Tacoma, WA

Tacoma allows on-premises sales at a home-based Residential Business only if customer visits are scheduled by appointment, not walk-in traffic.

Family day care homes and child care centers are permitted outright in every Tacoma residential zoning district under Title 13, needing only the state day care license: no separate…

Tacoma lets residents run home businesses by right in every zoning district under specific "Residential Business" standards: no outdoor storage, no exterior changes, and public hours…

Tacoma caps home-based business signage at one non-illuminated nameplate under one and one-half square feet, mounted flat against the building, under the city's Residential Business…

Selling homemade non-hazardous foods from a Pierce County home requires a Washington Cottage Food Operation permit from the state Department of Agriculture (WSDA) under RCW 69.22 and…

Washington has no microenterprise home kitchen permit. WAC 246-215-08300 bars operating a food establishment without a permit from the local health jurisdiction, and the one permit…

Tacoma requires short-term rentals that rent individual guest rooms to keep a chronological guest register with names, dates, and photo ID, and to retain those records for three years.

Tacoma requires the property owner to live in either the main house or the ADU before either one can be used as a short-term rental.

For room-share short-term rentals, Tacoma requires the owner of record to live in the dwelling during the rental term.

Tacoma sets a flat $75 annual license fee for transient accommodations, including short-term rentals renting individual guest rooms; the reviewed code adds no separate nightly…

Tacoma's zoning code sets no separate headcount for short-term rentals: maximum occupancy follows the Minimum Building and Structures Code.

Pierce County Code 18A.37.040(B)(4) sets no numeric parking-space count for vacation rentals. It requires only that the owner or representative give guests information indicating the…

Pierce County Code 18A.37.040 sets no rental-specific quiet hours; vacation-rental guests must follow the countywide public-disturbance noise rules in PCC Chapter 8.72 and the Good…

Pierce County Code 18A.37.040 sets no limit on how many nights per year a vacation rental may operate. A rental meeting the five-room, ten-guest, affidavit, parking, and…

Pierce County Code 18A.37.040 sets no local insurance mandate, but Washington's statewide Short-Term Rental Act controls. RCW 64.37.050 requires every operator to carry primary…

Tacoma bars non-emergency construction and demolition work between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays (9 a.m. on weekends/holidays) and requires mufflers on construction devices when…

Tacoma caps how much a continuous sound can raise noise above the existing ambient level at a neighboring property: 10 dBA/6 dBC outdoors by day, tightening to 5 dBA/3 dBC overnight.

Yelling, shouting or singing near a Tacoma street between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is flagged as a public disturbance noise on its own, no decibel meter needed, just an unreasonable…

Tacoma bans motor vehicle compression ('Jake') brakes citywide except in genuine emergencies, and separately caps vehicle stereo volume at whatever is audible beyond 50 feet under the…

Tacoma's noise ordinance exempts aircraft operations outright: helicopter and airplane noise isn't subject to the city's decibel or time-of-day limits under TMC § 8.122.140(F).

Tacoma parks require a permit for public address systems and musical acts; permitted bands and performers are capped at 90 decibels measured 50 feet away and at the park boundary under…

In unincorporated Pierce County, PCC 8.72.090.A makes it a public disturbance noise for frequent, repetitive, or continuous animal sounds to unreasonably disturb neighbors' peace and…

Tacoma caps vehicle parking on single-family lots: up to 4 vehicles or 60% of the paved area in front or side/rear yards, with stored or inoperable RVs, boats, and trailers barred from…

Tacoma caps use of a marked loading zone at 30 minutes for freight loading and 3 minutes for passenger pickup or drop-off, with a minimum $30 fine for going over.

Tacoma requires front-yard vehicle parking on single-family lots to sit on a prepared all-weather surface like concrete, asphalt, or gravel, capped at 60% of the yard, under the city's…

Tacoma bars leaving any vehicle, boat trailer, recreation trailer, or camper on a public street or alley for more than seven calendar days, backed by a $35 minimum fine under TMC §…

Tacoma treats damaged, inoperable, or abandoned vehicles on public or private property as a public nuisance, with notice-and-abatement procedures and City-ordered removal for…

Tacoma lets residents petition for a 'Residential Parking Zone' restricting on-street parking to permit holders, their visitors, and service vehicles, run under a City…

Tacoma has no blanket overnight parking ban. The City Traffic Engineer designates restrictions street by street under TMC § 11.05.250, including 'No Parking Anytime' zones marked with…

