King County
King County, Washington: solar permitting grade C (score 49/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 49/100 |
| Population | 2,269,675 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
King County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Washington's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in King County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Algona city
- Auburn city
- Bellevue city
- Black Diamond city
- Bothell city
- Burien city
- Carnation city
- Clyde Hill city
- Covington city
- Des Moines city
- Duvall city
- Enumclaw city
- Federal Way city
- Issaquah city
- Kenmore city
- Kent city
- Kirkland city
- Lake Forest Park city
- Maple Valley city
- Medina city
- Mercer Island city
- Milton city
- Newcastle city
- Normandy Park city
Show all
- North Bend city
- Pacific city
- Redmond city
- Renton city
- Sammamish city
- SeaTac city
- Seattle city
- Shoreline city
- Snoqualmie city
- Tukwila city
- Woodinville city
- Beaux Arts Village town
- Hunts Point town
- Skykomish town
- Yarrow Point town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Pierce County · ≈35 miA29—
- Snohomish County · ≈39 miA29—
- Kitsap County · ≈39 miB37—
- Kittitas County · ≈60 miC43—
- Island County · ≈60 miB40—
- Thurston County · ≈61 miA23—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
King County ranks #30 of 39 ranked Washington counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Washington: Thurston County (A · 23), Pierce County (A · 29), Snohomish County (A · 29). See all Washington county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.