Washington Administrative Code

(1) The elevator contractor may apply for a "construction use permit" in writing. After determination by the department, a 30-day temporary use permit may be purchased and renewed at the department's discretion.(2) When this temporary use permit is purchased, a notice declaring t…

(1) Chapter 70.87 RCW requires the department to inspect all new, altered or relocated conveyances operated exclusively for single-family use in private residences. Prior to installation, a licensed elevator contractor shall complete a permit application as described in WAC 296-9…

A person, firm, corporation, or governmental agency may request elevator field technical services from the department.These field technical services may include code evaluation, code consultation, plan examination, code interpretation, and clarification of technical data relating…

The department shall investigate an injury-related accident reported by the owner or owner's duly authorized agent.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.87 RCW. WSR 25-20-093, s 296-96-01057, filed 9/30/25, effective 11/1/25. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.87.030. WSR 23-21-083, § 296-96…

An inspection outside of normal business hours and business days (i.e., Monday through Friday excluding holidays; 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) may be requested under the following conditions:(1) An inspector is available; and(2) The inspection is authorized by the department.(3) The a…

An annual operating certificate will be issued to the building owner upon payment of the appropriate fee. The owner of record shall be invoiced by the department. If a change of ownership has occurred, it is the new owner's responsibility to ensure the department has the correcte…

(1) Any licensee, installer, owner or operator of a conveyance who violates a provision of chapter 70.87 RCW or this chapter shall be subject to the following civil penalties: First violationSecond violationEach additional violation(a) Operation of a conveyance without a permit o…

Variances from the installation and alteration requirements of this chapter may be requested. The variance request shall be in writing on a form approved by the department accompanied with the required fee. The individual requesting the variance shall provide the department with …

(Effective until July 1, 2026)(1) Installation and alteration permits. Permit fees are based on the total cost of the conveyance or alteration and the labor to install or alter the conveyance. The following permit fees apply to the construction, alteration, or relocation of all c…

(1) The person or firm installing, relocating, or altering a conveyance shall notify the department in writing, at least seven days before requesting any inspection of the work, and shall subject the new, moved, or altered portions of the conveyance to the acceptance tests.(a) If…

The following process shall be followed when performing alterations:(1) Submit an alteration application and obtain an approved permit from the department prior to performing the alteration. The permit application shall include detailed information on the scope of the alteration.…

(1) Where there is an associated seismic or ADA requirement to the equipment or system being altered, the equipment shall also be brought into compliance with the applicable seismic and/or ADA requirements during the alteration.(2) Machine room, control room, machinery space, and…

(1) Pursuant to RCW 70.87.090, a temporary construction use operating permit may be requested by the elevator contractor.(2) Elevators granted a temporary construction-use permit shall comply with ASME A17.1/CSA B44, Section 5.10 as a minimum.(3) Temporary construction operating …

A set of legible layout/plans shall be submitted to the department. In addition to the layout criteria in ASME A17.1/CSA B44 these shall include the following:(1) A machine/control room plan view drawing identifying room dimensions, location of drive machine, motor controller, ma…

Two shut-off valves may be required.(1) ASME requires that a shut-off valve be installed in the machine room.(2) When the pit is lower than the machine, a shut-off valve shall be installed in the pit.(3) A separate shut-off valve is not required in the pit for hydraulic elevators…

When the machine space is provided inside the hoistway, maintainable items on the machine, overhead sheaves, shackles, and hitch supports shall not be located more than 1981.2 mm (78 in.) from the horizontal plane of the car top.Measurement must be taken with the car on or below …

(1) The main line disconnect(s) shall be located per NFPA 70, Article 620.51(c) and:(a) Inside the machine room door on the strike side of the machine or control room door;(b) Not more than 609.6 mm (24 in.) from the door to the operating handle; and(c) Be at a height not less th…

(1) The lighting control switch shall be located inside the machine room or control room within 609.6 mm (24 in.) of the lock jamb side of the access door.For machine rooms and control rooms with double swing doors, the doors shall swing out and the switch(es) shall be located on…

