Tacoma - Tygart Media

Category: Tacoma

Tacoma Business Journal coverage

  • Pierce County elections and ballot desk

    Washington votes by mail. The useful move is VoteWA plus a drop box, not a last-day stamp. Last checked August 29, 2026. Drop-box count and vote-center pop-ups change each cycle — open the official map.

    Who to call

    Pierce County Elections: (253) 798-8683 (798-VOTE)
    Election Center: 2501 S. 35th Street, Suite C, Tacoma, WA 98409
    Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (extended hours near Election Day — they publish those)
    Auditor home: Auditor
    Replacement ballot how-to: Request a replacement
    Drop-box list: Text list of drop boxes

    Register, status, replacement

    Everything starts at VoteWA.gov. Register, change address, check whether the ballot was accepted, print a replacement. Online registration has a deadline before Election Day. In-person registration at a vote center runs through 8 p.m. Election Night.

    No ballot in the mail: call 798-8683 or print from VoteWA. Sign the oath. A signature that no longer matches will hold the ballot until you cure it.

    How to return it

    Pierce County has on the order of 57 official drop boxes, 24/7 during the voting period, including Tacoma spots at STAR Center, Hilltop, Wapato Park, 72nd St Transit Center, Soundview Building, and others on the county list. A ballot in an official box by 8 p.m. Election Day is on time. USPS postmark is not the same guarantee — the day you mail is not always the day they postmark.

    Libraries will point you to a box. Full voter services (new registration, first ballot) belong at a vote center with elections staff, not the reference desk.

    More Auditor: Pierce County desk.

  • Tacoma-Pierce County Health desk

    Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is birth certificates, restaurant complaints, septic, and some clinics. It is not the ER. Last checked August 29, 2026. Program hours inside the building are not the same as the lobby hours.

    Main campus

    3629 S. D Street, Tacoma, WA 98418 (use the Pacific Avenue lot)
    Main: (253) 649-1500 · toll-free (800) 330-1844 · TDD (253) 649-1400
    info@tpchd.org
    Building hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
    Contact · Hours

    The lines people actually need

    • Vital records (birth/death): (253) 649-1401 — same weekday hours; last Tuesday of the month opens at 9:30 a.m.
    • Environmental health: (253) 649-1420
    • Food and community safety: (253) 649-1417 · food-establishment plan review (253) 649-1706
    • Communicable disease (providers): (253) 649-1412, press 0 weekdays · 24-hour reporting (253) 649-1413
    • Public-health emergency / duty officer: (253) 649-1500
    • Key Peninsula office: Thursdays 11 a.m.–2 p.m., (253) 432-4948

    Clinic on D Street

    Official: Public Health Clinic. Walk-ins for listed services. Sexual health Monday–Friday 8–11:30 a.m. Opioid-use treatment Monday–Friday 5–11:30 a.m., Saturday 5–8:30 a.m. Those windows move. Call before you sit in the lot.

    Chest pain, stroke, overdose in progress: 911. Personal medical care: your own clinic.

  • Washington DOL desk for Tacoma: license vs tabs

    Two different counters. A Washington driver license office will not renew your tabs. A vehicle licensing office will not take your photo. Last checked August 29, 2026.

    Driver license and ID

    Statewide DOL: (360) 902-3900
    Appointments: dol.wa.gov/appointments
    Office list: Driver licensing offices

    Driver licensing offices are appointment-only. One person per appointment. Bring the document list for the service you booked — enhanced ID has a longer stack. Check in by text when they tell you to. Offices that run Tuesday–Saturday have different holiday closures than Monday–Friday offices. Do not trust a third-party “Tacoma DMV hours” page. Open the official locator the morning you go.

    Vehicle tabs and titles

    These are walk-in subagent offices. No DOL driver appointment. Official list: Vehicle licensing offices

    Pierce County Auditor vehicle line: (253) 798-3649 · 2401 S. 35th St., Room 200 · Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed noon–1 with the rest of Auditor). Appointments recommended for recording-adjacent work; tabs are usually walk-in.

    Other Pierce subagents (hours vary, some Saturday mornings): Parkland Auto Licensing, 215 Garfield St. S., (253) 537-3112; Tacoma License & Title in University Place, 2310 Mildred St. W., (253) 212-1954. Renewals can also run at secure.dol.wa.gov if the vehicle qualifies.

    County Auditor rest of the building: Pierce County desk.

  • Tacoma pet license desk

    If you live in Tacoma or Fircrest, dogs, cats, and pigs over eight weeks need a city license. Indoor cats count. New residents have 30 days. Last checked August 29, 2026. Fees in the table are the September 1, 2025 ordinance. Confirm before you pay.

    The desk

    Animal Control and Animal Licensing: (253) 627-PETS (7387)
    Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
    747 Market Street, Room 220 (some mail instructions still say Room 212 — the application PDF says 220)
    Site: Licensing fees · Apply path: Apply for a license

    Dogs wear the tag. Licensed microchipped cats do not have to wear it. One free replacement tag per year; extras $10. Late: $15 after 30 days past expiration, $25 after 60.

