Revised Code of Washington
2024 Archive

Chapter 36.01 RCW
GENERAL PROVISIONS
PDF of Chapter Digest
PDF of Complete Chapter
Sections
36.01.010Corporate powers.
36.01.020Corporate name.
36.01.030Powers—How exercised.
36.01.040Conveyances for use of county.
36.01.050Venue of actions by or against counties.
36.01.060County liable for certain court costs.
36.01.070Probation and parole services.
36.01.080Parking facilities—Construction, operation and rental charges.
36.01.085Economic development programs.
36.01.090Tourist promotion.
36.01.095Emergency medical services—Authorized—Fees.
36.01.100Ambulance service authorized—Restriction.
36.01.104Levy for emergency medical care and services.
36.01.105Fire protection, ambulance or other emergency services provided by municipal corporation within county—Financial and other assistance authorized.
36.01.110Federal grants and programs—Powers and authority of counties to participate in—Public corporations, commissions or authorities.
36.01.115Nonpolluting power generation by individual—Exemption from regulation—Authorization to contract with utility.
36.01.120Foreign trade zones—Finding—Intent.
36.01.125Foreign trade zones—Authority to apply for permission to establish, operate and maintain.
36.01.130Controls on rent for residential structures—Prohibited—Exceptions.
36.01.150Facilitating recovery from Mt. St. Helens eruption—Scope of local government action.
36.01.160Penalty for act constituting a crime under state law—Limitation.
36.01.170Administration of trusts benefiting school districts.
36.01.180Zoo and aquarium advisory authority—Constitution—Terms.
36.01.190Initial meeting of zoo and aquarium advisory authority—Expenditure of funds—Powers.
36.01.200Federal funds designated for state schools—Use limited to reduction of outstanding debt obligations of school districts.
36.01.210Rail fixed guideway public transportation system—Safety program plan and security and emergency preparedness plan.
36.01.220Mobile home, manufactured home, or park model moving or installing—Copies of permits—Definitions.
36.01.225Authority to regulate placement or use of homes—Regulation of manufactured homes—Restrictions on location of manufactured/mobile homes and entry or removal of recreational vehicles used as primary residences.
36.01.227County may not limit number of unrelated persons occupying a household or dwelling unit—Exceptions.
36.01.230Cooperative watershed management.
36.01.240Regulation of financial transactions—Limitations.
36.01.250Environmental mitigation activities.
36.01.260Urban forestry ordinances.
36.01.270Contractors—Authority of county to verify registration and report violations.
36.01.280Community athletics programs—Sex discrimination prohibited.
36.01.290Hosting the homeless by religious organizations—When authorized—Requirements—Prohibitions on local actions.
36.01.300State and federal background checks of license applicants and licensees of occupations under local licensing authority.
36.01.310Accessible community advisory committees.
36.01.320Application for a permit to site an energy plant or alternative energy resource—Written notice to United States department of defense.
36.01.330Failing septic systems—Connection to public sewer systems—Appeals process.
36.01.340Final determination on state highway permit projects.
36.01.350Removal of restrictive covenants—Hearing, notice.
36.01.360Telecommunications services and facilities authorized—Requirements.
36.01.370Comprehensive cancer care collaborative arrangements—Prohibition on regulation as state agency.
36.01.380Wind and solar resource evaluation equipment.
NOTES:
Accounts of county, examination of: RCW 43.09.260.
Actions by and against
counties, limitations on: Chapter 4.16 RCW.
public corporations (counties): RCW 4.08.110, 4.08.120.
Aeronautics facilities of counties to be made available to department of transportation: RCW 47.68.300.
Agricultural fairs, county participation: Chapter 15.76 RCW.
Aircraft excise tax, county exemption: RCW 82.48.100.
Airport zoning: Chapter 14.12 RCW.
Ambulance service for second-class cities, county may provide: RCW 35.23.456.
Armories, county may expend money for site: RCW 38.20.030.
Assisted living facilities, county administration, when: Chapter 18.20 RCW.
