Signal preemption devices prohibited except on certain vehicles—Exceptions—Penalty for possession, use, sale or purchase.
Seattle Mun. Code § 11.84.370
in effect11.84.370 - Signal preemption devices prohibited except on certain vehicles—Exceptions—Penalty for possession, use, sale or purchase.
A. Signal preemption devices shall not be installed or used on or with any vehicle other than an emergency vehicle authorized by the state patrol, a publicly owned law enforcement or emergency vehicle, a department of transportation, city, or county maintenance vehicle, or a public transit vehicle.
B. This section does not apply to any of the following:
1. A law enforcement agency and law enforcement personnel in the course of providing law enforcement services;
2. A fire station or a fire fighter in the course of providing fire prevention or fire extinguishing services;
3. An emergency medical service or ambulance in the course of providing emergency medical transportation or ambulance services;
4. An operator, passenger, or owner of an authorized emergency vehicle in the course of his or her emergency duties;
5. Department of transportation, city, or county maintenance personnel while performing maintenance;
6. Public transit personnel in the performance of their duties. However, public transit personnel operating a signal preemption device shall have second degree priority to law enforcement personnel, fire fighters, emergency medical personnel, and other authorized emergency vehicle personnel, when simultaneously approaching the same traffic control signal;
7. A mail or package delivery service or employee or agent of a mail or package delivery service in the course of shipping or delivering a signal preemption device;
8. An employee or agent of a signal preemption device manufacturer or retailer in the course of his or her employment in providing, selling, manufacturing, or transporting a signal preemption device to an individual or agency described in this subsection. (RCW 46.37.670)
C. Possessing a signal preemption device except as otherwise authorized by this section is a misdemeanor. (RCW 46.37.671)
D. Using a signal preemption device except as otherwise authorized by this section, selling a signal preemption device to a person other than a person described in this section, or purchasing a signal preemption device for use other than a duty as described in this section is a gross misdemeanor. (RCW 46.37.672)
(Ord. 122742, § 36, 2008.)
Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT11VETR_SUBTITLE_ITRCO_PT8EQRE_CH11.84BRMIEQ_11.84.370SIPRDEPREXCEVEXCENPOUSSAPUFetched: 11/1/2026