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Kent, WA Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

First ADU
Exempt from school impact fee
Second/subsequent ADU
50% of single-family fee
Fee collected
At building permit issuance
Governing chapter
KCC 12.13, school impact fees
Refund window
6 years if unspent by district

Summary

Kent exempts a homeowner's first accessory dwelling unit from the school impact fee entirely, treating it as part of the single-family use. Build a second ADU on the same lot and the city charges 50 percent of the standard single-family school impact fee.

10. Construction of an accessory residential structure, including the first accessory dwelling unit (ADU) under KCC 15.08.350, as it is considered part of the single-family use associated with this fee. Subsequent ADU permits shall be charged 50 percent of the single-family unit impact fee.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4542, passed June 16, 2026).

Full Breakdown

110. 350, is exempt because it is treated as part of the single-family use already assessed the fee. If the property owner builds a second, subsequent ADU, that permit is not exempt: the city charges 50 percent of the single-family unit impact fee schedule then in effect. 110(C). 090(E)-(F), which requires the city to consult the district before making a final determination. 090(D)-(E).

Violations & Fines

The city will not issue a building permit or manufactured home permit until the impact fee set by the schedule in KCC 12.13.140 has been paid in full, per KCC 12.13.110(C). Because the first ADU is exempt but a second ADU is not, a homeowner who fails to disclose a prior ADU permit when applying for a second unit risks a stop-work order on the permit until the 50 percent fee is paid.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Kent charge a school impact fee for a first ADU?
No. KCC 12.13.040(A)(10) exempts construction of the first accessory dwelling unit permitted under KCC 15.08.350 because it is considered part of the single-family use that already pays the fee on the primary house.
What if I build a second ADU on the same Kent lot?
The exemption only covers the first ADU. Under KCC 12.13.040(A)(10), any subsequent ADU permit is charged 50 percent of the standard single-family unit school impact fee set in the city's current fee schedule.
When does Kent collect the impact fee?
The city assesses the fee at building permit application and collects the full amount before issuing the building or manufactured home permit, per KCC 12.13.100 and KCC 12.13.110(C).
Can I get an ADU impact fee refunded?
Yes, if the school district has not spent or encumbered the fee within six years of receiving it, the current property owner can request a refund in writing under KCC 12.13.090(D) and (E).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kent

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsADU RulesSome RestrictionsShed & Carport RulesSome RestrictionsADU Owner OccupancyFew RestrictionsGarage ConversionsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: BeekeepingSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Outdoor BurningSignificant RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Native PlantsSome Restrictions

All Kent rules

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ADU Impact Fees in Nearby Cities

How other cities in King County handle adu impact fees.

Kirkland, WA
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Federal Way, WA
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