SUBJECTS › GOVERNANCE › SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS
› Lists of Washington Special Purpose Districts by Type
Updated 02/10
Lists of Washington Special Purpose Districts by Type and General Purpose
Includes Districts Created for Funding Purposes, But Do Not Have Independent Governing Boards
Related Tables
- Alphabetical List of Special Purpose Districts in Washington
- Special Purpose Districts by Date of Enabling Legislation
- Special Purpose Districts by Function
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| District | Date Created | Enabling Statute (RCW) |
| Agricultural Related - Also Provided by Conservation Districts and Irrigation Districts | ||
| Mosquito Control Districts | 1957 | Ch. 17.28 RCW |
| Weed Districts | 1921 | Ch. 17.04 RCW |
| Inter-County Regular Weed Districts | 1959 | Ch. 17.06 RCW |
| Diking and Drainage Districts | ||
| Diking Districts | 1895 | Ch. 85.05 RCW |
| Diking & Drainage Districts in Two or More Counties (Intercounty Diking and Drainage Districts) | 1909 | Ch.. 85.24 RCW |
| Diking, Drainage and Irrigation Improvement District; Drainage and Irrigation Improvement district - Improvement Districts - 1933 Act | 1933 | Ch. 85.22 RCW |
| Diking, Drainage, Sewerage Improvement Districts Funding methods revised by Diking, Drainage, and Sewerage Improvement Districts - 1967 Act | 1913 | Ch. 85.08 RCW, Ch. 85.15 RCW |
| Drainage Districts | 1895 | Ch. 85.06 RCW |
| Drainage Improvement District; Diking Improvement District - Improvement Districts - 1917 Act (reorganization of Diking or Drainage Dist) | 1917 | Ch. 85.20 RCW |
| Sewage Improvement Districts* - Formerly under Title 85 After 1979 powers of title 85 | 1923 | RCW 57.04.120-.130 |
| Economic Development | ||
| Cultural Arts, Stadium, and Convention Districts | 1982 | Ch. 67.38 RCW |
| Port Districts | 1911 | Title 53 RCW |
| Public Facilities Districts | 1988 - counties, 1999 - cities & towns | Ch. 36.100 RCW for counties, Ch. 35.57 RCW cities/towns |
| Public Stadium Authority | 1997 | Ch. 36.102 RCW |
| Environmental Protection - Also Provided vy Diking, Drainage and Flood Control Districts | ||
| Air Pollution Control Authorities | 1957, 1967 | Ch. 70.94 RCW |
| Conservation Districts | 1939 | Ch. 89.08 RCW |
| Flood Control - Environment and Public Safety | ||
| Flood Control by Counties Jointly - 1913 Act (Intercounty) | 1913 | Ch. 86.13 RCW |
| Flood Control Districts - 1935 Act | 1935, Repealed 1965 | Ch.86.05 RCW |
| Flood Control Districts - 1937 Act | 1937 | Ch. 86.09 RCW |
| Flood Control Zone Districts | 1961 | Ch. 86.15 RCW |
| Health Related | ||
| Cemetery Districts | 1947 | Ch. 68.52 RCW |
| Emergency Medical Service Districts | 1979 | 36.32.480 RCW |
| Health Districts | 1945 | Ch. 70.46 RCW |
| Mosquito Control Districts | 1957 | Ch. 17.28 RCW |
| Public Hospital Capital Facility Areas (Island counties) | 2009 | Ch. 70.265 RCW |
| Public Hospital Districts | 1945 | Ch. 70.44 RCW |
| Rural Public Hospital District (defined) | 1992 | RCW 70.44.450-.460 |
| Housing | ||
| Public Housing Authorities | 1939 | Ch. 35.82 RCW |
| Joint city-county Housing Authorities | 1980 | RCW 35.82.300 |
| Irrigation & Reclamation - Agriculture - Environment - Utilities | ||
| Irrigation Districts | 1890 | Ch. 87.03 RCW |
| Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts | 1961 | Ch. 87.84 RCW |
| Reclamation and Irrigation Districts in Reclamation Areas | 1943 | Ch. 89.12 RCW |
| Reclamation Districts of one million acres | 1927 | Ch. 89.30 RCW |
| Library Districts | ||
| Inter-County Rural Library Districts | 1947 | RCW 27.12.090 |
| Island Library District | 1982 | RCW 27.12.400 - .450 |
| Library Capital Facility Area | 1995 | Ch 27.15 RCW |
| Regional Library | 1941 | RCW 27.12.080 |
| Rural County Library Districts | 1941 | RCW 27.12.040 - .070 |
| Rural Partial Library District | 1993 | RCW 27.12.470 |
| Park & Recreation - Also provided by Port Districts., Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts | ||
| Metropolitan Park Districts | 1907 | Ch. 35.61 RCW |
| Park & Recreation Districts | 1957 | Ch. 36.69 RCW |
| Park & Recreation Service Areas | 1963 | RCW 36.68.400 - .620 |
| Joint Park & Recreation Districts | 1979 | RCW 36.60.420 - .460 |
