Can I build a backyard home in Puyallup?
Since 2023, Washington law lets most city lots hold up to two more homes. Puyallup 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 Puyallup allows.
The headline standards. Tap any one for the full wording and the code section.
ADUs per lot2 on lots that meet the zone’s minimum size; fewer on smaller lotsFull wording
2 — attached and/or detached on lots that meet the zone's minimum lot area; smaller lots get 1, or 2 if stacked, one attached + one detached, or a conversion + one new unit (PMC 20.20.010(11)).
Max size1,000 sq ft of floor area per ADUFull wording
1,000 sq ft of floor area per ADU, excluding garages, workshops, unfinished storage and similar non-living areas; max 3 bedrooms (PMC 20.20.010(11)).
Max height36 ft in RS-06Full wording
36 ft in RS-06, RS-08 and RS-10 and 28 ft in RS-04 — a detached ADU gets the same height allowance as the principal dwelling (PMC 20.20.010(11); PMC Table 20.20.020).
Front setbackZone front setback applies: 15 ft in RS-06Full wording
Zone front setback applies: 15 ft in RS-06 (15 ft RS-04, 20 ft RS-08, 25 ft RS-10) (PMC 20.20.010(11); PMC Table 20.20.020).
Side setback5 ft minimum interior side for a detached ADUFull wording
5 ft minimum interior side for a detached ADU (PMC 20.20.010(11)); street side follows the zone; 10 ft separation from other dwelling units on the parcel.
Rear setback5 ft minimum for a detached ADUFull wording
5 ft minimum for a detached ADU (PMC 20.20.010(11)); with public alley access it may sit at the alley property line unless the city routinely plows that alley (PMC 20.20.010(11)(g)(i)(D)).
Lot coverage45% in RS-06Full wording
45% in RS-06 (50% RS-04, 45% RS-08, 40% RS-10) (PMC Table 20.20.020); floor area ratio limits also apply (PMC 20.20.028).
Parking1–2 per ADU by lot size and bedrooms; none near major transitFull wording
0 within 1/2 mile walking distance of a major transit stop; otherwise 1 space per ADU on lots of 6,000 sq ft or less, and on larger lots 1 space for a studio/1-bedroom or 2 spaces for a 2–3 bedroom ADU (PMC 20.55.010; PMC 20.20.010(11)).
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 — attached and/or detached ADUs allowed in the RS single-family zones (PMC 20.20.010(11)); city says other zones may allow them (contact Planning).
Minimum lot size
None for one ADU (PMC 20.20.010(11)); two ADUs need a lot meeting the zone's minimum lot area (PMC Table 20.20.020) or one of the listed two-unit configurations.
Do you have to live there?
No — PMC 20.20.010(11) has no owner-occupancy requirement; the city's ADU page says "Owner occupancy is no longer required."
Can it be sold on its own?
Yes — an ADU may be sold as a condominium unit or through a unit lot subdivision, independent of the principal dwelling (PMC 20.20.010(11)).
Pre-approved plans
None found (not listed on the city's ADU page, https://www.puyallupwa.gov/2385/Accessory-Dwelling-Units).
How long the city takes
Not published
Impact fees
Park impact fee for ADUs reduced 80%: $312.01 under 500 sq ft and $462.71 for 500–1,000 sq ft (PMC 21.20.120(2), per Ord. 3324); other ADU impact fees not found. RCW 36.70A.681 caps ADU impact fees at 50% of the principal unit's.
Plans Puyallup has already approved.
A pre-approved plan skips the design review: Puyallup 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 Puyallup 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 Puyallup 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.
2 sources, read November 5, 2026
Find out what your property could become.
Type your address. Within a few hours: what Puyallup allows, what could fit, and a planning cost range. Free, no obligation.