Washington Charge Code Lookup

Type a Washington charge code from a booking sheet, jail roster or ticket and see which law book and section it points to, with a link to the official text. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.

Enter a code to see which law book it comes from and open the official text.

Washington criminal code books and abbreviations

Washington offenses are cited to one main law book:

  • Revised Code of Washington (RCW). Sections are written as title.chapter.section (9A.36.041), for example 9A.36.041, 46.61.502, 69.50.4013. See section 9A.36.041

After an arrest in Washington: the first court appearance

A defendant who is detained or under court-imposed release conditions must be brought before the superior court as soon as practicable, and no later than the close of business on the next court day, unless the defendant has appeared or will appear for a preliminary appearance in a court of limited jurisdiction (a district or municipal court). (CrR 3.2.1(d)(1))

shall be brought before the superior court as soon as practicable after the detention is commenced, the conditions of release are imposed or the order is entered, but in any event before the close of business on the next court day.

Washington courts call this hearing the preliminary appearance.

What this page does not do

  • It does not look up a person, a booking or a case.
  • It does not say what a charge will lead to; the prosecutor decides what is filed.
  • It collects nothing; what you type stays in your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read a Washington charge code?

Find the number and the abbreviation. RCW is the Revised Code of Washington. A section is written as title.chapter.section (9A.36.041). The lookup above links the official text.

How long can you be held in Washington before seeing a judge?

A defendant who is detained or under court-imposed release conditions must be brought before the superior court as soon as practicable, and no later than the close of business on the next court day, unless the defendant has appeared or will appear for a preliminary appearance in a court of limited jurisdiction (a district or municipal court). (CrR 3.2.1(d)(1)).

Sources

Checked against the sources above on October 20, 2026.

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