Dogs can now ride in most passenger areas on Washington State Ferries, as long as they are on a leash. That is a big change from a few years ago, when pets had to stay in vehicles or on outside decks. The official WSDOT pet policy keeps pets out of indoor food service areas and about half of the indoor cabin at the galley end of the boat. The updated policy took effect on July 1, 2026, after a trial that began in 2025.
Cross into Canadian waters and the rules are completely different. BC Ferries doesn't allow pets in indoor lounges or passenger cabins, so your dog stays in your vehicle or a marked pet area. Black Ball's Coho ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria falls somewhere in between. Pets ride free and can use much of the main passenger deck.
This guide covers all three, read from each operator's own page in November 2026. If you are heading north beyond British Columbia, see our Alaska ferry pet policy guide, where the rules are stricter still.
Pacific Northwest ferry pet rules at a glance
| Rule | Washington State Ferries | BC Ferries | Coho (Black Ball) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog in indoor passenger cabin | Yes, most areas, away from the galley end | No, except indoor pet areas on select ships | Yes, mid-ship lounge and most of main deck |
| Leash | Required | Dogs 1 metre (3 ft) maximum | Required on main passenger deck |
| Stay in the vehicle? | Yes | Yes, if ventilated with the alarm off | Pet can stay; people cannot |
| Food areas | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not in the coffee shop |
| On seats? | Never; small dogs may sit on a lap | Not in passenger seating areas | Check with crew |
| Kennels | None listed | Select ships, bring a padlock | In the solarium |
| Limit per person | None listed | Two pets per handler | None listed |
| Pet fee | None listed | None listed on the pet page | Free |
Washington State Ferries: what the policy says
All pets must be on a leash, and you need to keep your animal under control and clean up after it. Pets can never be on seats or tables. Large dogs must stay on the floor. Small dogs may sit on your lap or stay in a carrier. All other pets must be in a crate or carrier.
Pets are welcome in most passenger areas, but not in indoor food service areas, including the galleys. About half of the indoor cabin at the galley end of the boat is off limits, and signs mark the area. Your dog may pass through it while boarding or getting off but should keep moving. Crew can ask you to move your pet to an outdoor deck or back to your vehicle for safety or behavior reasons, so a dog that barks or lunges may not stay inside.
The change came after a 2025 trial reported by KUOW. If you read an older article or forum post saying dogs have to stay outside, it's probably out of date. The WSDOT page also says little about walk-on boarding, so if your dog is nervous in crowds, wait until most passengers have gone ahead.
Tips for a Washington ferry crossing
Choose your spot before the cabin fills up. On a commuter sailing, the pet-friendly end of the boat can get crowded, and a big dog lying across the floor can block the aisle. Outside decks are a good alternative for an excitable dog, though it can be windy, wet and noisy, and the horn can startle a dog. A short, fixed leash works better than a retractable one, since you need your dog close when people go past.
Take your dog for a walk and a toilet break before you get in the ferry line. Summer waits at popular terminals can be long, and your car heats up quickly. Never leave your dog in a parked car in the holding lanes on a warm day. Our guide on how hot is too hot for a dog in a car has the numbers. If your dog is frightened by engine noise, staying in your vehicle on the car deck with you may be calmer than going up to the cabin. Our guide to dog car anxiety can help with the drive on.
Service animals may go with people with disabilities into all public areas of terminals and vessels. Employees may ask whether the animal is a service animal, whether it is required because of a disability, and what task it is trained to perform. Questions can go to the WSF ADA coordinator at 206-515-3437.
BC Ferries: where your dog can go
BC Ferries is much more restrictive. Pets are not allowed in indoor lounges, cafeterias or food areas, terminal buildings and indoor waiting areas, passenger walkways, or passenger cabins. Your options are your vehicle, indoor pet areas on select ships, or outer pet areas on select ships when they are open. Pet areas are marked with yellow lines on the deck, and you reach them by stairwells marked with paw prints. Elevators are kept for accessibility needs.
Dogs must be on a leash no longer than one metre at all times in terminals, onboard and in pet areas. Cats and small animals must stay in secure carriers. Each handler can have up to two pets. Outer pet areas can close because of weather or sea conditions, so don't plan on them being available. Kennels are available in select pet areas, and you bring your own padlock, remove your dog's leash before putting it in, and check on your pet regularly.
If your pet stays in the vehicle, keep it ventilated, disable the alarm and follow the crew's instructions. The car deck isn't climate-controlled, so avoid leaving a pet there in extreme heat or cold. Service animals are exempt from these limits and can use all public spaces on board, as long as they are well trained and under control.
Walking on BC Ferries with a dog
Foot passengers with pets don't board the normal way. You board through the vehicle deck before the vehicles load. If you arrive after loading starts, you have to wait for a crew member to signal you. When the ferry arrives, you leave from the lower vehicle deck and wait for crew to guide you off after the ferry is secured. Tell a staff member at the terminal that you have a dog, and arrive early. You also can't wait inside the terminal building with your dog, so bring a jacket for the wait in bad weather.
