duistatelaws.com Key takeaways
- Seattle Municipal Court says it occupies nine of the thirteen floors of the Seattle Justice Center; the police department has floors 4 to 7.
- A bail and bond cashier works every day, weekends and holidays included, from 8am to 9:45pm.
- The City Attorney decides what misdemeanor charges to file; felonies go to the King County Prosecutor.
- Public defense for the court is contracted to King County Public Defense.
- A DUI in Bellevue, Burien, Carnation or Sammamish goes to King County District Court, not to Seattle; Auburn moves to its own municipal court in 2027.
- 7 days and $375 to request the license hearing.
from the date you were served with the notice to demand a hearing from Washington State Department of Licensing. The request goes to the department, not to the court, and no judge in King County will make it for you. RCW 46.20.308(7).
In Seattle, a DUI filed by the city is heard by Seattle Municipal Court, in the Seattle Justice Center at the corner of Fifth Avenue and James Street. The court tracks its criminal filings in three categories — DUI, domestic violence, and everything else. Washington’s penalty ladders, the seven-year window and deferred prosecution are set out on the Washington DUI law page.
This page covers the Seattle-specific part: the building, getting someone out, who files the charge, who defends it, and which court handles an arrest just outside the city.
The same diagram as a table
| Step | Criminal case — decided by a court | License case — decided by a state agency |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrest and booking, hour 0 | Notice of suspension served, day 0 |
| 2 | Charge filed by the prosecutor | Deadline to demand a hearing: 7 to 30 days in the eight states on this site that use an agency hearing |
| 3 | First court setting, on a date the court picks | Hearing held if the request was filed — whether the suspension waits for the ruling is set by each state's statute |
| 4 | One or more pretrial settings | Suspension takes effect automatically with no hearing |
| 5 | Trial, plea or dismissal | — |
| Clock | Weeks to months. No filing deadline runs against the driver. | Counted in days from the notice, and fixed by statute. |
Where a Seattle DUI is heard
Seattle Municipal Court says it occupies nine of the Seattle Justice Center’s thirteen floors; its directory lists floors 1 to 3 and 8 to 12, and the marshals on the lower level. Floors 4 to 7 are the Seattle Police Department, reached by a separate entrance. The address is 600 Fifth Ave. The court’s directory puts security screening, relicensing and collections on the first floor, the magistrates on the second, the records unit on the third, and jury assembly on the twelfth. It is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and its general information line is 206-684-5600.
Seattle Municipal Court
- Hears
- Misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors filed by the City of Seattle, DUI among them
- Building
- Seattle Justice Center, floors 1–3 and 8–12
- Address
- 600 Fifth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104
- Detail
- At Fifth Avenue and James Street. Magistrates are on the 2nd floor and relicensing on the 1st; floors 4 to 7 belong to the Seattle Police Department
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
- Phone
- 206-684-5600
- Why it matters
- A bail and bond cashier is on site every day, weekends and holidays included, from 8am to 9:45pm with scheduled breaks.
Seattle City Attorney, Criminal Division
- Role
- Reviews police referrals of misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors and decides what to file
- Building
- Suite 2050
- Address
- 701 Fifth Ave., Suite 2050, Seattle, WA 98104
- Detail
- The office states that felony matters are referred to the King County Prosecutor’s Office
- Phone
- 206-684-8200
The court keeps a bail and bond cashier on site from 8am to 9:45pm every day, including weekends and holidays, with scheduled breaks. The entrance is locked after 5pm on weekdays and on weekends: the court says to call the cashier at 206-615-0850, or 206-684-5646 if there is no answer, and City Hall security will let you in. Without a phone, the intercom to the left of the City Hall entrance doors across Fifth Avenue reaches a security officer.
The City of Seattle contracts with King County facilities for jail and with King County Public Defense for public defenders. A defendant is appointed a public defender unless they hire a private attorney; if one has not yet been appointed, the court points to the Office of the Public Defender (DPD) at 206-296-7662.
Not sure which court your case is in?
Enter the ZIP code where the arrest happened and the full form opens with it filled in.
The first week: the license request and the first hearing
The license. The notice the officer serves gives you a temporary license valid for thirty days from the arrest. It does not give you thirty days to act: the written request for a hearing before the department is due within 7 days of the notice, with a $375 fee. That request goes to the Department of Licensing, not to the court on Fifth Avenue.
The criminal case. The City Attorney’s Office describes the sequence. The police refer a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor to the office, which reviews it and decides what, if any, charges to file. A defendant in custody is seen on the next available jail calendar in Seattle Municipal Court; one who was released is generally issued a summons for a later date. At arraignment the charges are read and the defendant pleads. After a not-guilty plea, a pretrial hearing usually follows a few weeks later, where the judge either accepts a plea or sets a trial, heard by a judge or a six-member jury.
| What happened | First time | After a prior administrative action in 7 years | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test at 0.08 or more | 90 days, unless in a pretrial 24/7 sobriety program | 2 years | RCW 46.20.3101(2) |
| Refused the test | 1 year | 2 years, or to age 21 if longer | RCW 46.20.3101(1) |
What the court publishes about itself
Seattle Municipal Court publishes interactive reports on its caseload, and two of them bear on a DUI case. Its criminal case filings report breaks filings down into three categories: non-DUI/DV, DUI, and DV. The court also publishes a dashboard on electronic home monitoring — which Washington’s DUI sentences can substitute for or add to jail — in compliance with a City Council request, with data from the city’s monitoring vendor: pretrial versus post-adjudication use, the top ten offenses with electronic home monitoring, revocation reasons, time spent on monitoring, and whether the participant or a court subsidy paid.