Within the city limits of Seattle application of water will be manually controlled and elevator shut down will be installed per the current code adopted by the city of Seattle elevator section.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.87 RCW. WSR 18-18-070, § 296-96-02481, filed 8/31/18, …

Facilities that require special consideration to ensure the safety of security personnel and to prevent escapes shall meet the relevant requirements of ASME A17.1/CSA B44, except that accessible "in-car" stop switches and signaling devices are not required when the elevator opera…

Communication devices and systems shall comply with ASME A17.1/CSA B44 and ICC A117.1 as applicable.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.87 RCW. WSR 18-18-070, § 296-96-02525, filed 8/31/18, effective 10/1/18; WSR 13-24-066, § 296-96-02525, filed 11/27/13, effective 1/1/14; WSR 07-24…

Handrails are not required. Where handrails are provided in elevator cars, they shall comply with the following:(1) Be securely attached to the wall;(2) Be located at a height between 812.8 mm (32 in.) and 965.2 mm (38 in.) from the top of the handrail to the floor; and(3) Be con…

Elevator equipment shall be permitted to be located within the hoistway subject to the requirements in ASME A17.1/CSA B44 and the following:(1) Where an elevator cannot be prevented from movement electrically and mechanically prior to entering the pit area motor controllers, moti…

When working platform inspection operation is provided, according to ASME A17.1/CSA B44, 2.7.5.3.6 in hoistways containing a single elevator:(1) A pit access door is required; or(2) Additional elevator personnel shall be present outside the hoistway when the pit inspection operat…

(1) All keys necessary for the operation and maintenance of the elevator(s) shall be provided and kept on-site in a key retainer box.(2) The key retainer box shall be:(a) Located in the elevator lobby at the designated level above the hall buttons or located by the machine room d…

In existing buildings where LULAs, stair lifts, inclined wheelchair lifts and vertical wheelchair lifts are to be installed, the local building official shall signify that he/she is allowing this type of conveyance on a form provided by the department.EXEMPTION:Residential convey…

(1) Private residence, battery operated, inclined stairway chairlifts are not required to be supplied by an individual branch circuit in order to comply with NFPA 70 620.51 (A) Exception 2. The cord and plug is permitted by the disconnecting means from the outlet to the unit's ba…

(1) Battery operated private residence platform lifts are not required to be permanently wired or installed on an individual branch circuit as required by NFPA 70, 620.51 (A) Exception 1. These conveyances shall be permitted to use a cord and plug that will act as the equipment d…

(1) Wiring diagrams.(2) A log identifying applicable tests.(3) Manufacturer's operational instructions that include the operation of the manual lowering device.(4) Maintenance logs shall include the following tasks:(a) Stair chair lifts:(i) Platform chair: Operating control devic…

(1) Where provided main line disconnects and car light disconnects shall be located adjacent to the controller.(2) Access to the motor brake shall have:(a) A lockable door that is a minimum of 152.4 mm (6 in.) x 152.4 mm (6 in.) or 914.4 mm² (36 in.²).(b) A "STOP" switch shall be…

Where a speed governor is used, it shall be located where it is readily accessible from outside the hoistway, inside the car, or on top of the car and it cannot be struck by any moving object in normal operation or under conditions of overtravel, and where there is sufficient spa…

The governor ropes, where used, shall be iron, steel, monel metal, or phosphor bronze not less than 6 mm (0.25 in.) in diameter. Tiller rope construction shall not be used.If equipped with a safety that is operated by the breakage of the suspension means, belts may be used for go…

Where the controller is located on the car, the disconnecting means shall be located adjacent to the controller. Auxiliary disconnect means shall be provided at the main landing when the main power supply disconnect means is mounted adjacent to the controller on the car.[Statutor…

A two-way communications means permanently installed in the car shall be provided to summon dial or call (one or the other, or both) personnel who can take the appropriate action 24 hours each day. The two-way communications means shall not be transmitted to an automated answerin…

