Regulatory Code Compliance Services

Food Safety

For food safety related topics, visit the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Nuisance Property Violations

Nuisance Property Violations are unsafe, unhealthy or undesirable conditions that exist on public or private property, are generally not part of the main building or structure, and may include abandoned or inoperable vehicles on private property.

Case Type	Case Description	Compliance Strategies	TMC
Nuisance	Properties may have large piles of litter and debris, inoperable vehicles and overgrown vegetation. These types of properties may be a health and sanitation hazard or fire hazard.	Send Notice of Violation -Enroll low-income, elderly or disabled clients into YARD -Issue civil penalties -Record Certificate of Complaint -Pursue a warrant to abate nuisance conditions	8.30
Graffiti	Any unwanted design or profane visual on any surface on public or private property.	-Enroll eligible property owners into the Rapid Graffiti Removal Program for City removal -Send Notice of Violation -Issue civil penalties -Pursue warrant to abate graffiti	8.30 and 8.122
Stop Work Order/Notice of Violation	Requires a property owner to stop work on construction projects that do not have a permit or requires the property owner to obtain a permit for completed work.	-Send Notice of Violation -Issue civil penalties -Record Certificate of Complaint	8.30 and 2.08
Noise	Occurs when a sound is much louder than other ambient sounds in the area, and is continuous. Examples may include noise from night clubs or after hours construction projects.	-Send Notice of Violation -Issue civil penalties	8.122
Chronic Nuisance Properties	Chronic nuisance activities may be behaviors occurring on a property such as illegal drug activity, alcohol violations, prostitution or repeated noise code violations.	Send Notice of Violation -Issue civil penalties -Criminal charges that include a fine up to $5,000 or up to one year in jail -Permanent or temporary cancellation of a business license	8.30
Residential Parking Standards	Vehicles that are unlicensed or inoperable, parked in the front yard on an unapproved surface, number of vehicles exceeds code, or are improperly stored.	Vehicles that are unlicensed or inoperable, parked in the front yard on an unapproved surface, number of vehicles exceeds code, or are improperly stored.	5.30

Building Violations

Building Violations are defined by the severity and/or number of issues present on a building or structure.

Case Type	Case Description	Compliance Strategies	TMC
Non-Standard	A building or structure with minor code violations that may lead to structural deterioration, but may be occupied. Examples of non-standard issues include broken or missing gutters, peeling paint, or a broken window.	-Connect property owner to community resources that may help resolve the violation -Pursue provisional licensing on rental properties	2.01
Substandard	A building or structure that may be occupied, but has code violations present that must be corrected. Examples of substandard issues include missing safety hand rails on stairs, broken windows, or a roof that needs repair.	-Send a Notice of Violation -Issue civil penalties -Record Certificate of Complaint -Pursue provisional licensing on rental properties	2.01
Derelict	A building or structure that may not be safe to live in, may be abandoned, or may not have utility services. Derelict buildings are often boarded up and may become an attractive nuisance for illegal activity and dumping.	-Send Notice of Violation -Secure the building -Issue civil penalties -Pursue provisional licensing on rental properties -Record Certificate of Complaint	2.01
Unfit	A building or structure that is structurally unsafe and must be repaired or removed. Examples of unfit buildings include buildings with fire damage or a building in need of repairs that will cost more than 50% of the total structure's value.	-Send Notice of Violation -Record Certificate of Complaint -Request Unfit hearing -Repair or removed structure	2.01

Right-of-Way Violations

Right-of-way violations occur within the public right-of-way, not on private property. Violations include abandoned or inoperable vehicles, overgrown vegetation and debris. Property owners are responsible for maintaining the right-of-way abutting their property.

Case Type	Case Description	Compliance Strategies	TMC
Right-of-Way	Vehicles in the right-of-way that have not been moved for more than seven days or are unlicensed. Vegetation or litter and debris that obstructs sidewalks, streets, or street signs.	-Ticket or tow vehicle -Abate overgrowth or litter and debris issues	8.120