Tacoma enforces the state Model Traffic Ordinance's on-street parking bans, blocking a driveway, double parking, stopping near a hydrant or crosswalk, with a local $35 fine schedule…

Pierce County requires new development in unincorporated areas to provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure under PCC 18A.35.040, following Table 18A.35.040-3 for EV charging…

In unincorporated Pierce County, curb colors and no-parking markings are established by the County, not private residents. Under RCW 46.61.570, parking restrictions are effective only…

Washington caps what a private-property tow can cost. Under RCW 46.55.118, a class A, D or E tow truck operator's filed hourly towing rate cannot exceed 135 percent of the State…

Tacoma requires smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway outside sleeping areas, and each story of existing Group R and I-1 buildings, battery-backed against power loss.

Tacoma bans the sale, transportation, discharge, storage, and use of consumer fireworks citywide, every day of the year, with no seasonal exception around July 4th, unless a narrow…

Tacoma's Fire Code amendment bans storing liquefied petroleum gas in containers or tanks citywide unless the installation holds less than 125 gallons of water capacity or sits in an…

Tacoma requires a Fire Department Bonfire Permit for any outdoor fire whose fuel bed exceeds three feet in diameter or two feet in height; smaller recreational fires need no permit.

Outdoor burning in Pierce County is regulated by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, which bans all land-clearing fires and prohibits yard-waste burning throughout urbanized areas…

Washington adopted the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code statewide under RCW 19.27.560, effective July 1, 2023. New construction in designated WUI areas must meet…

New automatic in-ground irrigation systems in Tacoma must include an automatic clock, leak-detecting flow sensors, backflow-protected valves, and a rain-sensing shutoff under TMC §…

Tacoma treats grass, weeds, or brush over one foot tall on any lot as a public nuisance the property owner must correct, with limited exceptions for erosion control or critical areas.

Tacoma requires all plants used to meet landscaping code requirements to be climate-adapted and explicitly permits native species anywhere; UR-1 and UR-2 development must make at least…

Tacoma's zoning code lets rain barrels, tanks and cisterns encroach into a required yard setback, with size and clearance limits that scale up for larger catchment tanks.

Tacoma requires tree branches to clear at least 8 feet above sidewalks and 14 feet above streets. Vegetation that doesn't meet these heights is a public nuisance the abutting property…

Tacoma exempts a backyard compost pile from its vegetation-waste nuisance rule as long as it stays under two cubic yards, giving residents a lawful way to dispose of grass clippings…

Removing a tree of 6 inches DBH or larger in Tacoma triggers a Canopy Loss Fee under TMC § 13.06.090B.3.e(3)(e), calculated per inch of canopy lost minus the caliper inches of any…

Feeding, molesting, or offering tobacco, drink, or other harmful substances to wildlife in a Tacoma park is banned unless the Metro Parks Director authorizes it.

Tacoma caps hives at four per lot under 10,000 square feet and requires a 75-foot setback from property lines unless hives sit behind a six-foot fence or hedge, per Chapter 5.24 of the…

Tacoma allows up to 6 adult poultry and 6 pigeons per parcel, bans roosters citywide, and requires coops to sit at least 12 feet from any neighboring residence, per TMC § 5.30.010.

Tacoma bans keeping lions, tigers, bears, wolves, venomous reptiles, and other dangerous wild animals anywhere zoned residential; outside residential zones, the City Manager can permit…

In Tacoma parks, dogs and cats must stay on a leash no longer than eight feet outside a designated off-leash area, per TMC § 8.27.120: the citywide running-at-large rule sits…

No more than five dogs and/or cats may be individually licensed at a residence in unincorporated Pierce County under PCC 6.04.010. Keeping six or more dogs and/or cats requires a…

Cats that go off their owner's premises must be licensed and wear a current tag under PCC 6.04.010, issued by the Pierce County Auditor. Cats are subject to the same at-large restraint…

A grooming parlor in unincorporated Pierce County must hold a county license under PCC 5.24.030, the same chapter that licenses kennels, catteries, and pet shops, and it undergoes…

Pierce County Animal Control will not release a dog or cat impounded twice within any 12-month period until it's spayed or neutered, under PCC 6.02.085. The shelter performs or…

Pierce County doesn't require microchips for pets generally, only for dogs and cats declared dangerous or potentially dangerous. PCC 6.07.030.A makes proof of microchipping a condition…

Pierce County pet shops fall under Washington's statewide ban on retail dog and cat sales. RCW 16.52.360, adopted into county law at PCC 5.24.075, bars any retail pet store from…

Pierce County has no breed-specific ban. Dangerous-dog status is determined by an animal's behavior, not its breed, under PCC Chapter 6.07, and Washington law (RCW 16.08.100) bars…

Tacoma exempts small prefabricated above-ground pools from a building permit, under 24 inches deep and 5,000 gallons, but bigger or in-ground pools need one.

