Washington solar and wind ordinances by county
5 counties with figures quoted from their own ordinances. 0 of 1 moratoria and bans on file in force. Plus the state law that applies.
Updated October 2026
Counties
Solar figures as each county's ordinance states them. Open a county for wind and battery storage rules, conditions, and the sentence each figure comes from.
| County | Rules read | Property line | Homes | Max height | Min lot | Moratorium or ban |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | Solar | n/a | n/a | 20 ftMajor Facilities | 20 acresGMA Agricultural District | None on file |
| Grant County | Solar, Battery storage | n/a | n/a | 20 ftsolar array | n/a | None on file |
| Lewis County | Solar, Wind, Battery storage | n/a | n/a | 20 ft | 10 acresat least one parcel shall be at least 10 acres in size | None on file |
| Lincoln County | Solar, Wind | 60 ft | n/a | 20 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Okanogan County | Solar, Wind | n/a | 100 ftoff-site residence | 20 ft | n/a | None on file |
Every Washington figure in one spreadsheet
29 figures from 5 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. Plus the moratorium or ban on file and Washington state law.
Moratoria and bans in Washington
County, town and township moratoria and bans, each checked against the adopting document.
| Place | Type | Covers | Status | Runs to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garfield County | Moratorium | New wind energy projects (not solar) | Ended February 28, 2025 | February 28, 2025 | DocumentChecked October 7, 2026 |
Washington state law
What state law says about local solar, wind and storage rules. Each statement links the law or official source it comes from.
State siting: Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC)
Wind, solar and other alternative energy projects of any size, and storage facilities, may opt in to state certification by EFSEC instead of local permits; projects that do not opt in are permitted by the county.
RCW 80.50.060(1)(b) (as amended through 2026 c 244). Source
Limits on local rules
On the state route, the council can set aside local laws.
RCW 80.50.090, 80.50.100 (DOE and Berkeley Lab inventory, June 2024). Source
Wind standards in state law
Applies to projects EFSEC certifies, which must meet the state's environmental noise limits (set by land class: an industrial or farm source may reach 60 dBA at homes by day and 50 dBA at night); the same Ecology limits apply statewide to any noise source.
| Noise | 60 dBA day, 50 dBA night (10 pm to 7 am) at homes from an industrial or farm-land source |
WAC 463-62-030 (amended WSR 25-12-020, effective June 22, 2025), adopting WAC 173-60-040. Source
Solar standards in state law
Applies to projects EFSEC certifies, which must meet the state's environmental noise limits (set by land class: an industrial or farm source may reach 60 dBA at homes by day and 50 dBA at night); the same Ecology limits apply statewide to any noise source.
| Noise | 60 dBA day, 50 dBA night (10 pm to 7 am) at homes from an industrial or farm-land source |
WAC 463-62-030 (amended WSR 25-12-020, effective June 22, 2025), adopting WAC 173-60-040. Source
Screen sites across Washington
Basepoint checks each parcel against these rules along with grid, land and environmental data, and keeps the source for every figure.