How to Resolve Code Violations

Steps to Code Compliance

1. A community member reports a concern to Tacoma FIRST 311. Most commonly reported concerns are:
   • Abandoned or neglected buildings
   • Garbage or debris on private property
   • Overgrown vegetation on private property
   • Graffiti on private property
   • Abandoned Vehicles
2. A Code Compliance Inspector inspects the property of concern.
   • If no violation is found, the case is closed, “no violation.”
3. If a violation is confirmed, a Notice of Violation is mailed to both the property owner and the address of where the violation is located, (if different from the property owner’s address).
   • The Notice of Violation indicates the timeline in which the violation must be corrected. If the property owner needs more time to bring the property into compliance, a reasonable timeline extension may be requested, by submitting a written “plan of repair” to the Inspector who issued the Notice of Violation.
   • The Inspector provides guidance to the property owner on options for bringing the property into compliance with Tacoma Municipal Code.
4. The Inspector re-inspects the property.
   • If violation has been corrected, the case is closed.
5. If the issue is still present or progress has not been made as stated in an approved plan of repair, the City may issue civil penalties or pursue abatement.
   • The Inspector makes regular re-inspections and may initiate progressive enforcement action until compliance is met.

Requesting Case Details

If you would like further information about code compliance details on a property that you do not own, please submit a public disclosure request to the City.

Your public disclosure request should include:

• The type of document you are requesting, photos of violations, notices mailed to property owners, outstanding invoices, cancelled or incomplete permits, or repair agreements with the property owner.
• Date or date range of documents being requested

Standards for a Well Maintained Property

Code Compliance PSA

Closed City Abatement

Cleaning up or removing the violation, which may be performed with a warrant if the violation is on private property, or without a warrant if the violation is on public right-of-way or is an imminent threat to life safety.

Certificate of Complaint Filed

A complaint has been filed with the Pierce County Tax Assessor that is attached to the property record at the violation address after civil penalties meet code requirements, which vary by violation type. Certificates of complaint serve as an indicator to anyone investigating the property that there may be unmet obligations to be fulfilled by the property owner to the City of Tacoma.

Citation Issued

A fine (civil penalty) issued by the City of Tacoma to the property owner as a result of non-compliance with property corrections. Fines are generally issued in $250 increments and can be issued upon each re-inspection of the property where progress has not been made, and sent to collections after 60 days of non-payment.

Closed Administrative Judicial

The violation case has been resolved through a legal process.

Closed Exhausted Remedies

The City is unable to reach resolution and has attempted all other avenues allowed by law to gain compliance and has decided to close the case.

Closed New Owner

A new owner has obtained the property in violation. A notice of violation is mailed to the new owner with a new case number.

Closed No Hazard

The complaint was received, inspected and no violations were found.

Closed Voluntary Compliance

The owner has voluntarily corrected the violations and the property is now in compliance.

Complaint Received

A complaint has been submitted to the City of Tacoma and is pending inspection.

Notice of Violation

Written communication to the property owner detailing code violations, the City process for pursuing compliance, and the property owner’s rights.

Ongoing Investigation

Property is being monitored by an inspector and the decision whether or not to pursue compliance is pending.

Violation Confirmed

Inspector has completed the property site inspection and has identified the violation.

Glossary of Terms

Abatement

A process by which the City of Tacoma removes Nuisance conditions on a property. Abatement may be performed with a warrant if the Nuisance is on private property, or without a warrant if the Nuisance is on public right-of-way or an imminent threat to life safety.

Appeal

A request by the property owner to the PDS Director or Hearing Examiner to re-evaluate any part of a Notice of Violation, Civil Penalty, or Finding of Fact and Order.

Certificate of Complaint

A complaint filed with the Pierce County Tax Assessor that is attached to the property record at the violation address after Civil Penalties meet code requirements, which vary by violation type. Certificates of Complaint serve as an indicator to anyone investigating the property that there may be unmet obligations to be fulfilled by the property owner to the City of Tacoma.

Civil Penalties

A fine issued by the City of Tacoma to the property owner as a result of non-compliance with property corrections. Fines are generally issued in $250 increments and can be issued upon each re-inspection of the property where progress has not been made, and sent to collections after 60 days of non-payment.

Demolition Plan

An administrative process conducted by Code Compliance to assess the scope of the demolition project, outline and execute required environmental and safety testing, and execute the contract of the demolition.

Findings of Facts, Conclusions, and Order

A decision issued by the Hearing Examiner after a hearing to determine the next actions permitted by the property owner and the City to resolve the open case.

Hearing Process

The process in which the City pursues legal action to abate a property or remove a building in violation. The hearing is conducted by the Hearing Examiner who makes a decision about the course of resolution for the case.