Blind made products, services, county to procure when available: RCW 19.06.020.
Bonds, county
election on, vote required: Chapter 39.40 RCW.
form, sale, payment, etc.: Chapter 39.44 RCW.
sale to federal government at private sale: Chapter 39.48 RCW.
validation of: Chapter 39.90 RCW.
Bonds of corporation not to be owned: State Constitution Art. 8 s 7.
Bonds of federal agencies as county investment: Chapter 39.64 RCW.
Cemeteries
private regulation of by county: RCW 68.20.080.
public, and morgues, in counties: RCW 68.52.010, 68.52.020.
Cemeteries and burial, public, all counties: RCW 68.52.030.
Cemetery districts authorized for certain counties: Chapter 68.52 RCW.
Children and youth services, county participation: RCW 72.05.160.
Cities and towns
agreements with county for planning, construction, etc., of streets: Chapter 35.77 RCW.
community renewal, county participation: RCW 35.81.130.
county aid on street construction, etc.: RCW 47.24.050.
L.I.D. assessment lien, application on sale by county of tax lands: RCW 35.49.160.
property held by under L.I.D. assessment lien not subject to county taxes: RCW 35.53.010.
Cities may support county in which city-owned utility plant located: RCW 35.21.420 through 35.21.427.
Civil service
for sheriff's office: Chapter 41.14 RCW.
status retained when on emergency service work: RCW 38.52.140.
Closed burning seasons in counties: RCW 76.04.205.
Combined city and county municipal corporations: State Constitution Art. 11 s 16 (Amendment 58).
Combined city-county health departments: Chapter 70.08 RCW.
Community centers, counties may establish: Chapter 35.59 RCW.
Community work and training programs, county participation in: Chapter 74.04 RCW.
Contractors, regulation of, inapplicable to counties: RCW 18.27.090.
Contracts
contractor's bond on: Chapter 39.08 RCW.
county may perform work or services for department of transportation: RCW 47.01.210.
executory conditional sales, for purchase of property for park or library purposes: RCW 39.30.010.
public works, application to counties: Chapter 39.04 RCW.
public works, reserve from amount due contractors to cover lien for labor, material or taxes: Chapter 60.28 RCW.
County airport districts: Chapter 14.08 RCW.
County and district fairs as agricultural fair classification: RCW 15.76.120.
County government: State Constitution Art. 11.
County lands
acquisition of for state highways: RCW 47.12.040, 47.12.150.
city or town L.I.D. assessments, as subject to: RCW 35.43.130, 35.44.140, 35.49.070.
diking, drainage or sewerage improvement assessments, as subject to: RCW 85.08.500, 85.08.530.
diking and drainage intercounty districts assessments, as subject to: RCW 85.24.240.
diking district act, as subject to: RCW 85.05.080, 85.05.380, 85.05.390.
drainage district act, as subject to: RCW 85.06.350, 85.06.360.
eminent domain by cities of: Chapter 8.12 RCW.
eminent domain by public waterway districts of: Chapter 91.08 RCW.
flood control district assessments, as subject to: RCW 86.09.526, 86.09.529.
lease of for underground storage of natural gas: RCW 80.40.070.
pest district assessments, as subject to: RCW 17.12.080.
public waterway district assessments, as subject to: RCW 91.08.570, 91.08.575.
right of entry on given department of transportation: RCW 47.01.170.
rights-of-way over by diking districts: RCW 85.05.080.
subject to diking, drainage or sewerage improvement assessments, resale of or lease of by county: RCW 85.08.500.
weed control district assessments, as subject to: RCW 17.04.180.
County office, defined for public assistance purposes: RCW 74.04.005(4).
County roads: Chapter 36.75 RCW.
Courthouse, county to furnish: RCW 2.28.139.
Credit not to be loaned: State Constitution Art. 8 s 7.
Debts of
apportionment on division or enlargement: State Constitution Art. 11 s 3.
limit of: State Constitution Art. 8 s 6 (Amendment 27), Art. 7 s 2 (Amendments 55, 59).
private property not to be taken in satisfaction of: State Constitution Art. 11 s 13.
