OMC Codification Process

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Ordinances are laws, rules and regulations which govern how City government works, and how citizens live and do business in the City of Olympia.

Codification is the systematic process of collecting and arranging the laws, rules and regulations of the City that are passed by Ordinance.

The Codification Process

  1. Ordinance is passed by the City Council affecting a change in the Municipal Code.
  2. Ordinance has met required waiting period before it goes into effect. Ordinances do not typically go into effect before thirty days from the time of final passage, and are subject to referendum during the interim (see RCW 35A.11.090 for effective dates of ordinances and exceptions).
  3. The codification itself is simply taking the information in the Ordinance, whether it is new, amended or repealed, and making those changes to the Titles, Chapters, and/or Sections affected.

The Municipal Code on-line database is generally codified within two weeks after the effective date of each ordinance.

Note: Due to substantial budget cuts in the City Clerk's Office, you will see the following changes to the Municipal Codebook codification and update process effective November 2008:

PDF Printable updates will no longer be provided on our website. The most recent "updated" version of the Codebook can be obtained by using the Printable Chapter option.

Important: If a graphic is in color (maps, etc.), be sure to print in color, otherwise you may lose some detail if printed in black and white.

Any ordinance passed by the Olympia City Council after November 3, 2008 that affects the Municipal Codebook will no longer be posted on the Municipal Codebook website. Copies of these ordinances will now have to be requested from the City Clerk's Office by contacting us at 360.753.8325 or by making a records request at cityclerk@ci.olympia.wa.us.