Limitations due to Ownership Status

Describes a complication in which the City is unable to reach resolution by working directly with the owner because the owner is deceased, unreachable, or the property is in the foreclosure process.

Notice of Violation

Written communication to the property owner detailing code violations, the City process for pursuing compliance, and the property owner’s rights.

Plan of Action or Repair Plan

A written plan submitted by the property owner to the Code Inspector outlining how and when the repairs noted in the Notice of Violation will be completed.

Public Disclosure of Records Request

A public record is any record containing information relating to the conduct of government business, which is prepared, owned, used, or retained by an agency. This includes, but is not limited to, electronic media, paper, email, microfilm audiotapes, videotapes, magnetic tapes, and disks (CDs/DVDs). Public records may be obtained from the City by request.

Provisional License

The provisional license is a three year license that the City requires of residential property owners if their property is found to be endangering the health or safety of tenants. One of the requirements of the provisional license is a certificate of inspection that will demonstrate that their property does not endanger the health and safety of tenants. The provisional license is based on State Legislation adopted in 2010 and consistent with the Landlord-Tenant Act.

Receivership

A process in which the City gains legal authority to take control of a private property in order to correct code violations.

Right-of-Way

Includes the area of land, the right of possession of which is secured by the City for right-of-way purposes and includes the traveled portion of the public streets and alleys, as well as boarder area, which includes, but is not limited to, any sidewalks, driveway approaches, planting strips, traffic circles, parkways, or medians, or area between the sidewalk and the curb line.

Warrant

The process in which a Superior Court Judge issues permission for the City to abate nuisance conditions on a property or demolish a building.

YARD Program

A program funded and administered by the City that connects low-income, elderly or disabled property owners with overgrown vegetation nuisance violations to a resource that will remove the overgrowth at no cost.

Graffiti Removal Program Guidelines

• Properties must be within the city limits of Tacoma.
• Must be private property (i.e., WSDOT, Tacoma Public Schools, etc. does not qualify for this program).
• Properties must have a signed authorization form on file completed by the property owner or an authorized representative.
• Properties must be occupied (i.e., no vacant buildings/lots).
• If needed, the property owner must supply water for graffiti removal services requiring the use of a pressure washer.
• Graffiti throughout the property must meet the contractor’s minimum callout threshold to be eligible for removal. If the graffiti does not meet the threshold, the option for cost reimbursement may be offered.
• Properties are eligible for up to three removals per year.
• Removal services are primarily focused on commercial buildings. Exceptions may be made with prior City approval and will consider conditions such as: seniors, individuals with disabilities, or properties that it would not be safe or reasonable for the property owners to remove the graffiti themselves.

Please contact the City’s Graffiti Navigator, Safe Streets Campaign, at (253) 272-6824 (Option 6) for more program information.

Cost Reimbursement

• Properties must be within the city limits of Tacoma.
• Must be private property (i.e., WSDOT, Tacoma Public Schools, etc. does not qualify for this program).
• Must provide before pictures, after pictures, and receipts to receive cost reimbursement.
• Can provide up to $100 of cost reimbursement (including tax) within a 12-month period.

Authorization Form

To sign up for the program, please submit an online authorization form or mail/email us your authorization form using the link below in your chosen language. If you need assistance completing an authorization form, please call Safe Streets Campaign at (253) 272-6824 (Option 6).

• English
• Español (Spanish)
• TIẾNG VIỆT ( Vietnamese)
• ខ្មែរ  (Khmer)
• Tagalog (Filipino)
• РУССКИЙ (Russian)
• 한국어 (Korean)
• УКРАЇНСЬКИЙ (Ukrainian)
• Gagana Sāmoa (Samoan)
• 中文 (Chinese)
• Somali (Somalian)

Additional Graffiti Removal Resources

• To report graffiti in progress, call 9-1-1
• To report graffiti concerns on private property, contact Tacoma FIRST 311:
  • Dial 3-1-1 inside the city limits, (253) 591-5000 from anywhere
  • Submit a 311 “Graffiti Concern” report online

• Report graffiti on WSDOT property (i.e., I-5, SR-16, etc).
• If you are a victim of graffiti, please take the following steps:
  • File a police report online or by calling (253) 287-4455
  • Take picture of the graffiti (for homeowner’s insurance and/or police report)
  • Contact your homeowner’s insurance agent (if you choose to file a claim)