Does the Purple Fence Law Exist in Washington State?

My friend recently moved to Texas, and we were talking and she mentioned that she sees plenty of fences painted purple.

What the Purple Paint Law Means — and Why It Doesn’t Apply in Washington

As an old ranch kid, I don't recall my foster parents painting our fences purple, but I thought I'd find out about purple-painted fences.

Get our free mobile app

I've seen red and white painted on trees and fences, but never on a fence...until my friend sent me a photo to convince me!

No Trespassing in Washington: Why Purple Paint Doesn’t Count

So here's the deal in Washington State:

Washington State does not currently have a “purple fence” or “purple paint” law that makes purple paint on a fence or tree the legal equivalent of a “No Trespassing” sign.

Purple paint laws allow landowners in some states to mark their property with vertical purple paint instead of posting traditional no-trespassing signs, and entering land marked that way can be treated as trespassing in those states.

To legally establish “No Trespassing” in Washington, property owners generally must post standard signs that meet state requirements (visible, specific size/lettering) or otherwise clearly mark their land.

Interestingly, other states like Texas and Florida have the purple fence law, but for us in the Evergreen State, we just need to stick to our trespassing signs.