Click here to skip to main content.
scenic picture from Washington state
SUBJECTSGOVERNANCESPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS › Comparative Data - Number of Special Purpose Districts
Updated 03/03

Comparative Data - Number of Special Purpose Districts

District Date Created Enabling Statute (RCW) Number in 2004 (Multiple Sources) Number DOR TaxCode Areas (3/02) 1963 Units of Govt**
Districts with Statutorily Designated Governing Body
Agricultural - Weeds and Pests          
Agricultural Pest Districts 1919 Ch. 17.12 RCW 2 1 1
Horticultural Pest and Disease Board (Horticultural Assessment) 1969 Ch. 15.09 RCW  7    NA
Weed Districts 1921 Ch. 17.04 RCW 10 5 15
Inter-County Regular Weed Districts 1959 Ch. 17.06 RCW 2    
Air Pollution Control Authorities 1957, 1967 Ch. 70.94 RCW 8    
Airport Districts, County 1945 RCW 14.08.290-.330 2 2 2
Cemetery Districts 1947 Ch. 68.52 RCW 105 101 44
Conservation Districts 1939 Ch. 89.08 RCW 48   74
County Rail Districts 1983 Ch. 36.60 RCW Unknown     NA
Cultural Arts, Stadium, and Convention Districts 1982 Ch. 67.38 RCW 0 1 NA 
Diking and Drainage Districts       Title 85  RCW 112   194
Diking Districts 1895 Ch. 85.05 RCW Included above   Above 
Diking & Drainage Districts in Two or More Counties (Intercounty Diking and Drainage Districts) 1909 Ch.. 85.24 RCW Included above   Above  
Diking, Drainage and Irrigation Improvement Districts; Drainage and Irrigation Improvement district - Improvement Districts - 1933 Act 1933 Ch. 85.22 RCW Included above   Above  
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 Included above   Above  
Drainage Districts 1895 Ch. 85.06 RCW Included above   Above  
Drainage Improvement Districts; Diking Improvement Districts - Improvement Districtss - 1917 Act (reorganization of Diking or Drainage Dist) 1917 Ch. 85.20 RCW Included above   Above  
Sewage Improvement Districts- Formerly under Title 85 After 1979 powers of title 85 1923 RCW 57.04.120-.130  Included above   Above  
Emergency Medical Service Districts 1979 36.32.480 RCW 1 139* NA 
Emergency Service Communication District 1987RCW 82.14B.070-.100 2 NA 
Fire Protection Districts 1933 Title 52 RCW 391 394 332
Flood Control         16 1
Flood Control by Counties Jointly - 1913 Act (Intercounty) 1913 Ch. 86.13 RCW Included above    
Flood Control Districts - 1935 Act 1935, Repealed 1965 Ch.86.05 RCW Included above   3
Flood Control Districts - 1937 Act 1937 Ch. 86.09 RCW Included above   9
Flood Control Zone Districts 1961 Ch. 86.15 RCW 19 18  
Health Districts 1945 Ch. 70.46 RCW 13   9
Housing              
Public Housing Authorities 1939 Ch. 35.82 RCW 33   23
Joint City-county Housing Authorities 1980 RCW 35.82.300 Included above   NA 
Irrigation & Reclamation         97 2 91
Irrigation Districtss 1890 Ch. 87.03 RCW Included above   Included above 
Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts 1961 Ch. 87.84 RCW Included above   Included above 
Reclamation and Irrigation Districts in Reclamation Areas 1943 Ch. 89.12 RCW Included above    Included above
Reclamation Districts of One Million Acres 1927 Ch. 89.30 RCW Included above   Included above 
Library Districts     Ch. 27.12 RCW 24 39  
Inter-County Rural Library Districts 1947 RCW 27.12.090 Included above   5
Island Library Districts 1982 RCW 27.12.400 - .450 Included above   NA 
Library Capital Facility Area 1995 Ch 27.15 RCW 9 8 NA 
Regional Library Districts 1935 RCW 27.12.080 Included in library  

