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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Can you sunbathe naked or skinny-dip in your own yard? Here’s what WA state law says

Before the start of the Bare Buns Fun Run at the Kaniksu Ranch Nudist Park, Beverly Seale, right, rubs sunscreen on her boyfriend, Stephen Peachey. More than 700 runners finished the 5K clothing-optional fun run in 1995. Kaniksu Ranch is just one of a handful of Washington state sites that welcome nudists.  (Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review)
By Jared Gendron and Shaun Goodwin (Tacoma) News Tribune

The sun is shining, there isn’t a cloud in the sky, and it’s the perfect time to catch some rays for a summer tan. But with every tan comes tan lines. While many people don’t mind, others want an evenly colored top-to-bottom tan.

One solution for an even tan is nude sunbathing and skinny-dipping. But are Washington residents allowed to strip down to their birthday suits and enjoy the nice weather if they are at home in their own yard?

Here’s what Washington state law says about the legality of nude sunbathing and skinny-dipping in your private backyard.

Nude sunbathing in WA state

Washington has a law against indecent exposure, which is classified as a misdemeanor, but the law doesn’t outline if a person can be nude outside on their own property. Tacoma-based law office Morgan Fletcher Benfield lays out the criteria a person has to meet for nudity to be considered indecent exposure:

  • A person’s actions must be both “open” and “obscene.”
  • A person intentionally performed that they know could cause alarm.
  • A person caused a reasonable affront or alarm to someone else.

Some municipalities or cities are more open to public nudity than others, such as Seattle. In June, nude Washingtonians wearing only body paint rode through the streets of the Fremont neighborhood during the Solstice Parade as part of Pride Month.

Nudity itself isn’t illegal, but if someone is exposing their bodies in a setting where one can reasonably be seen others, that presents a problem, says William Muse, public information officer with Tacoma Police Department. Muse says location and context matter when it comes to interpreting whether nudity is an obscene act. For instance, he compared the case of someone standing nude by the window in a nudist colony to standing naked in view of a place of worship.

When sunbathing, residents have to gauge how reasonable it would be for neighbors to see them. For instance, someone bathing outside their one-story home will be seen by others if they live next to a high-rise apartment, Muse says. But if that person lives in a neighborhood with other one-story houses that are wall off by fences, the reasonable chance of exposure is much lower.

Muse says that in that situation, a person might expect to hear from police if there are multiple complaints regarding nudity. Authorities would typically educate the resident on why their behavior isn’t appropriate before resorting to an arrest.

Skinny-dipping

Whether you’re in your backyard or floating off the coast, if someone sees more of you than they’d bargained for and calls the police, you’ll be hit with a public indecency charge.

Under the Revised Code of Washington, it’s illegal in Washington to expose private parts in a public space or to make any sort of obscene exposure in front of others if you know that it would cause alarm, or something that shocks or triggers someone, Muse says.

Similar to nude sunbathing, while many people skinny-dipping aren’t doing so to cause alarm knowingly, it would still likely result in an indecent exposure misdemeanor. A misdemeanor is punishable by a maximum of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Also similar to nude sunbathing, as long as your backyard offers privacy through high fences or trees so no one else can see you, nothing is stopping you from jumping in the pool nude.

Places in WA you can enjoy while nude

If you lack a backyard with ample privacy but still want to enjoy the outdoors in the nude, Washington does have several nude beaches and parks. Here are some options in the Evergreen State:

Lake Bronson Family Nudist Park, Sultan – Lake Bronson is a year-round nudist recreational park and campground

Denny-Blaine Park, Seattle – A clothing-optional beach and park just a short drive north from Seattle’s Central District

Kaniksu Ranch, Loon Lake – Kaniksu Ranch is a family-friendly resort for nudists

Tiger Mountain Nudist Park, Issaquah – A family-friendly nudist park with events and concerts throughout the year