Building Setbacks & Zoning in Pierce County, WA (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Pierce County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Pierce County sets minimum building setbacks by zone classification in Table 18A.15.040-1, from a 25-foot arterial front setback and 5-foot interior setback in Suburban Residential (SR) to 0-foot setbacks in urban centers like NCOR and TCTR. PCC 18A.15.040(B)(4)(a) then carves out a narrower exception: small detached accessory structures can sit inside the interior yard on just a 3-foot setback.
Pierce County Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsPCC 18A.15.040(A)(2), Table 18A.15.040-1, (B)(4)(a)
2. Designation of Required Setbacks. All lots must contain at least one front yard except pipestem lots. A front yard setback shall be required abutting each right-of-way on through lots. If a corner lot abuts the intersection of two or more rights-of-way, the yard not used for vehicular access may be reduced to 15 feet, provided the reduced yard does not abut a State Highway or any arterial. A...
Structure Height Limits
Maximum building height in unincorporated Pierce County is set by zone. Residential zones such as Suburban Residential (SR), Residential Resource (RR), and ROC are capped at 35 feet, while rural zones like R5 through R40 allow 40 feet. Denser and commercial zones permit more.
Pierce County Structure Height Limits
Some RestrictionsPCC 18A.15.040.A.3
The height of a building is the vertical distance from the average elevation of the finished grade on each wall of a building to the top of a flat, shed, or mansard roof, and the average distance between the bottom of the eaves to the highest point of a pitched, hipped, gambrel, or gable roof.
Lot Coverage Limits
In unincorporated Pierce County, detached accessory structures on residential lots under 1 acre cap out at 2,000 total square feet under PCC 18A.37.020.C. Structures built with no principal use on site are capped even lower, at 576 square feet combined, under PCC 18A.37.020.B.
Pierce County Accessory Structure Coverage Cap
Some RestrictionsPierce County Code 18A.37.020(B), (C)
B. Structures typically accessory to a residence, such as garages or carports, greenhouses and storage buildings, may be permitted without a principal use up to a maximum of 576 total square feet. Such structures shall not be used as living accommodations. Fences and retaining walls shall not be considered a principal use and shall not be limited to the 576 square feet maximum when no principal...
Building Setbacks & Zoning by City in Pierce County
2 cities in Pierce County have their own building setbacks & zoning rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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