Tacoma requires a five-foot fence with a lockable, self-closing, self-latching gate around every outdoor public or semipublic swimming pool. Gate latches must sit at least 42 inches…

Barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing are banned on Tacoma residential properties, and chain link is restricted at street-facing yards and required screening.

Tacoma exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet high from a building permit, unless the wall supports a surcharge or holds back hazardous liquids, which triggers the permit regardless of…

Tacoma doesn't require a building permit for a fence up to 7 feet tall, but zoning still limits height near the street regardless of permit status.

Along a public street, Tacoma caps free-standing fences, walls and hedges at 3 feet under TMC § 13.06.090K; Urban Residential districts allow up to 7 feet if the upper portion is at…

Pierce County zoning does not set a shared-cost or boundary fence-ownership rule; those are civil matters between neighbors. The county does require that fences at corners and…

Tacoma normally requires manufactured homes built as two sections at least 12 by 36 feet each, but structures meeting IRC Appendix Q tiny-home standards skip that minimum-size rule.

Tacoma allows two accessory dwelling units per residential lot, each capped at 1,000 square feet of habitable area, with no parking required.

Tacoma caps accessory buildings like sheds at 1,000 square feet, or 15% of lot area, and requires they sit behind the main house and out of side-yard setbacks.

Tacoma allows homeowners to convert an existing garage or other accessory structure into a legal dwelling unit without meeting current setback, height or location standards, as long as…

Pierce County caps traffic impact fees on accessory dwelling units at half the rate charged for the primary house. Under PCC 4A.40.030, an ADU built in unincorporated Pierce County…

Tacoma requires a recorded Notice on Title for any property with land in the 100-year floodplain or Riparian Buffer zone, and City review before any development in a flood hazard area…

Tacoma requires new critical facilities built in the mapped 100-year floodplain to elevate their lowest floor at least three feet above base flood elevation, or to the 500-year flood…

Tacoma requires a Construction SWPPP for projects adding 2,000 square feet of impervious surface or disturbing 7,000 square feet of land, plus a certified erosion-control lead above…

Tacoma requires everyone discharging stormwater or pollutants into the municipal stormwater system or receiving waters to comply with TMC Chapter 12.08D, the City's NPDES municipal…

Any pier, wharf, dock or marina built in Tacoma falls under the city's Waterfront Structures and Marina Code, which layers fire-protection and construction standards on top of the…

Pierce County lets property owners clear wildfire defensible space within 30 feet of dwellings, outbuildings, barns and commercial buildings even inside a regulated critical area…

Washington's Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58) requires Shoreline Substantial Development Permits for most construction within 200 feet of marine and freshwater shorelines statewide.

Opening or possessing an opened container of liquor, or drinking it, in any Tacoma public place is a civil infraction carrying a flat $100 fine under city law.

Opening a marijuana package or smoking in view of the public is unlawful in Tacoma, which folds the state's public-display penalty directly into its own narcotics chapter.

Tacoma bans smoking or vaping any nicotine product anywhere in a city or Metropolitan Park District park, with a narrow exception for FDA-approved cessation aids like patches or gum…

Tacoma's public disturbance noise law bans sound from social gatherings, band sessions, or audio equipment that unreasonably disturbs neighbors' peace, with real misdemeanor penalties…

Tacoma bans soliciting within 15 feet of ATMs, doorways, pay phones, fuel pumps, and transit stops, plus after dark, and separately outlaws coercive panhandling city-wide.

Tacoma outlaws loitering anywhere in public that shows intent to engage in drug activity, weighing factors like acting as a lookout, fleeing police, or displaying paraphernalia.

Tacoma makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally urinate or defecate anywhere in public where the act could be observed, punishable by a real fine and possible jail time.

