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HB1096 • 2026
Increasing housing options through lot splitting.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Lot splitting
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
160 • Barkis
Plain English: 1096-S2 AMH BARK H1833.1 2SHB 1096 - H AMD 160 By Representative Barkis ADOPTED AS AMENDED 03/06/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
219 • Peterson
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1096-S2 AMH PETE SERE 172 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Requires an applicant for a lot split to recommend a displacement mitigation strategy if the lot split would require demolition or alteration of any existing housing that would displace a renter.
277 • Hansen
Plain English: 1096-S2.E AMS HANS S2690.1 E2SHB 1096 - S AMD 277 By Senator Hansen ADOPTED 04/14/2025 On page 4, after line 32, insert the following:1 "(15) The provisions of this section do not apply to areas 2 designated as sole-source aquifers by the United States environmental 3 protection agency on islands in the Puget Sound." 4 EFFECT: Stipulates that provisions relating to lot-splitting regulations do not apply to areas designated as sole-source aquifers by the EPA on island in the Puget Sound.
344 • Bateman
Plain English: 1096-S2.E AMS BATE S2848.1 E2SHB 1096 - S AMD 344 By Senator Bateman ADOPTED 04/14/2025 On page 1, beginning on line 18, after "in" strike all material 1 through "act" on line 19 and insert "cities" 2 On page 2, beginning on line 3, after "Cities" strike all 3 material through "36.70A.635" on line 4 4 On page 2, line 12, after "applicable" insert "clear and 5 objective" 6 On page 2, line 12, after "standards" strike "without" and insert 7 ", with neither" 8 On page 2, line 13, after "hearing" insert ", nor any design 9 review other than administrative design review" 10 On page 4, line 7, after " (11)" insert "An application process or 11 a residential lot to be split under this section is subject to the 12 maximum time period for local government actions as set forth in RCW 13 36.70B.080, unless extended pursuant to project-specific mutual 14 agreement as permitted by RCW 36.70B.080.
399 • Bateman
Plain English: 1096-S2.E AMS BATE S3163.1 E2SHB 1096 - S AMD 399 By Senator Bateman ADOPTED 04/14/2025 On page 4, at the beginning of line 5, strike "assessor" and 1 insert "auditor" 2 EFFECT: Requires that parent lots and newly created lots approved under the bill have a lot split survey with a notation that future lot splits are not allowed to be recorded with the county auditor, as opposed to recorded with the county assessor.
2nd substitute bill substituted.
Lot splitting
AN ACT Relating to increasing housing options through lot 1 splitting; adding a new section to chapter 58.17 RCW; and creating a 2 new section. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that allowing an 5 existing residential lot to be split to create a new residential lot 6 through a simple, administrative process can offer many advantages to 7 both the existing homeowner and to prospective homebuyers. The 8 legislature further finds that administrative lot splitting can 9 provide current owners the opportunity to maintain homeownership in 10 changing life circumstances while facilitating development of middle 11 housing to provide homebuyers, including first-time homebuyers, with 12 more affordable ownership opportunities. The legislature also finds 13 that lot splitting can be combined with the review of a residential 14 building permit application to create a single integrated process 15 benefiting both homeowners and cities. Therefore, it is the intent 16 of the legislature to ease restrictions on, and expand opportunities 17 for, lot splitting in certain cities planning under chapter 36.70A 18 RCW, the growth management act.19 H-0266.1 HOUSE BILL 1096 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Representatives Barkis, Ryu, Connors, Leavitt, Klicker, Reed, Fitzgibbon, Richards, Couture, Macri, Callan, Doglio, Bronoske, Tharinger, Wylie, Duerr, Timmons, Ormsby, Fosse, Stonier, Bernbaum, and Hill Prefiled 12/19/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee on Housing. p. 1 HB 1096 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 58.17 1 RCW to read as follows: 2 (1) Cities required to comply with the minimum density 3 requirements under RCW 36.70A.635 shall include in their short plat 4 regulations a process through which an applicant can seek 5 simultaneous review and approval of an administrative lot split and 6 residential building permit to create new middle housing, as defined 7 in RCW 36.70A.030, or single-family housing. The application process 8 may require only an administrative decision, through which the 9 application is reviewed, approved, or denied by the planning director 10 or the planning director's designee based on applicable development 11 standards without a predecision public hearing. A new buildable 12 residential lot and residential building permit must be 13 administratively approved and is not subject to appeal if the 14 following conditions are met: 15 (a) No more than one new lot is created through an administrative 16 lot split; 17 (b) Both the parent lot and the new lot meet the applicable 18 minimum lot size allowed under RCW 36.70A.635; 19 (c) The parent lot was not created through the splitting of a 20 single-family residential lot authorized by this section;21 (d) The parent lot is not located in a zone that primarily allows 22 nonresidential uses, such as business, commercial, retail, or 23 industrial; 24 (e) The lot split would not require demolition or alteration of 25 any existing housing that is rent restricted, is rent subsidized, or 26 has been occupied by a tenant paying market-rate rent within the 27 preceding 12 months; 28 (f) The applicable sewer and water purveyors have issued 29 certificates of availability to serve the newly created lot and 30 dwelling unit; and 31 (g) Access rights are granted or conveyed as necessary on or 32 before recording of the lot split survey to provide access for the 33 maximum number of dwelling units that would be developed on the newly 34 created lot, provided such access rights may be reduced consistent 35 with a city's adopted codes, regulations, or design standards as 36 applicable through review of a subsequent application for a building 37 permit, short subdivision, unit lot subdivision, subdivision 38 application, or short subdivision if less than the maximum number of 39 dwelling units are built on the newly created lot.40 p. 2 HB 1096 (2) A proposed lot split may be conditioned upon dedication of 1 right-of-way on the parent lot to the extent such dedication is 2 required under applicable codes, regulations, and design standards 3 for the development, short plat, or subdivision of the parent lot 4 absent an administrative lot split. Development of dwellings on the 5 newly created lot may be conditioned upon construction of frontage 6 improvements to a right-of-way adjacent to either the parent parcel 7 or the newly created lot to the extent required under applicable 8 codes, regulations, and design standards. 9 (3) Any construction on the resulting lot is subject to all 10 existing state and local laws unless otherwise specified in this 11 section. Nothing in this section modifies the requirements for 12 approval of residential building permits in chapter 19.27 RCW.13 (4) A city subject to the requirements of this section may not 14 impose a limit on the total number of dwelling units allowed on the 15 parent lot or new residential lot that is less than the number of 16 dwelling units allowed by the underlying zoning of the parent lot 17 prior to the administrative lot split. 18 (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a city must 19 deny an application for an administrative lot split if the parent lot 20 or the newly created lot would not have sufficient developable land 21 for the proposed new dwelling because of the presence of critical 22 areas or their buffers on the lot. 23 (6) For the purposes of this section: 24 (a) "Lot split" means the administrative process of dividing an 25 existing lot into two lots for the purpose of sale, lease, or 26 transfer of ownership pursuant to this section. 27 (b) "Lot split survey" means the final survey prepared for filing 28 for record with the county auditor and containing all elements and 29 requirements for a lot split under this section and any local 30 regulations. 31 (c) "Parent lot" means a lot that is subjected to a lot split 32 under this section. 33 --- END --- p. 3 HB 1096