Battery storage rules: Kitsap County, WA
Kitsap County has paused new battery storage applications in its unincorporated areas since June 2025 (Ordinance 639-2025). Ordinance 645-2026 extended the pause to December 7, 2026, unless ended sooner or extended again. Ask the county for its current status.
Kitsap County: new battery storage applications paused to December 7, 2026
Ordinance 639-2025 (adopted June 11, 2025) set a 365-day moratorium on accepting new battery storage applications. Ordinance 645-2026 (adopted May 11, 2026) extended it to December 7, 2026, unless terminated sooner or further extended. Kitsap County Ordinances 639-2025 and 645-2026
Fire and building codes in force
- 2021 International Fire Code with Washington amendments (WAC 51-54A), statewide since March 15, 2024
- Proposed, not adopted: the 2024 edition, which would point energy storage rules to NFPA 855, with a planned effective date of May 3, 2027 (WSR 26-10-069)
How a project is permitted
By default, local: the city or county's zoning, conditional-use permit, SEPA review and fire code. A developer of a standalone battery may choose state certification by EFSEC instead (RCW 80.50.060(1)(b)(v)); a certificate takes the place of local permits (RCW 80.50.120(3)). Ask your city or county whether battery storage is an allowed use in your zone, and whether a moratorium is in effect and when it ends.
Sources
- Kitsap County Ordinance 645-2026 (moratorium extension) Kitsap County
- Kitsap County — Battery energy storage systems Kitsap County
Check a specific system
For a proposal or a system you're evaluating, answer a few questions in BESScheck: you get the rules that apply here, a checklist of what to ask, and the sources behind each line.