Tacoma bans negligent skateboarding, scooter riding, and skating on any roadway, sidewalk, or public property, and requires riders to yield to pedestrians and people using assistive…

Tacoma requires a written Right-of-Way Occupancy Permit before operating a sidewalk cafe on a public sidewalk, but the City Council waives the standard application and use fees…

Parades and organized marches of 50+ people on Tacoma streets need a special event permit filed 60 days ahead (7 days for protected speech), with insurance, route review, and…

Tacoma block parties still need a special event permit, but a small, non-commercial, resident-sponsored one-block closure with no sales or admission fee is exempt from the chapter's…

Organized entertainment, demonstrations, or public gatherings in a Tacoma park need the Metro Parks Director's written permission, applied for at least a month ahead.

Only vendors the event organizer authorizes may sell goods, food, or beverages at a Tacoma street fair or festival, and only from an approved building, tent, or booth under the special…

Tacoma bans storing goods, wares, or merchandise on sidewalks and streets, though ground-floor shops may display items within 18 inches of their storefront and loading briefly is…

Once Tacoma's City Council formally finds a sidewalk unsafe and orders it fixed, the duty and cost of construction or reconstruction falls on the directly abutting property owner…

Tacoma requires written City permission before any private use of the public right-of-way, from fences and retaining walls to sidewalk features, under the Right-of-Way Occupancy Permit…

Tacoma exempts window signs from sign permits, but they can't cover more than 25% of the window area in commercial and mixed-use zones.

Seasonal decorations displayed on private property are exempt from Tacoma's sign permit requirements under TMC § 13.06.090.I.3.b(7), so homeowners can put up holiday lights and lawn…

Tacoma bans off-premises digital billboards outright as a prohibited sign type, while allowing smaller on-site electronic message signs under separate brightness, size, and curfew…

Tacoma treats political signs as temporary signs: capped at two per issue, 4 square feet per side, 3 feet tall, and must come down within 14 days of the event or after six months…

Garage sale signs are temporary signs under PCC 18B.10.040 in unincorporated Pierce County. They need no permit, but only one non-yard temporary sign is allowed per road frontage and…

Pierce County bans new billboards visible from the main traveled way of ten named state routes and county roads under PCC 18A.55.010.C, including SR 16, SR 512 and Pacific Avenue (SR…

Tacoma treats a recycling or yard waste cart contaminated with garbage as ordinary trash, billing it as an extra reload and pulling repeat-offender recycling carts from service.

Tacoma bars storing goods, wares, or containers on a public sidewalk, alley, or street, but carves out an exception letting garbage and trash containers sit out for a reasonable time…

Tacoma requires customers to separate yard and food waste from other solid waste and keep it separated for curbside pickup, under Tacoma Municipal Code § 12.09.210.J of the city's…

Dumping litter or waste on public or private property in Tacoma is a civil infraction for small amounts and escalates to misdemeanor or gross-misdemeanor charges plus cleanup…

Tacoma defines yard waste as ordinary yard-maintenance vegetation and gives residents two free 90-gallon carts for it, but plastic and biodegradable bags don't count as an approved…

Placing a trash dumpster, storage container, or construction trailer in a Tacoma street or sidewalk right-of-way requires specific approval from the Director of Public Works before it…

Tacoma collects residential solid waste once every two weeks through mandatory, compulsory city-run service: residents can't opt out or switch to a private hauler within city limits.

Tacoma single-family and duplex ratepayers get two free Call-2-Haul bulk pickups a year, capped at three large items plus 15 bags of household junk.

Tacoma bars overloading trash and recycling carts beyond their rated capacity when it would damage trucks, create litter, or block pickup, and charges extra for waste over capacity.

Tacoma zoning treats agricultural uses as a conditional use in every residential district, requiring a conditional use permit, at least 20,000 square feet of land, and no livestock.

Pierce County Code Chapter 18I.35 presumes lawful farm operations are reasonable and shields them from nuisance claims, so long as the farming predates surrounding non-farm development…

Tacoma requires every basement, wall, dock, warehouse, and residence to be built or repaired to keep rats out, and all stored food kept rat-proof, under Chapter 5.38's Rat Prevention…

Tacoma bars used needles and other home sharps from ordinary recycling bins and, where curbside sharps pickup exists, from trash cans too: sharps must go into a dedicated sharps waste…

Tacoma's Building Official scores rental and commercial properties against a 51-item point table, yard debris, mold, vermin, and failed heating or smoke alarms are common violations…

Anyone can report a suspected building or property code violation to the City of Tacoma, no residency or ownership requirement, and the complaint can be filed verbally, in writing, or…

Every Tacoma rental must maintain heat to 70°F when it's 20°F outside, plus working kitchens, plumbing, and electrical systems: inspectors score violations under the city's Minimum…

Tacoma does not license rentals upfront; a provisional rental property license kicks in only after code violations exceed 24 points, hit derelict status, or breach fire code.