BC Ferries northern routes
The long sailings from Port Hardy, Prince Rupert and Skidegate need more planning. On these routes you can only go to the car deck during announced times. Outer areas open only at announced times, and when announced, pets have to go back to the car deck. Outer areas are closed in winter, and the Northern Sea Wolf has no outer pet area. The Northern Expedition has an outdoor pet area on Deck 5 and an indoor pet area and kennels on Deck 2. The Northern Adventure has an outdoor area on Deck 6 and kennels on Car Deck 3. The Northern Sea Wolf has kennels on Car Deck 2. There are no pet-friendly cabins on any ship, so bring water and supplies for a long stretch.
The Coho: Port Angeles to Victoria
Black Ball says pets travel free, and regular fares apply to people. Pets must be on a leash on the main passenger deck and can use most of it, including the mid-ship lounge and the outdoor solarium, but not the coffee shop or forward observation lounge. Dog kennels and water dishes are in the solarium. Your pet can stay in your vehicle on the car deck, but you can't stay there with it. Service animals are allowed in terminals and in all areas of the main passenger deck.
One caution: Black Ball's terms and conditions read more strictly than its pet page, saying dogs other than service animals can't be in passenger areas. Ask the terminal if you have any doubts before you travel.
Crossing into Canada with a dog
The Coho, and any trip that connects Washington to BC Ferries, involves an international border. Black Ball says dogs need a valid rabies certificate, and that dogs which have spent the past six months in rabies-free or low-risk countries, including Canada, need only the CDC Dog Import Form to enter the US. Puppies can be a problem, because the CDC requires dogs entering the US to be at least six months old. You must also declare your dog to Canadian officers. See our full guide to crossing the border with a dog before you book a round trip.
Hotels and campsites vary, so check before you go. Our state park dog rules guide has the Washington rules if you're camping, and our guide to road trips with a dog covers the drive itself.
Which ferry fits your trip
Your dog's temperament can decide your route. For a Puget Sound crossing such as Seattle to Bainbridge, your dog can sit with you in most of the cabin, which suits a calm dog on a short trip. An excitable dog is often better off on an outside deck, or staying in the vehicle with you. If you plan to walk on, our guide to dogs on public transit covers Sound Transit's new pilot for getting to the terminal.
For Vancouver Island, compare the two main choices. On the Coho your dog can sit with you in the mid-ship lounge or out in the solarium. On BC Ferries your dog stays in your vehicle or a pet area. If your dog gets very anxious when left alone, that difference may matter more than the fare or the schedule. If your dog is happy in the car, either works, and you can choose by departure time.
For the northern BC routes, treat the trip more like the Alaska ferry than a short crossing. Your dog will have long stretches on the car deck with limited access, so train for that well ahead of time.
Cats, small pets and livestock
On Washington State Ferries, any pet other than a dog has to stay in a crate or carrier, and the policy doesn't list an exception for a calm cat. Livestock must travel in an appropriate enclosure at all times, and WSF gives 206-464-6400 as the number to call about it. BC Ferries also requires secure carriers for cats and small animals, and the rule about pet areas applies to them too, so a cat in a carrier can't simply sit with you in the lounge. If your cat isn't used to a carrier, our guide on getting a cat into a carrier can help.
What to do on the car deck
If your dog stays in the vehicle, set things up before you leave the car, because you may not be able to come back. BC Ferries asks you to disable your alarm, since a moving ship can set one off and a blaring alarm can frighten a dog for the whole crossing. Keep a window partly open for air, without leaving enough room for your dog to get out. Leave water in a bowl that won't tip, and clip your dog into a harness or crate so they can't jump around when the ship moves or another driver starts up.
Black Ball suggests leaving windows partly open on the Coho, and passengers can't stay on the vehicle deck with their pets. Plan the crossing around your dog's toilet break, and walk them right before boarding rather than an hour earlier. Heat is the main hazard in summer, and cold can matter in winter, as the car deck isn't climate-controlled on BC Ferries. If it's very hot or cold, move your dog to a pet area where there is one, or choose a different sailing.
Good manners on board
The Washington rules depend on owners keeping their dogs under control, and the new freedom could change if there are problems. Keep your dog close and off the seats, and don't let them greet strangers or other dogs without asking first. Clean up straight away, and carry paper towels as well as waste bags. Give a wide berth to the signed area at the galley end and to anyone who looks nervous. If your dog is barking, move outside before the crew has to ask you.
Before any trip, check the operator's page again. All three of these policies have changed in recent years, and service disruptions can move you onto a different vessel with different pet areas. On BC Ferries in particular, a pet area or kennel on one ship may not exist on the next.