Code Enforcement

Our Code Enforcement division responds to citizen complaints regarding building, zoning, and land use violations in unincorporated Snohomish County. If you believe a code violation is occurring, follow these steps to submit an investigation request.

Are we the right department?

Review the information below. If your concern is handled by our division, proceed to step 2. If not, visit our Who to Call page.

Code Enforcement does not handle the following:

• COVID-19 violations by individuals, groups, or businesses
• Noise—public disturbance noise (construction noise, barking dogs, loud neighbors and music, car exhaust, etc.)
• Overgrown yards, bushes, and landscaping
• Animal and wildlife complaints
• Airport/airplane noise and concerns about low-flying aircraft
• Parking on easements or roads
• Property line or easement disputes
• Fence location or placement disputes (if a fence requires a permit, see below)
• Graffiti
• Hazardous Trees
• Tenant/Landlord disputes
• Drug activity
• Squatters or homeless encampments
• Septic system problems
• Rodent or household garbage issues
• Mold, pollution, or other environmental health issues
• Public road drainage and maintenance issues
• Abandoned cars in the right-of-way
• Traffic signs and signals
• Water retention or runoff
• Trespassing

We DO handle the following:

• Building setback violations
• Construction without a permit
• Dangerous buildings
• Building a fence or retaining wall without a required permit. Contact Ask a Permit Tech with questions about code requirements and permitting for fences.
• Junk and/or Junkyard Conditions
• Commercial/industrial noise (not public disturbance noise)
• Oversize and illegally placed signs
• Right-of-Way (driveway, filling without a permit)
• Travel trailer (recreational vehicle) violations
• Zoning Code violations
• Flood hazard, critical areas, or shoreline violations
• Land disturbing activities (clearing, grading, excavation)
• Home occupations
• Illegal placement of mobile homes

Do you have the right address?

In order to process your investigation request, your complaint must have the following:

• Property must be in unincorporated Snohomish County.
• Complete and valid address or parcel number of where the violation is occurring.
• One address per investigation request. If you have multiple complaints, you must file a separate complaint per address/property owner.

Complaints submitted without an exact address or parcel number cannot be investigated. Use our PDS Map Portal or the Assessor's Property Summary Search to locate this information.

Submit your complaint

There are two (2) ways to file your investigation request. We do not accept complaints by phone or email.

• Online (best method)

• By mail

Complaints must be submitted using our Investigation Request Form. Download a copy of the form or file online.

If you need a complaint form mailed to you, please call 425-388-3650 and leave us a voicemail with your name and exact address.

What happens now?

Once we've received your complaint, please allow at least 2 weeks for the Code Enforcement Officer to make their first investigation of the property.

Check your email. Within a week of filing your complaint, you’ll receive an email that includes the case number for your investigation request and the contact information for the assigned Code Enforcement Officer. Please keep this email. You will need to reference the case number when calling the Officer.

Status of complaint. Due to disclosure laws, we do not actively update complainants with status updates. If you’d like to check the status of your investigation request, please contact the assigned Code Enforcement Officer directly. The case number and contact information for the officer was sent to you in an email when you filed your complaint. If you don’t have the case number email, check your spam box or trash box or call 425-388-3650.

Appointments Required

The Code Enforcement team works remotely. We are not on the County campus. If you need to arrange a compliance inspection or site visit, please contact them directly to schedule an appointment. Due to COVID-19, most meetings are held by phone or online. Compliance inspections and/or site visits, when needed, must adhere to Covid-19 safety protocols.