Tacoma cannot adopt traditional rent control because Washington state law RCW 35.21.830 preempts cities and counties from regulating the amount of rent on private residential property.

For nonpayment of rent, a Washington landlord must serve a 14-day pay-or-vacate notice in the form set by RCW 59.18.057 before filing an unlawful detainer under RCW 59.12.030…

Washington RCW 59.18.650 requires landlords to have one of 16 enumerated lawful causes to terminate most residential tenancies statewide.

RCW 59.18.150 requires a Washington landlord to give at least two days' written notice before entering to inspect, repair, or maintain the unit, and at least one day's notice to show…

Under RCW 59.18.170, a Washington landlord may not charge any late fee on rent paid within five days of its due date; a fee may begin only once rent is more than five days past due…

Under RCW 59.18.200, a Washington tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 20 days' written notice. A landlord, however, cannot end a periodic tenancy at will: RCW…

Under RCW 59.18.140, a Washington landlord must give at least 90 days' prior written notice before raising rent (30 days for income-based subsidized housing). The 2025 Rent…

Washington sets no dollar cap on residential security deposits, but it controls how they are collected and returned. A landlord may collect a deposit only with a written rental…

Washington's general adverse possession period is 10 years under RCW 4.16.020, requiring possession that is actual, open and notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous. A shorter…

Tacoma incorporates the Uniform Plumbing Code, as already adopted by the State Building Code, as the City of Tacoma Plumbing Code under TMC § 2.06.010, deleting UPC fee provisions in…

Tacoma requires day care buildings classified Group E to install panic hardware on exit doors serving 50 or more occupants, per the city's Minimum Building and Structures Code.

Tacoma's Building Official inspects flagged properties against three violation tables to classify buildings as non-standard, substandard, derelict, or unfit, kicking off the notice…

Tacoma's building code bars using lead-based paint or asbestos when repairing an existing single-family, duplex, or townhouse structure, listing both as hazardous materials no longer…

Tacoma's minimum building code requires every elevator in a building to be kept in compliance with the state Building Code as part of the city's baseline property maintenance standards…

Tacoma's Building Code amendment lists exactly what work is exempt from a permit: everything else, including most construction and alteration work, requires one before it starts.

Tacoma requires an automatic residential fire sprinkler system in every new townhouse unit, a local amendment to the state-adopted residential code, with an exception only for…

Tacoma's Minimum Building and Structures Code bans keyed interior deadbolts, requires exit doors to open without a key, and lets low-occupancy doors use thumb-turn locks instead.

Tacoma requires carbon monoxide alarms in every existing apartment, condo, hotel, motel, and single-family home, installed to the Fire Code's technical standard.

Tacoma requires a paid Electrical Permit from Tacoma Power before any electrical wiring, device, or equipment is installed, altered, or repaired, enforcing the current National…

Pierce County does not mandate a green building code, but PCC 17C.10.070.F refunds up to 25 percent of a residential building permit fee, capped at $350, when the finished home earns…

Tacoma requires a City business license for every massage business and bars them from serving customers between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily, city-wide.

Tacoma requires anyone pawnbroking or dealing in secondhand goods to hold a City license, keep detailed transaction records, and report daily to police.

Tacoma licenses anyone buying, selling, or consigning secondhand goods, requiring a $100 license, daily police reporting, and a 30-day hold on consigned items.

Tacoma requires every retailer of cigarettes or other tobacco products to hold a valid annual license from the licensing authority for each sales location before selling, under TMC §…

Tacoma requires its contracted tow operator to mail an impounded vehicle's owner a first-class notice within 24 hours, detailing the impoundment, redemption steps, and the right to a…

Tacoma requires adult entertainment establishments, managers, and entertainers to hold separate City licenses, with a $2,400 first-year establishment fee plus $150 manager and…

Tacoma levies a combined 7% special excise tax on hotel, motel, and lodging charges for facilities with 25 or more rooms, stacking three separate excise levies under TMC Chapter 6A.80.

Tacoma caps garage sales at twice per calendar year per dwelling and bans back-to-back or repeated sales that add up to a running business.

Operating a food truck on Tacoma's public ways requires a $225 City license, health department plan approval, fire inspection, and $1M liability coverage.

Tacoma limits food truck vending to City-approved public-way locations in commercial zones, clear of driveways, crosswalks, hydrants, and six-foot walkways.

