Public Health Rules in Washington (2026)
44 rules on the books across Washington, 31 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Restaurant Grade Cards
Letter grade (A/B/C) public-display requirements for food facilities, what triggers a downgrade, and how the LA County DPH grading system works.
Olympia
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Olympia, Washington, OMC § 8.08.010 puts the inspection, grading, regrading and placarding of eating and…
Read full rule →Whatcom County
Some RestrictionsWhatcom County's health department inspects every food establishment under Whatcom County Code Chapter 24.03, which…
Read full rule →Rodent Control
Property owner duties to abate rats and mice, restrictions on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (CA AB-1788), and integrated-pest-management standards.
Auburn
Some RestrictionsAuburn's nuisance code, ACC 8.12.020, specifically bans unprotected cesspools and pits, uncovered trash and packing…
Read full rule →Bellevue
Some RestrictionsBellevue's Uniform Housing Code makes owners responsible for supplying and maintaining approved devices to prevent…
Read full rule →Bellingham
Some RestrictionsBellingham Municipal Code § 9.28.050 makes every owner, operator, or controller of a structure in the city responsible…
Read full rule →Bothell
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Bothell, Washington, vegetation or refuse that provides a harborage for wild rats or other pests is a…
Read full rule →Grays Harbor County
Some RestrictionsGrays Harbor County's only rodent and vector control ordinance sits inside its recreational vehicle park licensing…
Read full rule →Island County
Some RestrictionsIsland County Code § 8.03A.100 requires every licensed mobile home park in the unincorporated county to be kept as free…
Read full rule →Kennewick
Some RestrictionsKennewick requires every structure and exterior property, not just vacant buildings, to be kept free of rodent…
Read full rule →Kent
Some RestrictionsKent doesn't write its own rodent-control standards: KCC 8.06.010 adopts King County's rodent regulations (codified as…
Read full rule →King County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated King County, property owners must furnish and maintain devices that prevent rodent infestation, then…
Read full rule →Kirkland
Some RestrictionsKirkland property owners and occupants must keep buildings and premises free of rats, mice and other rodents under KMC…
Read full rule →Lakewood
Some RestrictionsLakewood, Washington's public nuisance code targets conditions that harbor rats and other pests: debris piles…
Read full rule →Lynnwood
Some RestrictionsLynnwood's light industrial (LI) performance standards flatly prohibit storing animal or vegetable waste that attracts…
Read full rule →Marysville
Some RestrictionsMarysville bans letting property become infested with rodents, insects, vermin, or other vectors, requiring owners to…
Read full rule →Mason County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Mason County, Washington, the Sanitary Code requires residential garbage to be stored in rigid…
Read full rule →Olympia
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Olympia, Washington, OMC Chapter 8.16 requires business buildings to be rat proofed and kept rat free…
Read full rule →Pasco
Some RestrictionsPasco bans filth, garbage, decaying matter and excrement that draw rats and vermin on any property, giving owners three…
Read full rule →Pierce County
Some RestrictionsPierce County's rodent control code, Chapter 8.20 PCC, makes it unlawful to keep food, run a dock or warehouse, or live…
Read full rule →Port Townsend
Some RestrictionsPort Townsend bans letting garbage or debris on your property draw rats or other vermin, treating it as a public…
Read full rule →Richland
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Richland, Washington, keeping or permitting rodents, insects, reptiles, fowl, or other animals in a way…
Read full rule →Sammamish
Some RestrictionsSammamish requires every structure to stay free of rodent infestation, with the owner or occupant on the hook for…
Read full rule →Seattle
Some RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code Chapter 10.34 makes it unlawful for a building owner or occupant to leave storerooms…
Read full rule →Shoreline
Some RestrictionsEvery structure and exterior property in the City of Shoreline must stay free of rodent harborage and infestation under…
Read full rule →Tacoma
Some RestrictionsTacoma requires every basement, wall, dock, warehouse, and residence to be built or repaired to keep rats out, and all…
Read full rule →Walla Walla County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Walla Walla County, industrial-zoned properties cannot store animal or vegetable waste that draws…
Read full rule →Yakima
Some RestrictionsYakima puts the burden of proving and fixing a rodent or pest infestation on the property owner. YMC § 11.40.309.1.1…
Read full rule →Yakima County
Some RestrictionsYakima County's Property Maintenance Code requires every structure and exterior property to stay free of rodent…
Read full rule →Syringe Disposal
How residents must dispose of home-generated sharps (insulin syringes, EpiPens), including kiosk locations and take-back-mailer programs.
Kent
Significant RestrictionsKent lets harm reduction programs operate in the city but bars them from distributing or exchanging syringes, needles…
Read full rule →Snohomish County
Significant RestrictionsSnohomish County bars infectious waste, including sharps like needles, scalpel blades and lancets, from every…
Read full rule →Shoreline
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Shoreline, home-generated sharps such as syringes, needles and lancets cannot go into a regular garbage…
Read full rule →Skagit County
Some RestrictionsSkagit County regulates home sharps disposal under SCC 12.16.350. Residents must contain used needles and syringes in…
Read full rule →Tacoma
Some RestrictionsTacoma bars used needles and other home sharps from ordinary recycling bins and, where curbside sharps pickup exists…
Read full rule →Whatcom County
Some RestrictionsWhatcom County Code 24.06.040 bars residents from tossing loose sharps in the regular trash cart once a residential…
Read full rule →Everett
Light RestrictionsEverett's paraphernalia law makes it a civil infraction, fine up to $500, to sell or give any drug paraphernalia to…
Read full rule →Pierce County
Light RestrictionsPierce County's drug paraphernalia ordinance bans delivering or selling syringes and other injection equipment, but it…
Read full rule →Food Handler Certification
CA Health & Safety Code §113948 food-handler-card requirement, retraining cycles, and how LA County DPH enforces certification at food facilities.
Seattle
Heavy RestrictionsWashington RCW 69.06 requires every food worker to obtain a Food Worker Card within two weeks of starting work. King…
Read full rule →Auburn
Some RestrictionsAuburn requires every food establishment employee covered by ACC 8.04.010 to hold a valid food handler health record…
Read full rule →Island County
Some RestrictionsIsland County Code § 8.04.100.H requires anyone handling or preparing food or beverages at a tourist accommodation…
Read full rule →Kennewick
Some RestrictionsKennewick Municipal Code § 9.16.030 makes it unlawful to operate a food service establishment, or to work or employ…
Read full rule →Spokane County
Some RestrictionsAny temporary tent structure used for an assembly, fair, revival or festival in unincorporated Spokane County needs a…
Read full rule →Walla Walla County
Some RestrictionsFood workers in unincorporated Walla Walla County must hold a valid food worker card, and the county Department of…
Read full rule →Yakima
Some RestrictionsVendors selling food or beverages inside a permitted Yakima special event venue must obtain and display a food…
Read full rule →Olympia
Light RestrictionsUnder OMC § 8.08.030, it is compulsory for all food handlers in the City of Olympia, Washington, to attend the…
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