Revised Code of Washington
Wash. Rev. Code § 17.10.140 (2026)
Owner's duty to control spread of noxious weeds
✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) Except as is provided under subsection (2) of this section, every owner must perform or cause to be performed those acts as may be necessary to:
(a) Eradicate all class A noxious weeds;
(b) Control and prevent the spread of all class B noxious weeds designated for control in that region within and from the owner's property; and
(c) Control and prevent the spread of all class B and class C noxious weeds listed on the county weed list as locally mandated control priorities within and from the owner's property.
(2) Every owner of forestlands classified under RCW 17.10.240(2), or meeting the definition of forestlands contained in RCW 17.10.240, must perform or cause to be performed those acts as may be necessary to:
(a) Eradicate all class A noxious weeds;
(b) Control and prevent the spread of all class B noxious weeds designated for control in that region within and from the owner's property; and
(c) Control and prevent the spread of all class B and class C noxious weeds listed on the county weed list as locally mandated control priorities within and from the owner's property only when encountered in any of the following enumerated circumstances:
(i) Within 1,000 feet of adjacent land uses;
(ii) Within 25 feet of all privately owned roads unless properly abandoned as defined under WAC 222-24-052 as that section existed as of January 1, 2020;
(iii) Within 200 feet of navigable rivers, gravel pits, log yards, and staging areas, except when not allowed under other state or federal laws or regulations; and
(iv) For a single five-year period within harvested areas following the harvesting of trees for products.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4
cases, 1977–2020 · leading case: Langan v. Valicopters, Inc., 567 P.2d 218 (Wash. 1977).
Langan v. Valicopters, Inc., 567 P.2d 218 (Wash. 1977). “030 and RCW 17.10.140, .150. But the fulfillment of that duty does not mean the ability of an organic farmer to produce organic crops must be destroyed without compensation.”
Est. of Wasilchen v. Gohrman, 870 F. Supp. 2d 1115 (W.D. Wash. 2012). “RCW 17.10.140; see also 1st Gohrman Decl.”
Friends of Moon Creek v. Diamond Lake Improvement Ass'n, 409 P.3d 1084 (Wash. Ct. App. 2018). “RCW 17.10.140. Weed control board employees are authorized to enter private land, with prior notice, to inspect and take specimens of weeds.”
Kittitas Cnty., V Wa State Dep't Of Transp., 461 P.3d 1218 (Wash. Ct. App. 2020). “RCW 17.10.140. 5 These classes include, but are not limited to, “dry lands, range lands, irrigated lands, nonuse lands, forestlands, [and] federal lands.”
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