Tacoma licenses long-term sidewalk vending carts in commercial zones, capping cart height at 5 feet and length at 96 inches with a required six-foot walkway.

Door-to-door sales in Tacoma require a $90, six-month license, a photo ID card, and fingerprint-based background checks before any solicitor knocks.

A posted "No Peddlers or Solicitors" sign is legally enforceable in unincorporated Pierce County. PCC 5.10.160 makes it unlawful for any peddler or solicitor to knock, ring the bell…

Tacoma requires a City street tree permit before anyone plants a tree in the planting strip or other public right-of-way, under the 2023 Urban Forestry code, TMC § 9.20.230.

Tacoma's Heritage Tree Program lets a property owner, or a resident with the owner's consent, nominate an exceptionally large, old, or historic tree for City designation. Qualifying…

Inside Tacoma's designated Biodiversity Areas, a conifer over 30 inches DBH or a madrone over 12 inches DBH counts as an 'exceptional tree' that development must retain; removing one…

Minors under 18 in Tacoma cannot be in any public place or business establishment between 12:01 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Parents who knowingly permit it, and operators who facilitate it, are…

Tacoma parks close a half hour after sunset and open a half hour before sunrise; being there when closed is criminal trespass, not just a fine.

A stereo or speaker whose bass carries 50 feet past its own property line breaks Tacoma's noise code: even without a decibel reading, plainly audible rhythmic bass alone is enough to…

Tacoma exempts portable and stand-by generators from its noise code entirely while running during a genuine power outage or natural disaster, under TMC § 8.122.140(O).

Tacoma caps commercial establishment music at a 6 dB(A)/dB(C) rise indoors nearby and bars audibility beyond 100 feet from the property line, under TMC § 8.122.080.

In unincorporated Pierce County, letting a car alarm, horn, or siren sound frequently, repeatedly, or continuously beyond a warning of danger is a "public disturbance noise" banned…

Tacoma runs automated red-light, railroad-crossing, and school and hospital speed-zone cameras under Chapter 11.60, authorized by state law, with signs posted at every camera location…

Tacoma lets electric scooters, including shared dockless models, ride on roadways, sidewalks, bike lanes, and paved paths, but bars them from streets posted above 25 mph unless a bike…

Tacoma bars stopping, standing, or parking any vehicle in a way that blocks a designated bike lane, path, or trail, with no exception for a quick stop; violators face a parking…

Pierce County's Park Code treats Class 1 and 2 electric bicycles, as defined by RCW 46.04.169, as 'micromobility devices' under PCC 14.08.030, putting them on the same footing as…

Washington splits small street-legal vehicles into three statutory classes by top speed, and the rules for each are different. A golf cart tops out at 20 mph and may use public streets…

Filming motion pictures or TV anywhere in Tacoma outside a studio requires a permit from the Film Production Coordinator, $1,000,000 liability insurance, and a signed indemnification…

Tacoma requires downtown buildings to meet ground-level facade, articulation, and construction-scale design standards under TMC § 13.06.100D, with compliance thresholds scaled to…

Tacoma's Urban Residential districts let middle-housing projects build more units and taller structures in exchange for providing affordable units or preserving an existing building on…

Tacoma bars noxious weeds rated Class A, B, or C by the Pierce County Noxious Weed Control Board from any required landscaped area, and invasive species identified in the city's Urban…

Tacoma cannabis retailers must sit at least 1,000 feet from elementary and secondary schools, playgrounds, recreation centers, child-care centers, public parks, public transit centers…

Tacoma has not opted out of marijuana retail: stores are zoned into all downtown districts and M-1/M-2 industrial areas, capped citywide at 16.

Washington uniquely prohibits recreational home cultivation of cannabis statewide, with cultivation only permitted by licensed producers and qualifying medical patients.

Tacoma prohibits using city-owned property for civil immigration enforcement staging or surveillance absent City Manager authorization, while preserving lawful judicial warrants and…

Tacoma lists eligible properties on its Register of Historic Places once a property turns 40 and retains its historic integrity, triggering Landmarks Preservation Commission design…

Tacoma bans intentionally blocking sidewalks or streets by walking, standing, sitting, or lying in a way that forces others to take evasive action, punishable as pedestrian…

Tacoma bans camping and storing belongings on public property within set distances of shelters, schools, parks, libraries, and protected waterways citywide.