| Public Safety | ||
| Emergency Medical Service Districts | 1979 | 36.32.480 RCW |
| Emergency Service Communication Districts | 1987 | RCW 82.14B.070-.100 |
| Fire Protection Districts | 1933 | Title 52 RCW |
| Regional Fire Protection Service Authorities | 2004 | Ch. 52.26 RCW |
| Public Utility Services - Also provided by Irrigation Districts | ||
| Public Utility Districts - power, water, sewer | 1931 | Title 54 RCW |
| Legal Authorities (Hydroelectric) - Irrigation Districts - Interlocal | 1983 | RCW 87.03.825 - .840 |
| Operating Agencies (Electricity Generation and Distribution, Cities & PUD) - Interlocal | 1981 | Ch. 43.52 RCW |
| Water-Sewer Districts (water-sewer district, water district, sewer district) | Sewer Dist 1941; water dist 1913; water-sewer consolidation 1971 | Title 57 RCW (districts reclassified, formerly Sewer Title 56, Water Title 57), reclassification 1997 |
| Solid Waste Disposal Districts | 1982 | RCW 36.58.100 |
| Television Reception Improvement Districts | 1971 | Ch. 36.95 RCW |
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School Districts | ||
| School Districts | 1889 | Ch. 28A.315 RCW |
| Joint School Districts | 1897 | Ch. 28A.323 RCW |
| Transportation Funding | ||
| Airport Districts, County | 1945 | RCW 14.08.290-.330 |
| County Rail Districts | 1983 | Ch. 36.60 RCW |
| Regional Transportation Investment District | 2002 | Ch. 36.120 RCW |
| Roads & Bridges Service Districts | 1983 | Ch. 36.83 RCW |
| Transportation Benefit District | 1989 | Ch. 36.73 RCW, RCW 35.21.225 for city |
| Transportation (Mass Transit) | ||
| City Transportation Authority (Monorail) | 2002 | Ch. 35.95A RCW, Ch. 248 Laws 2002 |
| County Public Transportation Authority | 1974 | Ch. 36.57 RCW |
| County Ferry Districts, passenger-only (Counties of 1 million population) | 2003 | Ch. 83 Laws 2003 ( 100 KB) |
| Public Transportation Benefit Area | 1975 | Ch. 36.57A RCW |
| Regional Transit Authorities | 1992 | RCW 81.112 |
| Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Areas (UTBA) | 1975 | RCW 36.57.100 |
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| District | Date Created | Enabling Statute (RCW) |
| Agricultural - Weeds and Pests | ||
| Agricultural Pest Districts | 1919 | Ch. 17.12 RCW |
| Horticultural Pest and Disease Boards (Horticultural Assessment) | 1969 | Ch. 15.09 RCW |
| Apportionment District (Community redevelopment financing Act) | 1982 | Ch 39.88 RCW, Ruled unconstitutional by Leonard v. Spokane, 127 Wn. 2nd 195 (1995) |
| Aquifer Protection Areas | 1985 | Ch. 36.36 RCW |
| Community Renewal Area | 2002 | Ch. 35.81 RCW, Ch. 218 Laws of 2002 |
| County Road District | 1889 | RCW 36.75.060 |
| Flood Control by Counties (River Improvement Fund) | 1907 | Ch. 86.12 RCW |
| Industrial Development Districts (Ports) - to develop marginal area properties | 1939 | Ch. 53.25 RCW |
| Lake Management Districts | 1986 | Ch. 36.61 RCW; RCW 35.21.403 |
| Public Waterway Districts | 1911 | Ch. 91.08 RCW |
| River & Harbor Improvement Districts | 1903 | Ch. 88.32 RCW |
| Sanitary Districts | 1933, Repealed 1971 | Title 55 RCW |
| Shellfish Protection Districts - "Clean Water Districts" | 1985 | Ch. 90.72 RCW |
| Solid Waste Collection Districts | 1971 | Ch. 36.58A RCW |
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| Boards of Joint Control (Irrigation districts and other entities) | 1949 | Ch. 87.80 RCW |
| Metropolitan Municipal Corporations | 1957 | Ch. 35.58 RCW & Ch. 36.56 RCW |
| Townships | 1895, Repealed 1997 | Title 45 RCW |
Special Purpose Districts listed are defined as political subdivisions of the state and come into existence, acquire legal rights and duties, and are dissolved in accordance with statutory procedures. Enabling legislation sets forth the purpose of the district, procedures for formation, powers, functions and duties, composition of the governing body, methods of finance, and other provisions. The districts are usually quasi-municipal corporations though some are statutorily defined as municipal corporations. The are often designated in the statutes as a public body corporate and a taxing authority
Related Resources
MRSC Index - Special Purpose Districts - General