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SB5184 • 2026
Concerning minimum parking requirements.
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.
Minimum parking requirements
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: 5184-S.E AMH ENGR H1996.E ESSB 5184 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Local Government ADOPTED AND ENGROSSED 04/11/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
0 • Local Government
Plain English: 5184-S.E AMH LG H1996.1 ESSB 5184 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Local Government ADOPTED AS AMENDED 04/11/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
1006 • Pollet
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 5184-S.E AMH POLL ALLI 519 1 - Official Print 5184-S.E AMH POLL ALLI 519 ESSB 5184 - H AMD TO LG COMM AMD (H-1996.1/25) 1006 By Representative Pollet ADOPTED 04/11/2025 On page 2, line 24 of the striking amendment, after "parking." insert "Cities are encouraged to consider the adequacy of drop-off space, waiting space, and accessibility in the design review process when considering the limitations on parking requirements." On page 3, line 3 of the striking amendment, after "designees." insert "A request for a variance may include requests to require additional parking spaces permanently marked for the exclusive use of individuals with disabilities beyond those required for compliance with the Americans with disabilities act based on the planned or likely population, location, or safety of a building, using objective standards." On page 4, line 13 of the striking amendment, after "parking." insert "Code cities are encouraged to consider the adequacy of drop- off space, waiting space, and accessibility in the design review process when considering the limitations on parking requirements." On page 4, line 32 of the striking amendment, after "designees." insert "A request for a variance may include requests to require additional parking spaces permanently marked for the exclusive use of individuals with disabilities beyond those required for compliance with the Americans with disabilities act based on the planned or likely population, location, or safety of a building, using objective standards." 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 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 5184-S.E AMH POLL ALLI 519 2 - Official Print EFFECT: Allows cities and counties to seek a variance from the prohibitions and limitations on minimum parking requirements to require additional parking spaces permanently marked for the exclusive use of individuals with disabilities beyond those required for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act based on the planned or likely population, location, or safety of a building, using objective standards.
1012 • Springer
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 5184-S.E AMH ....
964 • Walsh
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 5184-S.E AMH WALJ ALLI 513 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Excludes code cities with a population between 30,000 and 45,000 that are located in a county that is not required to fully plan under the Growth Management Act from the limitations and prohibitions on minimum parking requirements.
965 • Barkis
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 5184-S.E AMH HUNV ALLI 505 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Requires cities and counties with a population between 30,000 and 50,000, rather than between 30,000 and 100,000, to implement the bill's requirements within three years of the bill's effective date.
977 • Duerr
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 5184-S.E AMH DUER ALLI 516 1 - Official Print 5184-S.E AMH DUER ALLI 516 ESSB 5184 - H AMD TO LG COMM AMD (H-1996.1/25) 977 By Representative Duerr ADOPTED 04/11/2025 On page 1, line 30 of the striking amendment, after "use" insert "or a change of use for a commercial use" On page 2, beginning on line 1 of the striking amendment, after "section" strike ", "affordable housing" has the same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.030" and insert ": (a) "Affordable housing" has the same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.
994 • Barnard
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 5184-S.E AMH BARN ALLI 517 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Exempts a city and county from the limitations on minimum parking requirements if the city or county submits an empirical study that parking limitations will result in unsafe conditions, rather than result in significantly less safe conditions than the city or county's current parking requirements.
29 • Bateman
Plain English: 5184-S AMS BATE S1561.1 SSB 5184 - S AMD 29 By Senator Bateman ADOPTED 02/19/2025 On page 3, after line 30, insert the following:1 "NEW SECTION.
37 • Chapman
Plain English: 5184-S AMS CHAP S1657.1 SSB 5184 - S AMD 37 By Senator Chapman PULLED 02/19/2025 On page 2, line 16, after "apply" strike "to" and insert ":1 (a) To cities with a population of 10,000 or less, as determined 2 by the population estimate of the office of financial management 3 under RCW 43.62.030; or 4 (b) To" 5 On page 3, line 3, after "apply" strike "to" and insert ":6 (a) To code cities with a population of 10,000 or less, as 7 determined by the population estimate of the office of financial 8 management under RCW 43.62.030; or 9 (b) To" 10 EFFECT: States that the parking limitations under the act do not apply to cities or code cities with a population of 10,000 or less.
39 • Torres
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 5184-S AMS TORR RICS 208 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Limits the application of the parking limitations to cities and code cities with populations of more than 10,000.
