Building Setbacks & Zoning in Tacoma, WA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Tacoma, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Tacoma's Urban Residential zones set minimum yard setbacks in TMC § 13.06.020F.1: a 15-foot front and rear setback in UR-1, dropping to 10 feet in UR-2 and UR-3, with a 5-foot side setback that grows to 8 feet where a unit's entrance faces that yard.
Tacoma Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsTacoma Municipal Code § 13.06.020F.1
Front Setback, minimum 15 feet 10 feet Exception: porches, entries, and residential transition areas may be located within the front setback per the provisions of TMC § 13.06.010H. ... Side Setback, minimum 5 feet or 8 feet on sides of buildings when there are units in that building whose primary entrance faces that same side yard ... Rear Setback, minimum 15 feet 10 feet
Structure Height Limits
In Tacoma's R-4 and R-5 Multiple-Unit Dwelling Districts, main buildings are capped at 60 and 150 feet respectively, with accessory buildings limited to 15 feet under the zoning code.
Tacoma R-4 and R-5 Height Limits
Some RestrictionsTacoma Municipal Code § 13.06.020(G)(5)(b)-(c)
5. Max. Height Limits (in feet) b. Main Buildings 60 150 c. Accessory Buildings 15-feet
Lot Coverage Limits
Tacoma caps total building coverage at 65% of lot area in its R-4 and R-5 multi-unit districts; single-family UR-zoned lots use floor-area-ratio limits instead.
Tacoma R-4/R-5 Lot Coverage Cap
Some RestrictionsTacoma Municipal Code § 13.06.020G.3
3. Building Coverage (total building coverage / lot area x 100 = percentage) ... b. Maximum building coverage, percent of lot [R-4] 65 [R-5] 65 ... c. Bonus: Corner Lot: May add an additional 10% of the lot area ... d. Exceptions: Usable Yard Space that is covered, but not enclosed, shall not count towards the maximum building coverage.
Looking for Pierce County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Tacoma city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Pierce County →