Can I build a backyard home in Buckley?
Since 2023, Washington law lets most city lots hold up to two more homes. Buckley writes its own rules on top. Here’s what the code says, in plain English — and a free report on what may fit on your lot.
What Buckley allows.
The headline standards. Tap any one for the full wording and the code section.
ADUs per lot2Full wording
2 — 'Two accessory dwelling units are permitted per single-family residence': one attached + one detached, two attached, or two detached in one or two structures (BMC 19.22.130(2)–(3)). 'All lots with detached single-family homes are allowed up to two ADUs' (BMC 19.20.020/.030 table note 1)
Max size1,250 sq ftFull wording
1,250 sq ft — 'An accessory dwelling unit shall not have a gross floor area larger than 1,250 square ft with garage space not included in the calculation' (BMC 19.22.130(7)); the R-6,000 and R-8,000 tables list 'Maximum DADU or ADU size 1,250 SF' (BMC 19.20.020/.030)
Max height30 ft (the zone height)Full wording
30 ft — no ADU-specific height. ADUs follow the underlying zone's development standards (BMC 19.22.130(1)), and the R-6,000 and R-8,000 height limit is 30 ft (BMC 19.20.020, 19.20.030)
Front setback15 ft street setbackFull wording
15 ft street setback (9 ft to a front porch); 22 ft to a garage entrance (12 ft off an alley) in R-8,000 and R-6,000 (BMC 19.20.030, 19.20.020). ADUs must meet single-family setbacks (BMC 19.22.130(8)(a))
Side setback8 ft in R-8,000Full wording
8 ft in R-8,000; 5 ft in R-6,000 (BMC 19.20.030, 19.20.020); 10 ft required between structures
Rear setback20 ft in R-8,000Full wording
20 ft in R-8,000; 15 ft in R-6,000 (BMC 19.20.030, 19.20.020). 'For lots that have a rear lot line that abuts an alley, a detached accessory dwelling unit may be sited up to the lot line that abuts the alley' (BMC 19.22.130(5)(a)); the code gives no snow-plow exception
Lot coverage40% building coverage and 55% impervious in R-8,000Full wording
40% building coverage and 55% impervious in R-8,000; 55% and 70% in R-6,000 (BMC 19.20.030, 19.20.020). Existing accessory structures converted to ADUs are exempt from coverage and setbacks (BMC 19.22.130(6))
Parking1 spaceFull wording
1 space — 'One additional parking space, beyond those required for the primary single-family home, is required for an accessory dwelling unit' (BMC 19.22.130(9)(b)); the parking table lists 'accessory dwelling unit: 1 per unit' (BMC 19.28.040). The house's required parking must also meet code (19.22.130(9)(a))
Where a city figure reads stricter than the state floor (RCW 36.70A.681), the floor may control — the report flags it for your parcel.
Living there, selling it, plans, time and fees.
Each answer is the code’s own wording, with the section it comes from. “Not published yet” means the city hasn’t posted a figure — the report asks the city, not the internet.
Are backyard homes allowed?
Yes — 'Accessory dwelling units are permitted outright in all residential zoning districts that permit single-family homes' (BMC 19.22.130(1), Ord. 01-26, Jan. 27, 2026). The R-6,000 and R-8,000 zones list 'Single family with ADUs (attached, detached or stacked)' (BMC 19.20.020, 19.20.030)
Minimum lot size
None for an ADU beyond the zone — ADUs are allowed 'on any lot that meets the minimum lot size required for the principal unit' (BMC 19.22.130(1), (4)). 8,000 sq ft in R-8,000; 6,000 sq ft in R-6,000 (BMC 19.20.030, 19.20.020)
Do you have to live there?
No — BMC 19.22.130 has no owner-occupancy rule. Before the permit is issued, the homeowner records a statement that the city issued an ADU permit and that future owners must comply with BMC 19.22.130 (19.22.130(10)(b))
Can it be sold on its own?
Not addressed; RCW 36.70A.681 floor applies
Pre-approved plans
None found
How long the city takes
Not published
Impact fees
No ADU rate found. The City Impact Fees sheet (as of 3/24/2025) lists, per single-family home, a park fee of $1,624.70 and a street impact fee of $4,761.00; the White River School District fee is $3,900.00. RCW 36.70A.681 caps ADU impact fees at 50% of the principal unit's (https://www.cityofbuckley.com/DocumentCenter/View/787/City-Impact-Fees-PDF)
Plans Buckley has already approved.
A pre-approved plan skips the design review: Buckley has already checked the drawings, so the permit review is about your lot.
Loading the plans…
Pictures are the official pages’ own. A pre-approved plan is not a permit: the city still reviews your site.
The code is half the answer. Your parcel is the other half.
Lines and easements
Where the lot lines really are, which setbacks apply on each side, and whether a utility or access easement takes the corner you had in mind.
Critical areas and slope
Steep slopes, wetlands and streams come with buffers that no citywide number shows. The report reads the county’s maps for your parcel.
Sewer, septic, water, trees
Whether sewer reaches the lot or it’s on septic, where the water service is, and which trees a city protects — the things that decide where a unit can actually go.
What Buckley allows, what could fit on your lot, and a planning cost range. If something won’t fit, the report says so — and shows what might.
Where this page comes from.
Read from the Buckley municipal code and the city’s own pages on November 6, 2026. The same table feeds the HousUp report, so the report and this page never disagree. Cities amend their codes; before you design anything, confirm the current wording with the city.
7 sources, read November 6, 2026
- www.zoneomics.com/code/buckley-WA/chapter_7 (BMC 19.22.120, 19.22.130)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/buckley-WA/chapter_6 (19.20.020, 19.20.030)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/buckley-WA/chapter_4 (19.12.025)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/buckley-WA/chapter_13 (19.28.040)
- www.cityofbuckley.com/274/Permit-Center
- ecode360.com/BU4368 (official code host, not readable by automated tools)
- RCW 36.70A.681 — the state floor for accessory dwelling units
Find out what your property could become.
Type your address. Within a few hours: what Buckley allows, what could fit, and a planning cost range. Free, no obligation.