Have questions about WA state law? Here’s what to know about drinking, honking and HOAs
Understanding the nuances of the law can be tricky, but it’s necessary in many aspects of life. Readers often reach hoping for clarity in this regard and interpretation of specific codes.
We broke down numerous explanatory articles we did in 2023 from the Revised Code of Washington for easy review and further understanding.
Here are some key Washington state laws to know and understand:
Home, property law in Washington
One of the most frequent types of queries we received in 2023 included housing, homes and property law.
In Washington state, parents can let minors drink on their property. However, they must give permission and maintain supervision in order to avoid a gross misdemeanor. This permission cannot be extended to other minors, only parents or guardians can give permission to their child, not others.
▪ Can I pick fruit off my neighbor’s tree?
Only if it hands over your property – then, you may pick, trim and prune the part of the plant on your side of the property. You must do so carefully, as damage to the tree could result in a hefty fine or even court discussions.
▪ Housing Horrors
The Northwest Service Team often gets questions and topic suggestions about housing-related questions or problems. Most mentioned are renters’ issues and the current housing climate. This year, we completed a series of articles answering these questions that we dubbed “Housing Horrors.”
- What should and shouldn’t be in your Washington rental agreement
- What restrictions landlords can legally make
- Why wasn’t my deposit returned? How do I get it back?
- Common landlord gripes, how to be a better tenant
We also receive many questions about homeowners associations, or HOAs, and clarified some of those parameters with experts. This led to a follow-up question-and-answer story covering various real scenarios from readers.
Traffic laws in WA state
Another common category of question from readers is traffic-related. Washington’s rules of the road are sometimes different from other states, so it’s important for all drivers to know them.
The Washington Driver Guide and state traffic laws are very specific about honking. You should only use your horn in order to prevent a collision. If someone doesn’t see you, the horn is a method of drawing attention to your vehicle to avoid a crash.
▪ Leaving pets in the car, or rescuing one
Leaving pets in the car when there is excessive heat or cold, lack of ventilation or lack of water is a civil infraction in the state of Washington. However, it is not legal for passersby to then rescue the animal. State law requires an animal control or law enforcement officer to respond and does not protect others who attempt to do so.
▪ Leaving your car to warm up unattended
In general, it is not legal to leave a car running unattended in the state. It may be permitted on private property, depending on city and county codes, but it is never recommended, due to high risk of theft.
▪ Parking in front of another person’s house
Can people park in front of a house that is not theirs all day long? In most cases, yes. Washington law specifies certain areas where parking is prohibited, like railroad tracks and highway tunnels, as well as places your car can only be idle for pick-up and drop-off purposes, like near a driveway or crosswalk. Cities may impose limits for cars parked in front of other homes.
There’s a pedestrian in my lane. How long do I have to wait for them to cross before I proceed?
The answer changes depending how many lanes are in the road. The Rules of the Road say you may proceed after the pedestrian has crossed one lane past your half of the road.
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