Tacoma tenants can trigger a City code inspection of their rental by filing a complaint, verbally, in writing, or anonymously, but must first exhaust the remedies available to them…

Tacoma requires a provisional rental property license, backed by a paid certificate of inspection, once a rental property racks up serious code, derelict, or fire violations.

Tacoma property owners and occupants must clear snow and ice from the public sidewalk along their premises within 24 hours of it falling or forming, under TMC § 9.16.050.

Tacoma declares any building scoring 50 or more violation points a public nuisance under its Minimum Building Code, triggering mandatory repair deadlines, civil penalties, and possible…

Owners of undeveloped Tacoma parcels over one acre can satisfy the city's overgrown-vegetation nuisance rule by clearing only a 20-foot buffer along abutting improved property and…

In Tacoma's R-4 and R-5 Multiple-Unit Dwelling Districts, main buildings are capped at 60 and 150 feet respectively, with accessory buildings limited to 15 feet under the zoning code.

Tacoma caps total building coverage at 65% of lot area in its R-4 and R-5 multi-unit districts; single-family UR-zoned lots use floor-area-ratio limits instead.

Tacoma's Urban Residential zones set minimum yard setbacks in TMC § 13.06.020F.1: a 15-foot front and rear setback in UR-1, dropping to 10 feet in UR-2 and UR-3, with a 5-foot side…

Lighting on non-residential sites in Tacoma cannot exceed 3 lux at the property line of any adjacent residential parcel, measured at the brightest light source visible from that…

Tacoma bans internally illuminated and flashing billboards and requires all billboard lighting to shut off between midnight and 5 a.m.

Outdoor light fixtures within 100 feet of a residential district in Tacoma must use full cutoff luminaires meeting the Illuminating Engineering Society's cutoff distribution spec to…

In Tacoma's city parks, open fires are banned except in Director-installed picnic stoves or portable barbecues, which may burn only propane or charcoal briquettes.

Charcoal and wood-pellet cooking is restricted in Pierce County parks: PCC 14.08.080(C) confines it to sites equipped with hot coal disposal containers. Bring a charcoal grill or…

Tacoma's business and occupation tax splits gross receipts into distinct classifications, extracting, manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing, retail services, printing and publishing…

Tacoma's zoning code lets rooftop solar panels exceed the district height limit by up to 12 inches above the roof surface, and pitched-roof panels can't rise above the ridgeline: no…

Washington RCW 64.38.055 voids homeowner association rules prohibiting solar panel installation, allowing only reasonable placement rules. RCW 64.90.510 gives the same protection to…

Flying a drone, UAS, or UAV in a Tacoma park is unlawful unless the area is specifically designated for it or the Metro Parks Director authorizes it.

Unincorporated Pierce County lets the FAA govern where drones may fly, but the Parks and Recreation Department bars recreational drone flights inside its own park system unless the…

Flying a drone in a Pierce County park, including over a permitted festival, parade or show, requires a permit from the Parks Director first. PCC 14.08.040(L) bars unpermitted drone…

Commercial drone operations in Washington are governed by FAA Part 107, with state law adding criminal liability for invasive uses and limited authority over state-owned land.

Unincorporated Pierce County outright prohibits the operation of social card games, the category that covers commercial card rooms under state law. Only bona fide charitable or…

Washington exempts bona fide charitable and nonprofit organizations from Gambling Commission licensing when raffle, bingo, or amusement-game revenue stays under $5,000 a year…

Washington law defines a "player" under RCW 9.46.0265 as someone who gambles on equal terms with no profit beyond personal winnings. A private card game among friends is legal without…

Sports betting is legal in Washington only at tribal casinos operating under a class III gaming compact amended to include it, as RCW 9.46.0364 authorizes following ESHB 2638 (2020 c…

In unincorporated Pierce County, a home security camera counts as an "alarm system" under PCC 8.64.010.J once it's set up to summon a Sheriff's Department response, and PCC 8.64.030.A…

If a leak in your water service pipe inflated your Pierce County sewer bill, PCC 13.13.055(H) lets you request a credit. Submit a written request to the Sewer Utility with the repair…

Pierce County's Water Utility, created by PCC 7.10.010, exists in part "to establish reclaimed water services to protect the environment," with "Reclaimed Water" defined by…

Washington RCW 49.46 sets a statewide minimum wage adjusted annually for inflation; as of 2026 it is $17.13 per hour. Washington does not preempt local minimum wages, so several cities…

Washington RCW 49.46.200 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees, and RCW 50A.04 provides paid family and medical leave funded by payroll premiums.