The sentences themselves are statewide — the two ladders split at 0.15, the minimums, and the electronic home monitoring that comes with a second offense — and are on the Washington page.
DUI cases in and around Seattle
For a number of King County cities, King County District Court provides municipal court services from courthouses around the county, and lists which cities each one serves.
| Where and what | County | Where the case goes |
|---|---|---|
| A DUI inside Seattle city limits, charged by the city | King | Seattle Municipal Court, 600 Fifth Ave. |
| A DUI in Bellevue or Beaux Arts | King | King County District Court, Bellevue courthouse |
| A DUI in Burien | King | King County District Court, Burien courthouse |
| A DUI in Auburn | King | King County District Court, Auburn courthouse, until Auburn Municipal Court opens in 2027 |
| A DUI in Carnation or Sammamish | King | King County District Court, Issaquah courthouse |
| A felony DUI | King | Referred to the King County Prosecutor |
King County District Court lists, for each courthouse, the cities for which it provides municipal court services. The ticket shows who charged you: “State of Washington” or “City of” a named city.
King County District Court’s criminal-cases page explains how to read the ticket: if the “MANDATORY” box is checked, it is a criminal charge and an appearance is required; if the appearance date is blank, the court mails a notice to appear, and says to contact it if nothing arrives within 15 days. Public defender eligibility is screened by the jurisdiction that charged you, shown on the ticket as the State of Washington or a named city. The other Washington page on this site is Tacoma.
Common questions about Seattle DUI cases
Where is Seattle Municipal Court?
In the Seattle Justice Center, 600 Fifth Ave., at Fifth Avenue and James Street. The court occupies floors 1 to 3 and 8 to 12; the Seattle Police Department has floors 4 to 7. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm; general information is 206-684-5600.
How do I post bail for someone arrested for DUI in Seattle at night?
Seattle Municipal Court has a bail and bond cashier on site from 8am to 9:45pm every day, including weekends and holidays. After 5pm and on weekends the entrance is locked; call the cashier at 206-615-0850, or 206-684-5646 if there is no answer.
Who prosecutes a DUI in Seattle?
The Seattle City Attorney's Office, 701 Fifth Ave., Suite 2050, reviews police referrals of misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors and decides what to file. Felony matters are referred to the King County Prosecutor's Office.
How do I get a public defender for a Seattle DUI?
The City of Seattle contracts with King County Public Defense. A public defender is appointed unless you hire a private attorney; if one has not been appointed yet, the court says to call the Office of the Public Defender (DPD) at 206-296-7662.
Which court handles a DUI in Bellevue?
King County District Court, which provides municipal court services for Bellevue and Beaux Arts from its Bellevue courthouse at 1309 114th Ave. S.E.
How long do I have to request a DOL hearing?
Seven days after the notice is given, in writing, with a $375 fee, under RCW 46.20.308(7). The temporary license lasts thirty days, but the request deadline is seven.
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More for Washington
- Washington DUI law — the full penalty matrix, the statutes, and the rules on priors and interlock
- Tacoma and Pierce County — the same state, a different courthouse problem
- Bellevue and King County — the same state, a different courthouse problem
- Bellingham and Whatcom County — the same state, a different courthouse problem
- Refusing a breathalyzer — what implied consent costs here against what it buys
- How long it stays on your record — three records, three clocks
- SR-22 insurance after a Washington suspension — what the filing certifies and how long it runs
- Ignition interlock providers and costs in Washington — what the device costs and who installs it
Sources
- Seattle Municipal Court, contact information and hours — read September 30, 2026
- Seattle Municipal Court, court building directory — read September 30, 2026
- Seattle Municipal Court, jail locations, visitation and bail — read September 30, 2026
- Seattle Municipal Court, obtaining a public defender — read September 30, 2026
- Seattle Municipal Court, criminal case filings report — read September 30, 2026
- Seattle Municipal Court, electronic home monitoring report — read September 30, 2026
- Seattle City Attorney, trial process — read September 30, 2026
- King County District Court, criminal cases — read September 30, 2026
- King County District Court, locations — read September 30, 2026
- RCW 46.61.502(1)(a) and the rest of the Washington statutes cited on this page — read in force 2026
Court addresses, hours and phone numbers were read from each court’s or office’s own published page on September 30, 2026. Those change without notice; confirm before you rely on them. No judge is named anywhere on this page, because a roster is exactly the kind of detail that goes stale silently.