Dental hygienists, licensed, county may employ: RCW 18.29.050.
Department of revenue, visitation to counties: RCW 84.08.010(3).
Detention, house or room for, establishment of: RCW 13.04.135.
Detention facilities, management of (counties with populations of one million or more): Chapter 13.20 RCW.
Detention of state felons in county jails: Chapter 72.68 RCW.
Diking and drainage intercounty districts: Chapter 85.24 RCW.
Disinfection of county property as county duty: RCW 15.08.230.
Disturbances at state penal facilities—Reimbursement to cities and counties for certain expenses incurred: RCW 72.72.050, 72.72.060.
Electric franchises and rights-of-way, counties may grant: RCW 80.32.010.
Electrical construction regulations applicable to counties: RCW 19.29.010.
Emergency management, county participation: Chapter 38.52 RCW.
Eminent domain
airport purposes: Chapters 14.07, 14.08 RCW.
flood control purposes: RCW 86.12.030.
flood control purposes by counties jointly: RCW 86.13.040.
generally: Chapter 8.08 RCW.
military purposes: RCW 8.04.170, 8.04.180.
of tidelands: RCW 88.24.070.
parks, bathing beaches, public camps: RCW 67.20.010.
wharves purposes: RCW 88.24.070.
Existing counties recognized: State Constitution Art. 11 s 1.
Family courts in: Chapter 26.12 RCW.
Federal areas in counties, generally: Chapter 37.08 RCW.
Federal property, purchase of from government by counties: Chapter 39.32 RCW.
Fireworks, county participation in control: Chapter 70.77 RCW.
Fiscal agent for: Chapter 43.80 RCW.
Flood control
county: Chapter 86.12 RCW.
county participation with
district: RCW 86.24.040.
state and federal government: Chapter 86.24 RCW.
districts (1937 act), public lands included in: RCW 86.09.013.
maintenance, county participation with state: Chapter 86.26 RCW.
Forest protection in counties: Chapter 76.04 RCW.
Funding indebtedness in counties: Chapter 39.52 RCW.
Group life insurance, public employee associations: RCW 48.24.060.
Hospitals, private, for care of individuals with mental illness, alcoholics, county may prescribe standards: RCW 71.12.550.
Housing authority
generally: Chapter 35.82 RCW.
property as exempt from county taxation: RCW 35.82.210.
Housing cooperation law: Chapter 35.83 RCW.
Indebtedness, county: State Constitution Art. 8.
Industrial development districts, county lands may be conveyed to: Chapter 53.25 RCW.
Intercounty weed districts: Chapter 17.06 RCW.
Intergovernmental disposition of property, county participation: RCW 39.33.010.
Irrigation districts, cancellation of county taxes against, when: RCW 87.64.060.
Island counties, refund of motor vehicle license and fuel tax fees to: RCW 46.68.080.
Joint aid river and harbor improvements, county participation: RCW 88.32.230 through 88.32.235.
Joint planning for improvement of navigable stream, county participation: RCW 88.32.240 through 88.32.250.
Juvenile detention facility as mandatory county function: RCW 13.16.030.
Leases, mineral and petroleum, on county land: Chapter 78.16 RCW.
Leases of property, ballot proposition
by jointly with city or town: RCW 35.42.200.
from by city or town: RCW 35.42.200.
Legal aid: Chapter 2.50 RCW.
Legal publications of: Chapter 65.16 RCW.
Libraries: Title 27 RCW.
Lien for labor, material and taxes on public works: Chapter 60.28 RCW.
Limitation of indebtedness of taxing districts: Chapter 39.36 RCW.
Liquor revolving fund moneys, distribution to counties: Chapter 66.08 RCW.
Local milk inspection service units: Chapter 15.36 RCW.
Martial law, proclamation of county under: RCW 38.08.030.
Metropolitan municipal corporations
as borrowers from county: RCW 35.58.480.
county participation: Chapter 35.58 RCW.
Military offenses, jurisdiction by county when: Chapter 38.32 RCW.
