Trespass authorization in Seattle.
How to give police standing to warn and remove people from your property after hours, which signs to post, and how Tacoma and Bellevue handle it.
How do I authorize police to enforce trespass on my property in Seattle?
Enroll in the Seattle Police Department's Trespass Warning Program: ask your precinct for the Trespass Warning and Enforcement Authorization form, sign one form per address, and post the Conditions of Entry signs SPD provides at or near every public entrance. Police can then warn people on your behalf and arrest anyone who comes back, or anyone found after business hours who knew they weren't allowed. The agreement stays in effect until either side ends it, and SPD makes no promise about how often it will enforce.
Authorization gives police standing; cameras see who's there
A trespass authorization doesn't put anyone on your property at 2 a.m. 911 Sentinel cameras see who is there after hours, an alert reaches our team within 30 seconds, and an operator plays a recorded warning through the camera within 3 minutes. If the person stays, we call your team, then the police, and the video shows who was there and when.
What the law says
Under Washington law, a person "enters or remains unlawfully" when they are "not then licensed, invited, or otherwise privileged to so enter or remain" (RCW 9A.52.010). Knowingly doing so in a building is criminal trespass in the first degree; on other premises, it is second degree.
| Crime | Where | Class | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal trespass, first degree (RCW 9A.52.070) | In a building | Gross misdemeanor | 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine |
| Criminal trespass, second degree (RCW 9A.52.080) | On other premises | Misdemeanor | 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine |
Maximum penalties as stated by the Seattle City Attorney's office.
Seattle's Trespass Warning Program
- Who it covers: open businesses and vacant residential or commercial property.
- How to enroll: email your SPD precinct (North, West, South, Southwest, or East) for the trespass authorization form.
- One address per form: SPD does not complete group authorizations.
- Parking lots: at a strip mall, a business's authorization may not include common areas such as parking lots; the property owner can cover those in a separate authorization.
- Signs: post the Conditions of Entry signs, in the format on the City's website, clearly at or near all public entrances. The conditions: patrons and customers only, no violations of city or state law, and no entry after business hours without the owner's permission.
- What police can do: warn a person that their privilege to be there is revoked, then arrest if they return, or arrest without a warning someone found after business hours who knew they weren't permitted.
- Your part: cooperate in the prosecution. The agreement stays in effect until either side ends it, and SPD "makes no warranty" about how often it will enforce.
- The City Attorney's office says a trespass warning does not expire.
Tacoma and Bellevue
- Tacoma: the Authorization to Remove Trespassers form lets Tacoma police issue trespass notices to anyone found on the premises after business hours. It stays in effect for five years or until revoked, and places no duty on the department to act.
- Bellevue: private commercial and multi-unit housing owners can enroll in the BPD Trespass Program so officers can enter the property to enforce trespass laws, by contacting the Crime Prevention Officer at CrimePrevention@bellevuewa.gov.
- Elsewhere: ask your police department's crime prevention unit whether it keeps a trespass authorization on file.
Common questions
Does a trespass warning expire in Seattle?
The Seattle City Attorney's trespass FAQ says the warning does not expire.
Do I need signs for Seattle's trespass program?
Yes. Owners post the Conditions of Entry signs SPD provides, clearly and conspicuously at or near all public entrances.
Does Seattle's trespass authorization cover parking lots?
Not automatically at a strip mall. SPD policy says a business's authorization may not include common areas such as parking lots, and the property owner can cover those in a separate authorization.
Sources
Checked .
- RCW 9A.52.010, definitions (enters or remains unlawfully)
- RCW 9A.52.070, criminal trespass in the first degree
- RCW 9A.52.080, criminal trespass in the second degree
- Seattle Police Department, Trespass Warning Program
- SPD Policy 15.270, trespass warning program
- SPD Trespass Warning and Enforcement Authorization form
- Seattle City Attorney, trespass FAQ
- Tacoma Police, authorization to remove trespassers (rev. July 15, 2024)
- City of Bellevue, homeless response for private property owners
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