"We hired MNBE to build our ADU in Bellevue, and the entire experience was amazing. They handled everything from foundations and framing to kitchen, siding, windows and HVAC."
Zena Heywood
Bellevue, WA · Attached ADU
FIVE-STAR RATEDRATED ON GOOGLE
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Kenmore ADU & DADU rules, in plain English
What Kenmore's code allows for attached and detached ADUs today, rule by rule, with the code section behind each one. Written by MNBE founder Aharon Ben Elisha. Checked October 28, 2026.
KMC 18.73.100 In force since Jul 1, 2025 DADUs up to 1,500 sq ft
The Update
What changed in Kenmore.
Kenmore rewrote its ADU rules in Ordinance 25-0630, effective July 1, 2025 (city middle housing page). The rules sit in KMC 18.73.100, and they are among the most flexible around Seattle: larger DADUs on larger lots, no parking requirement, and ADUs that can be sold separately.
Older city pages and some contractor sites still quote the pre-2025 limits. The code replaced them.
What we are building in Kenmore
Our two-story home addition in Kenmore is under construction now, documented stage by stage on the Kenmore addition page, and a two-story home of ours is in permitting there (see the plan).
Rules for other cities are in our ADU rules by city guide.
Kenmore · KMC 18.73.100
Kenmore's ADU rules, by the numbers.
The four numbers homeowners ask about first. Check them against your lot with a feasibility study →
2
ADUs per lot
Attached or detached, any mix.
1,500sq ft
Largest DADU
17% of the lot, on lots of about 8,824 sq ft or more.
35feet
DADU height
Two stories, or one over a detached garage.
0
Parking spaces
No ADU parking requirement.
The Code
Kenmore ADU rules, line by line.
The main single-family zones. Zone-specific numbers vary, so we confirm them for each lot.
| Rule | What Kenmore allows | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ADUs per lot | Up to two, attached or detached, in any mix, wherever a single-family home is allowed. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Size | Attached: 1,000 sq ft, or more when it uses existing floor area on one level of the house. Detached: 1,000 sq ft on lots under 6,000 sq ft; on larger lots, 17% of the lot area up to 1,500 sq ft, which takes a lot of about 8,824 sq ft to reach. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Height | 35 feet: two stories at grade, or one story over a detached garage. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Setbacks | The house setbacks apply in R-4 and R-6: street 15 feet, sides 5 feet minimum and 15 feet combined, rear 20 feet, but an ADU may sit 10 feet from the rear line, and 0 feet at an alley. At least 5 feet from the house. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Impervious surface | R-4: 45%, up to 55% with low-impact development. R-6: 60%, up to 70%. | KMC 18.21 |
| Minimum lot size | None. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Parking | None required. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Owner occupancy | Not required. State law prohibits it. | RCW 36.70A.681 |
| Selling separately | ADUs may be sold separately, including as condominiums, and count toward the lot's unit density. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Existing structures | Existing structures, including legally nonconforming ones, may be converted if they meet the building code. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Recorded notice | A notice naming the unit as accessory is recorded with King County before the permit is issued. | KMC 18.73.100 |
| Trees | Significant trees are 6 inches and up. Exceptional trees, by species or 48 inches and up, need a variance and 3:1 replacement to remove. | KMC 18.57 |
| Street improvements | Not required for ADUs. | KMC 18.73.100 |
Checked October 28, 2026. Sources: KMC 18.73.100, KMC 18.21, KMC 18.57, the city middle housing page, its ADU permit page and RCW 36.70A.681. A plain-English summary, not legal advice. The code governs, and we confirm it for your lot.
Your Lot
How we check a Kenmore lot for an ADU.
The code sets the outer limits. Your lot sets the real ones. This is the order we work in during the free site visit and feasibility.
01
Zone and overlays
We confirm your zone and check Kenmore's maps for critical areas, shoreline and slopes, which can move or shrink the buildable area.
Zoning
02
Trees
We locate the trees the code protects and their root zones before we place the ADU.
Tree code
03
Fit the footprint
We test size, height, setbacks, coverage and floor area against your house, and whether an existing building can be converted.
Footprint
04
Utilities
We check whether water, sewer and power can come from the house or need their own connections.
Utilities
05
Design and permit
We draw the plans in house, submit to Kenmore, answer corrections and carry the project through inspections.
City review
Reviews
What Seattle homeowners say about building with MNBE.
Verified five star reviews from owners we guided through ADU feasibility, permitting, and construction.
"We hired MNBE for a full renovation of our 100 year old home and the results exceeded expectations, structural upgrades, new insulation, a luxury bathroom, a high end kitchen, a new roof and mini split AC."
Dave Gierok
Redmond, WA · DADU
"My mom hired MNBE Construction for her two-bedroom DADU in Seattle, and watching the process up close was impressive. They did it all: design, architectural plans, the building permit, and the full construction. … The communication was excellent and there were never any surprises."
Maryam Z.
White Center, WA · ADU
Schedule Free Estimate
FIVE-STAR RATEDRATED ON GOOGLE
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FAQs · Kenmore ADU rules
Kenmore ADU questions we hear on site visits.
Short answers from the code. For your exact lot, call us or book the free site visit.
On lots under 6,000 square feet, 1,000 square feet. On lots of 6,000 square feet or more, 17% of the lot area, capped at 1,500 square feet; a lot needs about 8,824 square feet to reach the full cap.
35 feet: two stories at grade, or one story over a detached garage.
No. Kenmore's code has no ADU parking requirement.
Yes. Kenmore allows ADUs to be sold separately, including as condominiums.
10 feet from the rear lot line, or on the line where the lot meets an alley.
Contact Us · Free Estimate
Tell us about your project.
We'll check your address against Kenmore's ADU code and get back to you within one business day with a clear next step.
Contact information
Thank you for considering MNBE. Thank you for considering MNBE. Tell us your address and we will tell you, in writing, what Kenmore's code allows on your lot. We respond within one business day, Monday through Saturday.
(206) 637 0044
info@mnbe-wa.com
2014 Fairview Ave Unit 2308, Seattle, WA 98121