# RCW 27.53.060: RCW 27.53.060: Disturbing archaeological resource or site—Permit required—Conditions—Exceptions—Penalty > Washington · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S060 ## Section - **Citation:** RCW 27.53.060 - **Heading:** RCW 27.53.060: Disturbing archaeological resource or site—Permit required—Conditions—Exceptions—Penalty - **Jurisdiction:** Washington - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Washington Code / Title 27 / Chapter 53 / Section 060 ## Text (1) On the private and public lands of this state it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or any agency or institution of the state or a political subdivision thereof to knowingly remove, alter, dig into, or excavate by use of any mechanical, hydraulic, or other means, or to damage, deface, or destroy any historic or prehistoric archaeological resource or site, or remove any archaeological object from such site, except for Indian graves or cairns, or any glyptic or painted record of any tribe or peoples, or historic graves as defined in chapter 68.05 RCW, disturbances of which shall be a class C felony punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW, without having obtained a written permit from the director for such activities. (2) The director must obtain the consent of the private or public property owner or agency responsible for the management thereof, prior to issuance of the permit. The property owner or agency responsible for the management of such land may condition its consent on the execution of a separate agreement, lease, or other real property conveyance with the applicant as may be necessary to carry out the legal rights or duties of the public property landowner or agency. (3) The director, in consultation with the affected tribes, shall develop guidelines for the issuance and processing of permits. (4) Such written permit and any agreement or lease or other conveyance required by any public property owner or agency responsible for management of such land shall be physically present while any such activity is being conducted. (5) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the removal of artifacts found exposed on the surface of the ground which are not historic archaeological resources or sites. (6) When determining whether to grant or condition a permit, the director may give great weight to the final record of previous civil or criminal penalties against either the applicant, the parties responsible for conducting the work, or the parties responsible for carrying out the terms and conditions of the permit, either under this chapter or under comparable federal laws. If the director denies a permit, the applicant may request a hearing as provided for in chapter 34.05 RCW. ## Nearby sections - [RCW 27.53.010 RCW 27.53.010: Declaration.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S010.md) - [RCW 27.53.020 RCW 27.53.020: Archaeological resource preservation—Designation of department of archaeology and historic preservation—Cooperation among agencies.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S020.md) - [RCW 27.53.030 RCW 27.53.030: Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S030.md) - [RCW 27.53.040 RCW 27.53.040: Archaeological resources—Declaration.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S040.md) - [RCW 27.53.045 RCW 27.53.045: Abandoned archaeological resources—Declaration.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S045.md) - [RCW 27.53.060 RCW 27.53.060: Disturbing archaeological resource or site—Permit required—Conditions—Exceptions—Penalty.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S060.md) - [RCW 27.53.070 RCW 27.53.070: Field investigations—Communication of site or resource location to department.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S070.md) - [RCW 27.53.080 RCW 27.53.080: Archaeological activities upon public lands—Entry—Agreement—Approval of activities—Information regarding results of studies and activities.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S080.md) - [RCW 27.53.090 RCW 27.53.090: Violations—Penalty.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S090.md) - [RCW 27.53.095 RCW 27.53.095: Knowing and willful failure to obtain or comply with permit—Penalties.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S095.md) - [RCW 27.53.100 RCW 27.53.100: Historic archaeological resources on state-owned aquatic lands—Discovery and report—Right of first refusal.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S100.md) - [RCW 27.53.110 RCW 27.53.110: Contracts for discovery and salvage of state-owned historic archaeological resources.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S110.md) - [RCW 27.53.120 RCW 27.53.120: Recovery of property from historic archaeological sites—Mitigation of damage—Refusal to issue salvage permit to prevent destruction of resource.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S120.md) - [RCW 27.53.130 RCW 27.53.130: List of areas requiring permits.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S130.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T27_C53_S060. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.