"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
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Kirkland ADU & DADU rules, in plain English
What Kirkland's zoning code allows for attached and detached ADUs after the 2025 and 2026 updates, rule by rule. Written by MNBE founder Aharon Ben Elisha. Checked October 28, 2026.
KZC 115.07 No ADU parking since Sept 2026 2 ADUs per lot, any mix
The 2025–2026 Updates
What changed in Kirkland.
Kirkland updated its ADU rules in Ordinance O-4905, effective July 2, 2025, to carry out Washington's HB 1337. It allows two ADUs of either type, dropped the old 10-foot gap between a DADU and the house and the 15-foot cap above the house roof, and exempted ADU permits from street frontage improvements. Then Ordinance O-4948, adopted September 15, 2026, removed the remaining ADU parking requirement. The rules sit in KZC 115.07.
The city's ADU web pages still show the older parking rule until the new ordinance is codified, so we work from the ordinances and the code. The rules on your lot also depend on its zone, critical areas and trees, so treat this guide as the starting point. We confirm the current code for your address before design begins.
What we see on our Kirkland DADU
Our two-story DADU in Kirkland is under construction now. Tree protection has been part of the job from the first day: a qualified arborist checks the excavation near protected trees and writes a report once digging is done. Follow it stage by stage on the Kirkland DADU project page.
Kirkland · KZC 115.07
Kirkland'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, detached or one of each, including two detached ADUs.
1,200sq ft
Size cap
Gross floor area per ADU, attached or detached.
0
Parking spaces
No ADU parking since Ordinance O-4948, September 2026.
No
Owner occupancy
Kirkland doesn't require it, and state law prohibits it.
The Code
Kirkland ADU rules, line by line.
Single-family residential zones (RS, RSX, RSA). Lots in the Residential-L shoreline environment are limited to one ADU, and some overlay areas have their own limits, so we confirm the zone for each lot.
| Rule | What Kirkland allows | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ADUs per lot | Up to two ADUs with a single-family home: one attached and one detached, two attached, or two detached. | KZC 115.07 |
| Size | 1,200 sq ft of gross floor area per ADU. Space under a 5-foot ceiling, uncovered roof decks and patios, and up to 200 sq ft of other porches and decks don't count. An attached ADU that fills an existing floor can be larger with the Planning Director's approval. | KZC 115.07 |
| Height | The same limit as the house: 25 feet above average building elevation in RS zones, 30 feet in RSX and RSA zones. Two-story DADUs are allowed. Any part inside the rear yard stays at or under 15 feet. | KZC 115.07 |
| Setbacks | The house setbacks apply: front 20 feet, side 5 feet (in RS zones the two sides total at least 15), rear 10 feet. A DADU may come within 5 feet of the rear line, or sit on the rear lot line where the lot meets an alley. | KZC 115.115 |
| Separation from the house | No zoning distance is required, but a DADU must be fully separate, with no shared roof. Building and fire codes can require fire-rated construction when buildings are close, which the city confirms in plan review. | KZC 115.115 |
| Lot coverage | 50%, counting all structures plus hardscape such as driveways and patios. | KZC 15.30 |
| Floor area | Often the real limit. The FAR is 50% in RS and RSX 5.0 to 8.5 zones, 35% in 12.5 zones and 20% in 35 zones. The first 500 sq ft of a DADU behind the house (800 sq ft on lots of 8,500 sq ft or more) doesn't count toward it. | KZC 115.42 |
| Minimum lot size | None for an ADU. Zone minimums apply only to new lots. | KZC 115.07 |
| Parking | None required for ADUs under Ordinance O-4948, adopted September 15, 2026. The house's own parking rules still apply. | Ordinance O-4948 |
| Owner occupancy | Not required. State law prohibits it. | RCW 36.70A.681 |
| Selling separately | An ADU may be owned separately from the house, and detached or side-by-side ADUs can get their own unit lot through a unit lot subdivision. | KZC 115.07 |
| Existing structures | A garage or accessory building can be converted even where it doesn't meet today's setbacks or lot coverage, as long as the nonconformity doesn't grow. | KZC 115.07 |
| Registration | An ADU registration is required, and a covenant is recorded with the King County Recorder. | KZC 115.07 |
| Trees | A tree retention plan and an arborist report come with the building permit. Regulated trees are 6 inches in diameter and up; landmark trees, 26 inches and up. The city can't require retention that blocks a code-compliant ADU. | KZC 95.30 |
| Street improvements | Street frontage improvements don't apply to ADU permits. | KZC 110.05 |
Checked October 28, 2026 against KZC 115.07, KZC 15.30, KZC 115.115, KZC 95.30, Ordinance O-4905, Ordinance O-4948, the city’s ADU Toolkit and RCW 36.70A.681. Kirkland also offers pre-approved DADU plans (city guide). A plain-English summary, not legal advice. The code governs, and we confirm it for your lot.
Your Lot
How we check a Kirkland 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, any overlay, and critical areas or shoreline that can move or shrink the buildable area.
Zoning
02
Trees
We map regulated, landmark and high-retention trees and their root zones, and bring the arborist in early.
Tree code
03
Fit the footprint
We test size, height, setbacks, floor area and the 50% lot coverage against your house and hardscape.
Footprint
04
Utilities and fire
We check the water meter, the sewer tie-in and fire access, which the fire department reviews with the permit.
Utilities
05
Design and permit
We draw the plans in house, submit to Kirkland, 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
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FAQs · Kirkland ADU rules
Kirkland ADU questions we hear on site visits.
Short answers from the code. For your exact lot, call us or book the free site visit.
Up to two with a single-family home: one attached and one detached, two attached, or two detached. Lots in the Residential-L shoreline environment are limited to one, and some overlay areas have their own limits.
Up to 1,200 square feet of gross floor area per ADU. On many lots the floor area ratio is the tighter limit, although the first 500 or 800 square feet of a DADU behind the house doesn't count toward it.
The same as the house: 25 feet above average building elevation in RS zones and 30 feet in RSX and RSA zones, so two-story DADUs are allowed. Any part inside the rear yard stays at or under 15 feet.
No. Ordinance O-4948, adopted September 15, 2026, exempts ADUs from parking minimums. The house's own parking rules still apply.
Usually, yes. Kirkland asks for a tree retention plan and an arborist report with the building permit, and protected trees near the work need protection during excavation.
No. Kirkland has no owner-occupancy rule, and state law (RCW 36.70A.681) prohibits one. An ADU covenant is still recorded with the county.
Contact Us · Free Estimate
Tell us about your project.
We'll check your address against Kirkland'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 Kirkland'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