    Annual fees (city limits)

    • Altered dog $40 · altered cat $30 · altered pig $40
    • Unaltered dog or cat $175
    • Senior 65+, permanent disability, or current TPU Bill Credit Assistance: altered dog $10, altered cat $5, unaltered dog or cat $100
    • Potentially dangerous dog, first year $300, renewal $100

    Reduced rates for disability or TPU assistance cannot finish online. Phone or counter only, with proof. Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County and some vets can start the license when you adopt.

    Mail: City of Tacoma, 747 Market St., Room 220, Tacoma, WA 98402. Checks to City of Tacoma. Need rabies and spay/neuter proof for the altered rate.

    Animal complaints and bites go through 311 / Civic Desk, not this fee line.

  • Metro Parks Tacoma desk: centers, pools, customer service

    Metro Parks Tacoma is not City of Tacoma Parks inside 311. Different agency, different phone. Last checked August 29, 2026. Pool grids change by season. Center hours below are the July 1, 2026 set.

    Customer service

    Parks Tacoma HQ: 4702 S. 19th Street, Tacoma, WA 98405
    Customer service: (253) 305-1030 — Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
    Financial assistance on a pass: same number; processing about three business days.
    Refunds on programs: (253) 305-1022
    Site: parkstacoma.gov · Customer page: Customer service

    Community centers (from July 1, 2026)

    Official notice: Community center hours. All four centers closed Sunday.

    • Center at Norpoint — Mon–Thu 5:30 a.m.–8 p.m. · Fri 5:30 a.m.–7 p.m. · Sat 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
    • Eastside Community Center — Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–8 p.m. · Sat 9 a.m.–3 p.m. · (253) 404-3990 · 1721 E. 56th St.
    • People’s Center — Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–7 p.m. · Sat 9 a.m.–2 p.m. · (253) 404-3915 · 1602 MLK Jr Way
    • STAR Center — Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–8 p.m. · Sat 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

    Pools

    Indoor pools closed Sundays under the same budget change. Outdoor pools are the Sunday option in season. Lap and lesson blocks are not the same as the building hours — open the current PDF on the center page before you put a suit in the bag.

    Park list and landscape: Parks in Tacoma guide.

  • Tacoma Public Library desk: cards, holds, fees

    Tacoma Public Library does not charge overdue fines. That is the fact agents get wrong. Last checked August 29, 2026. Branch hours differ. Use the location page, not a remembered grid.

    Call

    Main Branch / general account: (253) 280-2800 · info@tacomalibrary.org
    Locations and hours: tacomalibrary.org/locations
    Contact list: Contact

    Fern Hill (253) 280-2910 · Kobetich 280-2920 · Moore 280-2930 · Mottet 280-2950 · South Tacoma 280-2960 · Swasey 280-2970 · Wheelock 280-2980 · Northwest Room 280-2814 · Administration 280-2880.

    Holds, renewals, PIN

    Log in at tacomalibrary.org → My Account. Renew there, at a branch, or at (253) 280-2800. Physical items except museum passes and interlibrary loans renew up to three times. Exterior book drops are 24/7 at every location.

    PIN: new cards, you set it. Cards opened before 2026 default to the last four digits of the phone on file unless you changed it. Pathway Partnership (TPS student) default PIN is 1234 until changed.

    Fees — not overdue fines

    Official FAQ: Fines & Fees. No late fine. If an item is still out 81 days past due, it is billed as lost. Replacement can run up to $100 depending on the title. Pay in a branch (cash, check, card), at some self-checks, or online: My Account → Fees → Pay Fees (you log in a second time).

    Closures

    System holidays include New Year’s, MLK, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas. All locations close at 6 p.m. the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and on December 31. Many branches are closed Sunday and Monday in a normal week. Confirm the branch page before you drive.

  • Tacoma transit desk: Pierce Transit, Link, ORCA

    Three agencies touch a Tacoma trip: Pierce Transit (bus), Sound Transit (Link and Sounder), ORCA (the card). Copilot mixes their phones. Last checked August 29, 2026. Routes change; use the trip planner for a time point.

    Pierce Transit

    Main: (253) 581-8000 · Toll-free: 1-800-562-8109 · Relay 711
    Contact

    Phone tree that matters:

    • Press 1 — SHUTTLE (paratransit): reservations, cancellations, eligibility, travel training
    • Press 2 — bus customer service. Then 1 for trip planning, 2 for ORCA

    Customer Service Center / Bus Shop
    505 E. 25th Street, Tacoma, WA 98421 (Tacoma Dome Station)
    Phone: 6:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
    Lobby: 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
    Holiday hours slip. Passes, ORCA, most lost-and-found for Pierce Transit buses.

    Live detours also show in Transit app, Google Maps, and Apple Maps. Still call 581-8000 if the app is lying.

    Sound Transit — Link and Sounder

    Rider line: 1-888-889-6368 (TTY 711), Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
    soundtransit.org

    Link lost-and-found in Tacoma: Customer Service Center at Tacoma Dome Station (same 505 E. 25th shop). Sounder lost-and-found: 888-889-6368, Sounder option, then lost and found. Do not call 311 about a backpack on the train.

