ADU / DADU permits in City of Kent: fees, timeline & requirements (2026)

Everything you need to know about pulling a ADU / DADU permit in City of Kent, Washington — when one is required, what it costs, how long review takes, what documents are required, and which inspections you can expect. Cited to Kent uses MyKent permits portal..

Permit required?
Yes — see threshold below
Permit fee
Full Construction Permit (Addition/Alteration) fees. Sewer capacity charges may apply (King County: ~$8k-$10k). Apply via https://kentwa.gov/permits. Kent uses MyKent permits portal.
Review timeline
30–90 days

When does a ADU / DADU need a permit in City of Kent?

WA HB 1337 (effective 2024) requires cities ≥6,000 pop. to allow 2 ADUs per lot in residential zones, max 1,000 sq ft, no owner-occupancy requirement, no parking requirement near transit. Local size + design caps apply.

Required submittals

  • full architectural plans
  • structural calcs
  • WSEC compliance form
  • site plan w/ setbacks
  • sewer/water capacity certification

Inspection sequence

  1. footing
  2. foundation
  3. framing
  4. rough-in (electrical/plumbing/mechanical)
  5. insulation
  6. drywall
  7. final

Contractor specialties needed

general, electrical-01-or-02, plumbing, mechanical

Notes & caveats

Full IRC R-3 occupancy requirements: independent kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area. Egress (R310) on sleeping rooms. Independent address + utilities or shared with covenant. ADUs typically require sewer/water capacity verification.

How to apply

  1. 1. Confirm your parcel's zoning & overlays. Run an address lookup on the main permits page — we'll pull your specific lot polygon, zoning, setbacks, and any shoreline/ECA/historic overlays.
  2. 2. Assemble submittals (5).
  3. 3. Submit through the city portal: Kent uses MyKent permits portal.
  4. 4. Track review (typical: 30–90 days). Respond to reviewer comments promptly.
  5. 5. Pay issuance fees (Full Construction Permit (Addition/Alteration) fees. Sewer capacity charges may apply (King County: ~$8k-$10k). Apply via https://kentwa.gov/permits. Kent uses MyKent permits portal.) and pick up the permit. Inspection card travels with the job.
City of Kent resourcesPermit portal ↗Fee schedule ↗