Severance and sale of timber and other personalty — Removal of nonmarketable materials.
RCW 47.12.140
in effectWhenever the department has acquired any lands for transportation purposes, except state granted lands, upon which are located any structures, timber, or other thing of value attached to the land that the department deems it best to sever from the land and sell as personal property, the same may be disposed of by one of the following means: (1) The department may sell the personal property at public auction after due notice has been given in accordance with general rules adopted by the secretary. The department may set minimum prices that will be accepted for any item offered for sale at public auction as provided in this section and may prescribe terms or conditions of sale. If an item is offered for sale at the auction and no satisfactory bids are received or the amount bid is less than the minimum set by the department, the department may sell the item at private sale for the best price that it deems obtainable, but not less than the highest price bid at the public auction. The proceeds of all sales under this section must be placed in the motor vehicle fund. (2) The department may issue permits to residents of this state to remove specified quantities of standing or downed trees and shrubs, rock, sand, gravel, or soils that have no market value in place and that the department desires to be removed from state-owned lands that are under the jurisdiction of the department. An applicant for a permit must certify that the materials so removed are to be used by the applicant and that they will not be disposed of to any other person. Removal of materials under the permit must be in accordance with rules adopted by the department. The fee for a permit is two dollars and fifty cents, which fee must be deposited in the motor vehicle fund. The department may adopt rules providing for special access to limited access facilities for the purpose of removal of materials under permits authorized in this section. (3) The department may sell timber or logs to an abutting landowner for cash at full appraised value, but only after each other abutting owner (if any), as shown in the records of the county assessor, is notified in writing of the proposed sale. If more than one abutting owner requests in writing the right to purchase the timber within fifteen days after receiving notice of the proposed sale, the timber must be sold in accordance with subsection (1) of this section. (4) The department may sell timber or logs having an appraised value of one thousand dollars or less directly to interested parties for cash at the full appraised value without notice or advertising. If the timber is attached to state-owned land, the department shall issue a permit to the purchaser of the timber to allow for the removal of the materials from state land. The permit fee is two dollars and fifty cents.
Whenever the department has acquired any lands for transportation purposes, except state granted lands, upon which are located any structures, timber, or other thing of value attached to the land that the department deems it best to sever from the land and sell as personal property, the same may be disposed of by one of the following means:
(1) The department may sell the personal property at public auction after due notice has been given in accordance with general rules adopted by the secretary. The department may set minimum prices that will be accepted for any item offered for sale at public auction as provided in this section and may prescribe terms or conditions of sale. If an item is offered for sale at the auction and no satisfactory bids are received or the amount bid is less than the minimum set by the department, the department may sell the item at private sale for the best price that it deems obtainable, but not less than the highest price bid at the public auction. The proceeds of all sales under this section must be placed in the motor vehicle fund.
(2) The department may issue permits to residents of this state to remove specified quantities of standing or downed trees and shrubs, rock, sand, gravel, or soils that have no market value in place and that the department desires to be removed from state-owned lands that are under the jurisdiction of the department. An applicant for a permit must certify that the materials so removed are to be used by the applicant and that they will not be disposed of to any other person. Removal of materials under the permit must be in accordance with rules adopted by the department. The fee for a permit is two dollars and fifty cents, which fee must be deposited in the motor vehicle fund. The department may adopt rules providing for special access to limited access facilities for the purpose of removal of materials under permits authorized in this section.
(3) The department may sell timber or logs to an abutting landowner for cash at full appraised value, but only after each other abutting owner (if any), as shown in the records of the county assessor, is notified in writing of the proposed sale. If more than one abutting owner requests in writing the right to purchase the timber within fifteen days after receiving notice of the proposed sale, the timber must be sold in accordance with subsection (1) of this section.
(4) The department may sell timber or logs having an appraised value of one thousand dollars or less directly to interested parties for cash at the full appraised value without notice or advertising. If the timber is attached to state-owned land, the department shall issue a permit to the purchaser of the timber to allow for the removal of the materials from state land. The permit fee is two dollars and fifty cents.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=47.12&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026