Mosquito control
county work coordinated with: Chapter 70.22 RCW.
districts, counties where authorized: RCW 17.28.020.
Motor freight carrier, county vehicle exempt as: RCW 81.80.040.
Motor vehicle
accidents, peace officer's reports: RCW 46.52.070.
fund moneys for county purposes: RCW 46.68.070 and 46.68.120.
size, weight and load, local regulations: RCW 46.44.080.
Municipal airports
1941 act: Chapter 14.07 RCW.
1945 act: Chapter 14.08 RCW.
Old age and survivors' insurance, acceptance of for counties: Chapter 41.47 RCW.
Operating agencies (electricity, water resources) to act for counties: Chapter 43.52 RCW.
Park and recreation service areas: RCW 36.68.400 through 36.68.620.
Parks, bathing beaches, public camps, county may acquire and operate: Chapter 67.20 RCW.
Person defined to include counties for RCW code purposes: RCW 1.16.080.
Pesticide application act, county as subject to: RCW 17.21.220.
Police and sanitary regulations, power to enforce: State Constitution Art. 11 s 11.
Port districts
contracts or leases with counties by: RCW 53.08.070, 53.08.140, 53.08.240.
motor vehicle regulation in by county authorities, procedure: RCW 53.08.230.
regulations of, adoption as county ordinance: RCW 53.08.220.
Printing for counties to be done in state: RCW 43.19.748.
Public assistance
as county function: RCW 74.04.040.
county participation: Chapter 74.04 RCW.
Public contracts and indebtedness: Title 39 RCW.
Public documents (state), distribution to counties: Chapter 40.04 RCW.
Public employees
hospitalization and medical aid for: RCW 41.04.180, 41.04.190.
interchange of personnel with federal agency, rights preserved: RCW 41.04.140 through 41.04.170.
military leave for: RCW 38.40.060.
minimum wage act, public employee exclusion: RCW 49.46.010.
payroll deductions for: RCW 41.04.020, 41.04.036.
public employees' retirement system, county employees as members: RCW 41.40.062.
retirement systems, retention of rights: Chapter 41.04 RCW.
social security, federal coverage includes: Chapter 41.48 RCW.
Public lands
rights-of-way over for county bridges, trestles, across waterways, tide or shore lands: RCW 79.110.120.
rights-of-way over for roads, county wharves: RCW 79.36.440.
sale of road material on to counties: RCW 79.15.320.
Public officers
campaign financing, reporting: Chapter 42.17A RCW.
code of ethics for: Chapter 42.23 RCW.
financial affairs and gifts, reporting: RCW 42.17A.700.
misconduct of enumerated: Chapter 42.20 RCW.
not to receive witness fees: RCW 42.16.020, 42.16.030.
resignations: RCW 42.12.020.
terms when vacancies filled: RCW 42.12.030.
Public purchase preferences: Chapter 39.24 RCW.
Public works
emergency, county participation: Chapter 39.28 RCW.
department of transportation, cooperation: RCW 47.08.070.
prevailing wages to be paid on: Chapter 39.12 RCW.
Publicly owned vehicles
exempt from license fee: RCW 46.16A.170.
license plate retained when change in ownership: RCW 46.16A.200(8).
registration of: RCW 46.16A.170.
to be marked: RCW 46.08.065.
Railroad grade crossings
apportionment of costs, county liability: RCW 81.53.110, 81.53.130.
counties duty to maintain: RCW 81.53.090.
county participation in grants for: Chapter 81.53 RCW.
Railroad signals, warning devices on county roads: RCW 81.53.261 through 81.53.291.
Reclamation and irrigation districts in United States reclamation areas, contract to bring county lands into: RCW 89.12.110.
Reclamation districts of one million acres, lands in more than one county: RCW 89.30.004.
Reforestation
county exchange of land to block up holdings: RCW 79.17.020, 79.17.060, and 79.17.070.
grants of county lands for: RCW 79.22.040.
Regional jail camps, county prisoners may be committed to: RCW 72.64.100, 72.64.110.