Included with other library districts 

Rural County Library Districts 1941 RCW 27.12.040 - .070 Included in Library   10
Rural Partial Library Districts 1993 RCW 27.12.470 Included in library   NA 
Mosquito Control Districts 1957 Ch. 17.28 RCW 15 14 5
Park & Recreation              
Metropolitan Park Districts 1907 Ch. 35.61 RCW 3 2 2
Park & Recreation Districts 1957 Ch. 36.69 RCW 52 54 4
Park & Recreation Service Areas 1963 RCW 36.68.400 - .620 7 - NA 
Joint Park & Recreation District 1979 RCW 36.68.420 - .460 1 - -
Port Districts 1911 Title 53 RCW 76 76 72
Public Facilities Districts 1988 - county;
1999 - city
Ch. 36.100 RCW counties, Ch. 35.57 RCW cities/towns 22    NA
Public Hospital Districts 1945 Ch. 70.44 RCW 57 56 33
Rural Public Hospital Districts (defined) 1992 RCW 70.44.450-.460 Included above    NA
Public Stadium Authority 1997 Ch. 36.102 RCW 1   NA 
Public Utility Districts 1931 Title 54 RCW 30   30
Roads & Bridges Service Districts 1983 Ch. 36.83 RCW Unknown 1   NA
School Districts 1889 Ch. 28A.315 RCW 296 296 408
Joint School Districts 1897 Ch. 28A.323 RCW Included above  
Shellfish Protection Districts - "Clean Water Districts" 1985 Ch. 90.72 RCW 15   NA
Television Assessment Districts 1971 Ch. 36.95 RCW 10   NA
Transportation (Mass Transit)             
City Transportation Authority (Monorail) 2002 Ch. 35.95A RCW, Ch. 248 Laws 2002 1   NA
County Public Transportation Authority 1974 Ch. 36.57 RCW 1   NA
Ferry Districts, Passenger Only 2003   0   NA
Public Transportation Benefit Area 1975 Ch. 36.57A RCW 19   NA
Regional Transit Authorities 1992 RCW 81.112 1   NA
Regional Transportation Investment Districts 2002   0   NA
Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Areas (UTBA) 1975 RCW 36.57.100 1   NA
Transportation Benefit District 1989 Ch. 36.73 RCW, RCW 35.21.225  for city 1 1 NA
Water-Sewer Districts (Water-Sewer Districts, Water Districts, Sewer Districts) Sewer Dist 1941; water dist 1913; water-sewer consolidation 1971 Title 57 RCW (districts reclassified, formerly Sewer Title 56, Water Title 57), reclassification 1997 209 126 water, 39 sewer 194
Assessment Districts Created for Funding Purposes
Apportionment District (Community Redevelopment Financing Act) 1982 Ch 39.88 RCW Ruled unconstitutional by Leonard v. Spokane, 127 Wn. 2nd 195 (1995) NA 2  
Aquifer Protection Areas 1985 Ch. 36.36 RCW 1   NA 
Community Renewal Area 2002 Ch. 35.81 RCW, Ch. 218 Laws of 2002 Unknown   NA 
County Road Districts 1889 RCW 36.75.060 39 39 84
County Road Improvement Districts 1951 Ch. 36.88 RCW Unknown   97
Flood Control by Counties (River Improvement Fund) 1907 Ch. 86.12 RCW Unknown   -
Industrial Development Districts (Ports) - to develop marginal area properties 1939 Ch. 53.25 RCW Unknown   1
Lake Management Districts 1986 Ch. 36.61 RCW; RCW 35.21.403 11     NA
Public Waterway Districts 1911 Ch. 91.08 RCW Unknown  
River & Harbor Improvement Districts 1903 Ch. 88.32 RCW Unknown  
Solid Waste Collection Districts 1971 Ch. 36.58A RCW Unknown   NA 
Solid Waste Disposal Districts 1982 RCW 36.58.100 2   NA 
Other Types of Special Governments
Legal Authorities (Hydroelectric) - Irrigation Districts - Interlocal  1983 RCW 87.03.825 - .840 1    
Metropolitan Municipal Corporations 1957 Ch. 35.58 RCW & Ch. 36.56 RCW 0   2
Operating Agencies (Electricity Generation and Distribution,  Cities & PUD) - Interlocal 1981 Ch. 43.52 RCW 1    
Repealed Statutes & Dissolved Districts
Commercial Waterway 1911, Repealed 1971       1
Ferry 1917, Repealed 1994       2
Flood Control District 1935 Act 1935, Repealed 1965        
Joint Jail District 1961, Repealed 1971        
Sanitary Districts 1933, Repealed 1971        
School Library District Repealed 1965       1
Toll Facility Aid District 1961, Repealed 1971        
Townships 1895, Repealed 1997       68
Water Distribution District 1921, Repealed 1971       1
TOTAL     1745 1545 2123
* This figure is the EMS tax district levy imposed by counties, cities, fire and hospital districts authorized by RCW 84.52.069 not the number of emergency medical service districts created pursuant to RCW 36.22.480.
** Appendix C, Governmental Units in the State of Washington in Special Districts in the State of Washington. Report No. 150. Seattle: University of Washington, Bureau of Government Research & Services, 1963,