Historic Preservation in Washington (2026)
29 rules on the books across Washington, 28 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
HPOZ Rules
How Historic Preservation Overlay Zones regulate exterior alterations, additions, and demolition in designated historic neighborhoods, plus the certificate-of-appropriateness process.
Historic-Cultural Monuments
How buildings, sites, and trees are nominated and designated as Historic-Cultural Monuments, the protections that follow, and the demolition-stay process.
Seattle
Heavy RestrictionsSeattle SMC 25.12 empowers the Landmarks Preservation Board to designate individual landmarks. Approved landmarks…
Read full rule →Bellingham
Significant RestrictionsBellingham's historic preservation commission maintains a local register of historic places, and owners of listed…
Read full rule →Federal Way
Significant RestrictionsFederal Way protects historic landmarks by adopting King County's landmarks program under FWRC 19.285.020, with the…
Read full rule →Grant County
Significant RestrictionsGrant County treats lands, sites and structures with historical or archaeological significance as protected cultural…
Read full rule →Kent
Significant RestrictionsKent designates historic landmarks through the King County Landmarks and Heritage Commission under Chapter 14.12, and…
Read full rule →King County
Significant RestrictionsAltering a significant feature of a King County-designated landmark requires a certificate of appropriateness from the…
Read full rule →Kitsap County
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Kitsap County regulates the company town of Port Gamble, added to the National Register of Historic…
Read full rule →Pasco
Significant RestrictionsPasco designates local landmarks through the City of Pasco Register of Historic Resources under PMC 20.15, open to any…
Read full rule →Pierce County
Significant RestrictionsPierce County designates cultural and historic landmarks through its Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission…
Read full rule →Skagit County
Significant RestrictionsSCC 14.30.070 requires land-disturbing work in unincorporated Skagit County to stop immediately if a site or artifact…
Read full rule →Yakima
Significant RestrictionsYakima designates buildings, structures, sites, objects or districts to its own Yakima register of historic places…
Read full rule →Yakima County
Significant RestrictionsA designated historic landmark in unincorporated Yakima County can get a more intensive use than its zoning district…
Read full rule →Auburn
Some RestrictionsAuburn has no landmarks commission of its own; instead ACC 15.76.020 designates the King County landmarks and heritage…
Read full rule →Cowlitz County
Some RestrictionsCowlitz County protects locally significant buildings, structures, sites, and objects through the Cowlitz County…
Read full rule →Edmonds
Some RestrictionsEdmonds designates buildings, structures, sites and districts to its historic register if they are significantly…
Read full rule →Everett
Some RestrictionsEverett maintains its own local historic register under Everett Municipal Code Section 19.28.130, open to buildings…
Read full rule →Franklin County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Franklin County has no separate landmarks ordinance; the only local historic preservation rule is a…
Read full rule →Kirkland
Some RestrictionsKirkland does not run its own landmarks board: KMC 28.08.010 designates the King County Landmarks and Heritage…
Read full rule →Lakewood
Some RestrictionsLakewood, Washington, in Pierce County, designates historic and cultural landmarks under LMC 2.48. A resource over 50…
Read full rule →Lynnwood
Some RestrictionsLynnwood designates cultural monuments through the city of Lynnwood Register of Historic Landmarks under LMC…
Read full rule →Marysville
Some RestrictionsMarysville recognizes historic properties through a special property tax valuation program under Chapter 3.89 MMC, open…
Read full rule →Port Townsend
Some RestrictionsPort Townsend's Historic Preservation Committee can designate buildings, sites, structures, and objects at least 50…
Read full rule →Puyallup
Some RestrictionsPuyallup's Historic Preservation Board reviews any exterior or interior change to a property on the Puyallup Register…
Read full rule →Renton
Some RestrictionsRenton has no landmarks commission of its own: RMC 4-1-260 hands historic and cultural landmark designation to the King…
Read full rule →Spokane County
Some RestrictionsSpokane County designates historic landmarks and districts under Spokane County Code 1.48.110, run through a joint…
Read full rule →Tacoma
Some RestrictionsTacoma lists eligible properties on its Register of Historic Places once a property turns 40 and retains its historic…
Read full rule →Thurston County
Some RestrictionsThurston County lists significant buildings, structures, objects, sites and districts on its own Thurston County…
Read full rule →Snohomish County
Light RestrictionsSnohomish County keeps a register of historic places under SCC 30.32D.020 to identify significant buildings, sites…
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