40 • Wagoner
Plain English: 5184-S AMS WAGO S1660.2 SSB 5184 - S AMD 40 By Senator Wagoner NOT ADOPTED 02/19/2025 On page 2, after line 18, insert the following:1 "(7) The provisions of this section do not apply to cities with a 2 population of 50,000 or less, as determined by the population 3 estimate of the office of financial management under RCW 43.62.030."4 On page 3, after line 5, insert the following: 5 "(7) The provisions of this section do not apply to code cities 6 with a population of 50,000 or less, as determined by the population 7 estimate of the office of financial management under RCW 43.62.030."8 On page 3, beginning on line 6, strike all of sections 4 and 59 Renumber the remaining section consecutively and correct any 10 internal references accordingly.
42 • Christian
Plain English: 5184-S AMS CHRI S1659.1 SSB 5184 - S AMD 42 By Senator Christian NOT ADOPTED 02/19/2025 On page 1, line 17, after "city" insert "with a population of 1 more than 225,000, as determined by the population estimate of the 2 office of financial management under RCW 43.62.030,"3 On page 1, line 19, after "city" insert "with a population of 4 more than 225,000, as determined by the population estimate of the 5 office of financial management under RCW 43.62.030,"6 On page 2, line 1, after "city" insert "with a population of more 7 than 225,000, as determined by the population estimate of the office 8 of financial management under RCW 43.62.030," 9 Beginning on page 2, line 19, strike all of sections 3 through 510 Renumber the remaining section consecutively and correct any 11 internal references accordingly.
43 • Boehnke
Plain English: 5184-S AMS BOEH S1661.2 SSB 5184 - S AMD 43 By Senator Boehnke WITHDRAWN 02/19/2025 On page 2, after line 18, insert the following:1 "(7) The provisions of this section do not apply to cities with a 2 population of 80,000 or less, as determined by the population 3 estimate of the office of financial management under RCW 43.62.030."4 On page 3, after line 5, insert the following: 5 "(7) The provisions of this section do not apply to code cities 6 with a population of 80,000 or less, as determined by the population 7 estimate of the office of financial management under RCW 43.62.030."8 On page 3, beginning on line 6, strike all of sections 4 and 59 Renumber the remaining section consecutively and correct any 10 internal references accordingly.
46 • Fortunato
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 5184-S AMS FORT RICS 209 1 - Official Print EFFECT: Removes the components of the bill which would prohibit cities, code cities, and counties from maintaining parking requirements for commercial and mixed use spaces.
49 • Lovelett
Plain English: 5184-S AMS LOVE S1700.1 SSB 5184 - S AMD 49 By Senator Lovelett ADOPTED 02/19/2025 On page 3, after line 30, insert the following:1 "(7) A county may require off-street parking if the county's 2 roads are not developed to the standards for streets and roads 3 adopted by the cities within that county." 4 EFFECT: Allows a county to require off-street parking if the county's roads are not developed to the standards for streets and roads adopted by the cities within that county.
50 • Kauffman
Plain English: 5184-S AMS KAUF S1656.1 SSB 5184 - S AMD 50 By Senator Kauffman ADOPTED 02/19/2025 On page 2, line 16, after "apply" strike "to" and insert ":1 (a) If a city submits to the department of commerce an empirical 2 study prepared by a credentialed transportation or land use planning 3 expert that clearly demonstrates, and the department finds and 4 certifies, that the application of the parking limitations of this 5 section will be significantly less safe for vehicle drivers or 6 passengers, pedestrians, or bicyclists than the city's current 7 parking requirements; or 8 (b) To" 9 On page 3, line 3, after "apply" strike "to" and insert ":10 (a) If a code city submits to the department of commerce an 11 empirical study prepared by a credentialed transportation or land use 12 planning expert that clearly demonstrates, and the department finds 13 and certifies, that the application of the parking limitations of 14 this section will be significantly less safe for vehicle drivers or 15 passengers, pedestrians, or bicyclists than the code city's current 16 parking requirements; or 17 (b) To" 18 On page 3, line 28, after "apply" strike "to" and insert ":19 (a) If a county submits to the department of commerce an 20 empirical study prepared by a credentialed transportation or land use 21 planning expert that clearly demonstrates, and the department finds 22 and certifies, that the application of the parking limitations of 23 this section will be significantly less safe for vehicle drivers or 24 passengers, pedestrians, or bicyclists than the county's current 25 parking requirements; or 26 (b) To" 27 EFFECT: States that the act's parking limitations do not apply if a city, code city, or county submits to the department of commerce an empirical study prepared by a credentialed transportation or land use planning expert that clearly demonstrates, and the department finds and certifies, that the application of the parking limitations of this section will be significantly less safe for vehicle drivers or Code Rev/MFW:jlb 1 S-1656.1/25 passengers, pedestrians, or bicyclists than the jurisdiction's current parking requirements.
