If the repair is yours to pay
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Default rule and exceptions
Tacoma Municipal Code § 9.17.010 makes it unlawful for the abutting owner/occupant to permit hazardous right-of-way conditions to remain, expressly including defective sidewalk surfaces (broken cement, stub-toes, depressions) and defects from accumulated snow and ice. The City’s official page confirms responsibility for sidewalk repairs and maintenance rests on the private property owner.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Property owner | Do not permit defective sidewalk surfaces or snow/ice defects on the abutting sidewalk to remain (§ 9.17.010). |
| City / public agency | The City can compel repair and assess the cost via RCW 35.69 (per the official page). |
| Exceptions | None on record |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 9, 2026.
It shall be unlawful for the owner and/or any person, firm, or corporation occupying or having charge or control of any premises abutting upon any street, alley, or other public right-of-way within the City of Tacoma to cause or contribute to a physical condition of the public right-of-way by ... maintaining, or permitting to remain upon any part of the right-of-way ... any thing, structure, or condition dangerous or hazardous ... including ... Defective sidewalk surfaces, including, but not limited to, broken cement or stub-toes and depressions within or between sidewalk joints
Washington State law, as well as the Tacoma Municipal Code, places the responsibility for sidewalk repairs and maintenance on the private property owner, in certain circumstances.
City rules rest on state law. Read Washington's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for sidewalk repair in Tacoma, WA?
The property owner. Do not permit defective sidewalk surfaces or snow/ice defects on the abutting sidewalk to remain (§ 9.17.010).
What does the city cover in Tacoma, WA?
The City can compel repair and assess the cost via RCW 35.69 (per the official page).
What is this based on for Tacoma, WA?
This verdict is sourced to Tacoma Municipal Code § 9.17.010 (owner may not permit defective sidewalk surfaces to remain) and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Tacoma Municipal Code § 9.17.010 (owner may not permit defective sidewalk surfaces to remain)official · verified-official · accessed 2026-09-09
- City of Tacoma: Sidewalks (repair/maintenance responsibility on the private property owner)official · verified-official · accessed 2026-09-09
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