Can I build a backyard home in Edgewood?
Since 2023, Washington law lets most city lots hold up to two more homes. Edgewood 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 Edgewood allows.
The headline standards. Tap any one for the full wording and the code section.
ADUs per lot2Full wording
2 — 'Up to two ADUs are allowed per lot of record that contains a single principal unit' (EMC 18.90.190(E)(1)); ADUs count toward unit density.
Max size1,000 sq ft, or 80% of the house if more, up to 1,600Full wording
1,000 sq ft of living space, or 80% of the principal unit's living space if greater, up to 1,600 sq ft (EMC 18.90.190(E)(3)); living space means areas used for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, bathing, washing and sanitation. The Director may allow an ADU equal to the principal unit if it is entirely on one floor of the existing principal unit (not for detached ADUs) (EMC 18.90.190(E)(10)(c)).
Max height24 ft, or the house’s height if greaterFull wording
24 ft or the principal unit's height, whichever is greater, for detached ADUs (EMC 18.90.190(E)(5)); the R-1/R-2 maximum is 35 ft (EMC 18.80.040(C)(6)).
Front setback25 ft front/street setback in R-1 and R-2 (same as the house)Full wording
Same as principal: 25 ft front/street setback in R-1 and R-2 (EMC 18.90.190(E)(4); 18.80.040(C)(4)(a)).
Side setback8 ft interior setback in R-1 and R-2 (same as the house)Full wording
Same as principal: 8 ft interior setback in R-1 and R-2 (EMC 18.90.190(E)(4); 18.80.040(C)(4)(d)).
Rear setback20 ft in R-1 and R-2 (same as the house)Full wording
Same as principal: 20 ft in R-1 and R-2 (EMC 18.80.040(C)(4)(c)); detached ADUs 'may be placed on the property line abutting an alley so long as it is situated outside the front yard setback' (EMC 18.90.190(E)(4)(b)).
Lot coverageR-2: 35% lot coverageFull wording
R-2: 35% lot coverage (40% effective impervious surface, 50% hard surface); R-1: 25% (35% / 45%) (EMC 18.80.040(C)(3)).
Parking1 per ADU on lots to 6,000 sq ft, 2 on larger; none near major transitFull wording
1 space per ADU on lots of 6,000 sq ft or less, 2 per ADU on larger lots; none within one-half mile of a major transit stop if the Director finds adequate on-street parking (EMC 18.90.130 parking table and note 1; EMC 18.90.190(E)(9)).
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 — ADUs 'shall be permitted as attached, detached, or some combination thereof' (EMC 18.90.190(E)(2)); allowed in R-1, R-2, MR-1, MR-2 and MUR, and in TC and C only with a townhouse (EMC 18.70.050 Table 1; Ord. 25-0680, 6/10/2025).
Minimum lot size
None for an ADU; zone minimum applies to new lots — R-2: 12,500 sq ft, R-1: 18,500 sq ft net developable area (EMC 18.80.040(C)(2)).
Do you have to live there?
No — EMC 18.90.190 (Ord. 25-0680, 2025) contains no owner-occupancy requirement; a business license is required if the ADU is rented (EMC 18.90.190(D)(4)).
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 (an ADU building permit is a Process I administrative approval, EMC 18.90.190(D)(2))
Impact fees
'Pursuant to Ordinance 25-0684, Accessory Dwelling Units will not be charged any more than 50% of the principal unit's applicable impact fee(s)' — school (EMC 4.10), park (EMC 4.20) and traffic (EMC 4.30) (City 2026 Fee Schedule, effective July 22, 2026).
Plans Edgewood has already approved.
A pre-approved plan skips the design review: Edgewood 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 Edgewood 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 Edgewood municipal code and the city’s own pages on November 5, 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 5, 2026
- www.zoneomics.com/code/edgewood-WA/chapter_11 (EMC 18.90.130, 18.90.190)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/edgewood-WA/chapter_9 (EMC 18.80.040)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/edgewood-WA/chapter_8 (EMC 18.70.050)
- www.edgewoodwa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2851/2026-Fee-Schedule-Effective-July-22-2026
- www.edgewoodwa.gov/439/Housing
- official code https://ecode360.com/ED4420
- RCW 36.70A.681 — the state floor for accessory dwelling units
Other places in Pierce County.
Find out what your property could become.
Type your address. Within a few hours: what Edgewood allows, what could fit, and a planning cost range. Free, no obligation.