpokane Valley's nuisance ordinance, SVMC § 7.05.040, enumerates the property conditions code enforcement fields the…
Read full rule →Tacoma
Some RestrictionsTacoma's Building Official scores rental and commercial properties against a 51-item point table, yard debris, mold…
Read full rule →Yakima County
Some RestrictionsYakima County Code § 6.20.020 lists the conditions residents most often report to code enforcement: polluted waterways…
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