River and harbor improvements by counties jointly: RCW 88.32.180 through 88.32.220.
Rural housing projects: Chapter 35.82 RCW.
Savings and loan associations, counties as member: RCW 33.20.060.
Soft tree fruits commission law, counties constituting districts under: RCW 15.28.010.
Soil and water conservation districts, county may cooperate with: RCW 89.08.341.
State patrol retirement allowances exempt from county taxation: RCW 43.43.310.
State vehicle regulations precedence over local: RCW 46.08.020.
State's title to abandoned channels granted to counties: RCW 86.13.110.
Stock restricted areas in: Chapter 16.24 RCW.
Street railroads in counties: Chapter 81.64 RCW.
Superior court judges, each county entitled to: State Constitution Art. 4 s 5, chapter 2.08 RCW.
Surplus federal property, county may purchase: RCW 39.32.010 through 39.32.060.
Tax liens, foreclosure by county when city or town L.I.D. assessments on, rights of city or town: RCW 35.49.130 through 35.49.160.
Taxes
B & O, counties defined as person for purposes of: RCW 82.04.030.
excise, state preempts field, which: RCW 82.02.020.
federal payments in lieu of ad valorem property taxes to counties, distribution: Chapter 84.72 RCW.
for city and town purposes: State Constitution Art. 11 s 12.
local, legislature not to impose: State Constitution Art. 11 s 12.
property
acquisitions of county subject to lien of: RCW 84.60.050.
county by, generally: Title 84 RCW.
county held tax-title property, treatment of: RCW 36.35.100.
county-interstate bridge as exempt from: RCW 84.36.230.
county lands sold on contract as taxable: RCW 84.40.230.
county property as exempt from: RCW 84.36.010.
county revaluation program: Chapter 84.41 RCW.
county right-of-way easements as exempt from: RCW 84.36.210.
excess levies authorized, county application: RCW 84.52.050 through 84.52.056.
limitation on levies, county application: State Constitution Art. 7 s 2 (Amendments 55, 59); RCW 84.52.050.
state, county liability for share of: State Constitution Art. 11 s 9.
Taxing district
county as: RCW 84.04.120.
relief act, county application: Chapter 39.64 RCW.
Teletypewriter communications network, county participation: Chapter 43.89 RCW.
Toll roads, bridges and ferries (state), county participation and liability: Chapter 47.56 RCW.
Township organization in: State Constitution Art. 11 s 4 (Amendment 21).
Traffic
enforcement agencies, duty: Chapter 46.64 RCW.
schools, county participation: Chapter 46.83 RCW.
Unfit dwellings, buildings and structures: Chapter 35.80 RCW.
Uniform system of accounting: Chapter 43.09 RCW.
Validation of bonds and financing proceedings: Chapter 39.90 RCW.
Vehicle wreckers' licensing, county to comply with: RCW 46.80.160.
Veterans
indigent and deceased, burial as county responsibility: RCW 73.08.070.
public officials duty as considered leave of absence: RCW 73.16.041.
scoring criteria status in county employment reemployment: RCW 41.04.010, Chapter 73.16 RCW.
Veterans'
meeting hall, county may furnish free of charge: RCW 73.04.070.
meeting place, rent from county funds: RCW 73.04.080.
relief as county responsibility: Chapter 73.08 RCW.
Vital statistics: Chapter 70.58A RCW.
Wages
deductions and rebates, application to counties: Chapter 49.52 RCW.
payment and collection of, county employee exclusion: RCW 49.48.080.
rebates of on public works, penalty: RCW 49.52.090.
Warrants, interest rate on: RCW 39.56.020, 39.56.030.
Water pollution control, county application: Chapter 90.48 RCW.
Water rights
appropriation of by counties; procedure: Chapter 90.03 RCW.
United States, county application: Chapter 90.40 RCW.
Wharves, counties may authorize and prescribe rates: RCW 88.24.020.
Workers' compensation, county coverage: RCW 51.12.050.
World fair or exposition, county participation: Chapter 35.60 RCW.