The requirements in this part are intended to cover those stand-alone WAC material lifts. Where Type-A or Type-B material lifts are installed, they shall comply with ASME A17.1/CSA B44, Part 7.[Statutory Authority: RCW 70.87.030. WSR 23-17-141, § 296-96-05000, filed 8/22/23, effe…

(1) These rules define a "WAC material lift" as a fixed stationary conveyance that:(a) Has a car or platform moving in guides;(b) Serves two or more floors of a building or structure;(c) Has a vertical rise of at least 1524 mm (60 in.) and no more than 18.288 m (60 ft.);(d) Has a…

Generally, local codes and ordinances govern hoistway enclosure construction. When not in conflict with a local code requirement, the enclosure shall:(1) Be built to a height of 2133.6 mm (84 in.) above each floor, landing and adjacent stairway tread;(2) Extend (adjacent to the c…

Enclosure gates (doors) shall be constructed according to the following standards:(1) The gate shall guard the full width of each opening on every landing.(2) It shall be built in one of the following styles:(a) Vertically sliding;(b) Biparting;(c) Counter-balanced;(d) Horizontal…

If the space directly below the hoistway is accessible, the following requirements apply:(1) All lift counterweights shall have safeties.(2) All cars and counterweights shall have either spring or oil buffers.(3) Spring buffers shall not fully compress when struck by a car carryi…

(1) Lift hoist driving machines shall be one of the following types:(a) Winding drum.(b) Traction.(c) Direct plunger.(d) Hydraulic.(e) Roped or chained hydraulic.(f) Rack and pinion.(g) Roller chain drive.(h) Scissors.(i) Screw.(2) Overhead mounted driving machines shall either b…

(1) Lift cars shall have their sides enclosed with solid panels or openwork that will reject a 50.8 mm (2 in.) diameter ball. On the car sides where there is no gate (door), the enclosure shall extend to a height of at least 1219.2 mm (48 in.) from the floor or to a height necess…

Running clearance between a car sill and a hoistway enclosure shall not exceed 50.8 mm (2 in.). If the lift is supplied with a car door or gate, the running clearance is measured from the car sill to the hoistway sill.[Statutory Authority: RCW 70.87.030. WSR 23-17-141, § 296-96-0…

Car and counterweight guide rails shall be fastened so they will not deflect more than 3.175 mm (0.125 in.). They shall also be strong enough to withstand, without deformation, the application of a car safety when the car is carrying its rated load and traveling at its rated spee…

Car frames and platforms shall be designed and constructed per manufacturer's specifications to withstand the impact of the maximum weight encountered during loading and unloading.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.87 RCW. WSR 18-18-070, § 296-96-05100, filed 8/31/18, effective 10/…

If electrically operated, such devices shall be enclosed. On lifts driven by winding drum machines, there shall be a slack rope device employing an enclosed electric switch (manually reset type) which removes power to the drum and brake when the hoisting rope becomes slack.On oth…

Car safeties shall be used on all material lifts that are suspended by wire ropes or chains. They shall be able to stop and sustain a car carrying 100 percent of its rated load. This shall be demonstrated during the acceptance inspection and test procedure with an overspeed or gr…

On electric lifts, brakes shall engage by springs and shall release electronically. All brakes shall have the ability to stop a car and hold it at rest while the car is carrying 125 percent of its rated load. At least one brake shall be mounted on the load side of the driving mac…

(1) The following general requirements apply:(a) Iron (low carbon steel) or steel wire ropes with fiber cores shall be used to suspend cars and counterweights.(b) The minimum safety factor for suspension ropes shall be 6 times the manufacturers rated breaking strength per rope.(c…

Lift control stations shall be located at each landing out of reach but within sight of the car. They shall have controls that are permanently and clearly labeled by function. The controls shall have a stop switch that will halt electrical power to the driving machine and brake. …

The following requirements shall apply to lift pits:(1) Have noncombustible floors;(2) Be designed to prevent the entry of groundwater into the pit;(3) Have floors that are substantially level;(4) Where provided, drains shall not be directly connected to sewers;(5) Provide safe a…