Washington issues concealed pistol licenses under RCW 9.41.070 on a shall-issue basis to qualified applicants, with statewide preemption preventing local concealed carry rules.

Washington RCW 9.41.290 broadly preempts local firearm regulation, reserving authority over firearm laws to the state legislature with very limited exceptions.

Washington allows open carry of firearms by qualified adults without a permit, with limited statutory restrictions and broad preemption barring most local open carry rules.

Washington RCW 9.41.050 governs carrying firearms in vehicles statewide, requiring a concealed pistol license to carry a loaded handgun in a motor vehicle.

Washington has two regimes. Communities created on or after July 1, 2018 fall under WUCIOA (RCW 64.90), whose lien carries a 6-month super-priority over first mortgages and can be…

Washington requires HOA board meetings to be open to owners and gives owners broad record-access rights. WUCIOA communities follow RCW 64.90.445 (open meetings) and RCW 64.90.495…

Washington HOAs may adopt and enforce rules and architectural standards and enforce the recorded declaration. Under WUCIOA, RCW 64.90.405 authorizes rule adoption and enforcement…

This right applies only within Washington homeowners' associations governed by the Homeowners' Association Act, chapter 64.38 RCW: communities formed before July 1, 2018, excluding…

Washington homeowners associations and condo boards may not prohibit or unreasonably restrict a unit owner's electric vehicle charging station installed for personal, noncommercial use…

Washington's older Homeowners' Association Act, chapter 64.38 RCW, applies to HOAs formed before July 1, 2018 that have not opted into the newer Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act…

Both Washington regimes let HOAs impose reasonable fines, but only after notice and an opportunity to be heard and only under a fine schedule already adopted by the board and furnished…

Washington associations do hold a super-lien. Under RCW 64.90.485(3)(a)(i) of the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act, an association's lien jumps ahead of a first…

Washington condominium and HOA boards cannot cap or ban unit leasing by ordinary board rule. RCW 64.90.510(10)(c) lets a board restrict leasing only to the extent the rule mirrors…

Washington does not operate sobriety checkpoints, and no section of the Revised Code of Washington authorizes one. The only suspicionless power to stop a driver that the Legislature…

Washington is an all-party consent state, and the rule lives in the Washington Privacy Act at RCW 9.73.030. That section reaches only a private communication or a private conversation…

Washington has no general stop-and-identify statute. Someone stopped on a sidewalk in Seattle, Spokane or Tacoma and asked who they are has no statutory duty to answer, and staying…

Washington has no statute telling an adult driver what happens when an officer asks to search the car, and there is no logging or written-consent requirement of the kind Texas and…

Washington RCW 70A.530 bans single-use plastic carryout bags statewide and requires retailers to charge a pass-through fee for compliant paper or reusable bags.

Washington RCW 70A.245 bans expanded polystyrene foam food service containers, packing peanuts, and coolers in phases starting June 2024 to combat plastic pollution.

Washington RCW 70A.550 limits single-use food service ware including plastic straws and utensils to upon-request distribution at restaurants and food service businesses.

Washington RCW 26.28.080 sets the minimum age for purchasing tobacco and vapor products at 21, aligning with federal Tobacco 21 standards statewide.

Washington has not enacted a statewide flavored tobacco ban, leaving flavor restrictions to limited Department of Health authority and federal FDA enforcement on flavored vapor…

Washington splits its extra-lighting rules between the statute and the State Patrol's rules, and the part most drivers care about lives in the rules. RCW 46.37.180 allows up to two…

Washington has no statute that names dash cameras, so mounting one is governed by a single test in RCW 46.37.410(2): no sign, poster or other nontransparent material may sit on the…

Lane splitting is expressly illegal in Washington. RCW 46.61.608(3) states flatly that no person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows…

Washington bans license plate covers outright. RCW 46.16A.200(7)(c)(i) makes it unlawful to use license plate holders, frames, covers, or other materials that conceal, obstruct…

Nothing in Washington law restricts a radar detector in a private passenger vehicle. Chapter 46.37 RCW, the vehicle equipment chapter that fixes fog lamp mounting heights to the inch…

Washington allows metal studded tires only in the winter half of the year. RCW 46.37.420(2) makes it unlawful to use metal studs imbedded within the tire between April 1st and November…

Washington lets you tint every window except the windshield down to 24 percent light transmission, with outward reflectance capped at 35 percent, but RCW 46.37.430(5)(a) measures that…