    ORCA

    Regional card line: 1-888-988-6722 · TTY 711 · Non-English: 800-823-9230
    Hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
    myORCA.com and the myORCA app. Value loaded online can take up to 24 hours to hit the card. New cards by mail: several business days.

    Buy or reload in person at the Pierce Transit Bus Shop during lobby hours. Android can keep the card in Google Wallet.

    Longer route context: Tacoma Public Transit guide. City phones: Civic Desk.

  • TPU outage and start-stop desk

    Tacoma Public Utilities is power and water. Garbage is Environmental Services. Last checked August 29, 2026.

    Power is out

    Downed line or pole you can see: 911 first. Stay away from it.

    Report and track:

    They will not give you a restore time on the first call. Crews update the map. Life-sustaining medical equipment: call Customer Service (253) 502-8600 before you need it and get the Healthcare Provider form on file so they can tag the meter and warn you on planned outages.

    Trees on lines: (253) 502-8729. Customer lobby hours for non-emergency: Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. · Contact

    Water emergency

    Leak, water outage, emergency turn on/off: (253) 502-8384. Track events on the TPU water map from the same Outages & Safety page.

    Start, stop, or transfer

    Official: Start/Stop Service

    • Residential: (253) 502-8600 — at least one business day ahead. MyAccount works only if the site is already live. Disconnected service has to be a phone call.
    • Business and property managers: (253) 502-8606 — they want about 30 days.
    • Have the address, start date, mailing address, and authorized contacts.
    • Connection fee: up to $21.60. Common deposits on the TPU page: house $200, water $75, due in 30 days.

    Sewer backup is not this desk. That is (253) 591-5585. Full city list: Civic Desk.

  • Tacoma business license and B&O desk

    A Washington Department of Revenue account is not a City of Tacoma business license. You can owe both. Last checked August 29, 2026.

    The desk

    Tax & License
    747 Market Street, Room 212, Tacoma, WA 98402
    Phone: (253) 591-5252 — Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
    In person: Monday–Wednesday. Office page lists 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; the payment page lists 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Do not arrive Thursday expecting a counter.
    Virtual Teams appointments: Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
    Official: Tax & License · New license: New businesses

    Apply or renew

    • Online: FileLocal-wa.gov — license, renewal, B&O. User fees apply. New applications: plan on 3–5 business days.
    • Phone pay: (253) 591-5252 automated line, city account number required. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex. English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean.
    • Mail: application to Tax & License; payments City of Tacoma, P.O. Box 11640, Tacoma, WA 98411-6640. Put the contract account number on the check. Mail applications: up to 15 business days.
    • Counter: Room 212. Payment due when you apply. After 4 p.m. they may take the packet and process it the next day. Metered parking on Market.

    Rentals of real property use a different application. Start on the rental-business page, not the general form.

    B&O

    File frequency follows estimated annual gross receipts. FileLocal calculates the return. Due dates that land on a weekend or holiday move to the next business day. Classification changes hit January 1, 2026 across Washington cities — use the current FileLocal categories, not an old paper schedule.

    General how-to on this site: Start a Business in Tacoma. City numbers: Civic Desk.

  • Tacoma Public Schools desk: calendar, boundaries, enrollment

    Living in the City of Tacoma does not automatically put a child in Tacoma Public Schools. Some city addresses sit in another district. Some TPS addresses sit outside the city line. Use the locator, not the water bill. Last checked August 29, 2026. The district PDF wins every argument.

    Who to call

    District switchboard: (253) 571-1000
    Enrollment Services: (253) 571-1142 · enrollmentservices@tacoma.k12.wa.us
    Central Administration (temporary): 3702 E. McKinley Ave., Tacoma, WA 98404
    Site: tacomaschools.org
    Enrollment help: Enrollment Help
    ParentVUE: ParentVUE

    Find the neighborhood school

    Official locator map: TPS School Locator. Type the home address. It returns elementary, middle, and high school. Screenshot it for Copilot or a move packet.

    Enroll or change schools

    New to TPS: create a ParentVUE account at tacomaschools.org/enroll, then start registration. Returning families need an activation code from Enrollment Services or the school office.

    Choice (a TPS school that is not the neighborhood school) for 2027–28: application in ParentVUE October 26, 2026 – January 15, 2027, including SAMI / SOTA / IDEA. School transfer window for that year opens June 1, 2027. Capacity decides. Families provide their own transportation. Student must live inside the TPS boundary.

    2026–27 dates families search

    Posted by TPS. Confirm on the current district calendar PDF before you buy flights.

    • First day, grades 1–12: September 9, 2026
    • First day, kindergarten / transition to K: September 14, 2026
    • Winter break: December 21, 2026 – January 1, 2027
    • Spring break: April 5–9, 2027
    • Last day: June 23, 2027

    Individual schools add early-release and conference days. ParentVUE and the school office are the last word for that building.

    City services: Tacoma Civic Desk. JBLM families: JBLM guide.