Accessory dwelling units (ADUs), also referred to as a mother-in-law apartment, is a self-contained residential unit that is an accessory use to a single-family home. An ADU is located on the parcel with the primary single-family home and is subordinate in nature. An ADU contains all the basic facilities needed for living independently from the primary residence such as a kitchen and bathroom. An ADU can be configured in different ways such as being attached to a single-family home, above a garage, or detached from the primary residence.

The City has updated the ADU ordinance (effective June 15, 2023) to remove owner occupancy requirements. As a previous applicant, you were required to submit a recorded covenant on your property. Due to this change, these forms are no longer enforceable. If you would like to file a document to remove/reverse the covenant on your property, we have drafted a new covenant reversal and process to help in this process. This is optional, but it may be helpful if a title report is pulled on your property to clarify that the previous document is no longer valid.

If you would like to process a covenant reversal, this can be done by following the steps below:

1. Customer emails planning inbox planning@kentw.gov with the following information:

• Owner names
• Address
• ADU Permit number
• Copy of recorded covenant

2. A planning staff member will confirm that the email has been received and coordinate a time for the customer to pick up the signed document within one week from submittal.

3. Customer picks up the document at the permit center, gets the document signed/notarized, and recorded with King County (recording and notary costs to be paid by owner). 

Click here for the example of ADU covenant reversal form. 

Parking is not required for ADUs within a quarter-mile of major-transit. This is defined by the state, but we made a map to help applicants determine if this is applicable to them. Click the link below to see the map. 

 Quarter Mile Buffers Map for ADU Ord 4464

Yes! 

 The City's new regulations are considered effective June 15, 2023. Your permit application was considered vested to the code in place at the time of application submittal. However, the new ordinance includes a provision for existing applicants to utilize the new code. If you would like to utilize the new ADU code, you must notify the permit center in writing that you would like to use the new code.

Step 1: Email Permitcenter@kentwa.gov with the following

• Email Subject Line: ADU New Code Request
• Applicant Name:
• Application Number:
• A request stating: I would like to utilize the new code adopted on June 15, 2023. I understand that I am asking to no longer be vested with the old code in place and that my permit will be reviewed as a new submittal for compliance with City Codes.
• If your permit is in active review and you would like to withdraw it to make revisions, please include that in your email so that staff know to place the permit on hold, awaiting a resubmittal.

Step 2:

• If no changes are to be made to your ADU submittal, staff will continue to review under the new code.