52 • Chapman
Plain English: 5184-S AMS CHAP S1657.2 SSB 5184 - S AMD 52 By Senator Chapman ADOPTED 02/19/2025 On page 2, line 16, after "apply" strike "to" and insert ":1 (a) To cities with a population of 20,000 or less, as determined 2 by the population estimate of the office of financial management 3 under RCW 43.62.030; or 4 (b) To" 5 On page 3, line 3, after "apply" strike "to" and insert ":6 (a) To code cities with a population of 20,000 or less, as 7 determined by the population estimate of the office of financial 8 management under RCW 43.62.030; or 9 (b) To" 10 EFFECT: States that the parking limitations under the act do not apply to cities or code cities with a population of 20,000 or less.
1st substitute bill substituted.
Minimum parking requirements
AN ACT Relating to minimum parking requirements; amending RCW 1 36.70A.620; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; adding a new 2 section to chapter 35A.21 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 36.01 3 RCW; and creating new sections. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that predetermined 6 on-site parking requirements needlessly drive up the cost of 7 development, particularly housing; discourage walking and multimodal 8 transit usage; and encourage excessive reliance of automobiles with 9 attendant impacts on human health and greenhouse gas emissions. The 10 legislature further finds that the amount of parking that a project 11 actually needs should be determined on a case-by-case basis by permit 12 applicants sensitive to actual market conditions rather than a one-13 size-fits-all regulation.14 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 35.21 15 RCW to read as follows: 16 (1) A city may not require more than 0.5 parking space per 17 residential dwelling unit. 18 (2) A city may not require more than one parking space per 1,000 19 feet of commercial space. 20 S-0489.1 SENATE BILL 5184 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senators Bateman, Trudeau, Frame, Krishnadasan, Liias, Nobles, Pedersen, Salomon, Shewmake, and Stanford Prefiled 01/08/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee on Housing. p. 1 SB 5184 (3) A city may not require any minimum parking requirements for:1 (a) Existing buildings undergoing change of use, including vacant 2 buildings; 3 (b) Residences under 1,200 square feet; 4 (c) Commercial spaces under 5,000 square feet; 5 (d) Affordable housing; 6 (e) Senior housing; 7 (f) Housing for people with disabilities; 8 (g) Facilities that serve alcohol; 9 (h) Child care facilities; 10 (i) Commercial spaces in mixed-use projects. 11 (4) For purposes of this section, "affordable housing" has the 12 same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.030. 13 (5) This section does not apply to accessible parking spaces in 14 compliance with the Americans with disabilities act.15 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 35A.21 16 RCW to read as follows: 17 (1) A code city may not require more than one parking space per 18 residential dwelling unit. 19 (2) A code city may not require more than one parking space per 20 1,000 feet of commercial space. 21 (3) A code city may not require any minimum parking requirements 22 for: 23 (a) Existing buildings undergoing change of use, including vacant 24 buildings; 25 (b) Residences under 1,200 square feet; 26 (c) Commercial spaces under 5,000 square feet;27 (d) Affordable housing; 28 (e) Senior housing; 29 (f) Housing for people with disabilities; 30 (g) Facilities that serve alcohol; 31 (h) Child care facilities; 32 (i) Commercial spaces in mixed-use projects. 33 (4) For purposes of this section, "affordable housing" has the 34 same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.030. 35 (5) This section does not apply to accessible parking spaces in 36 compliance with the Americans with disabilities act.37 p. 2 SB 5184 NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 36.01 1 RCW to read as follows: 2 (1) A county may not require more than 0.5 parking space per 3 residential dwelling unit. 4 (2) A county may not require more than one parking space per 5 1,000 feet of commercial space. 6 (3) A county may not require any minimum parking requirements 7 for: 8 (a) Existing buildings undergoing change of use, including vacant 9 buildings; 10 (b) Residences under 1,200 square feet; 11 (c) Commercial spaces under 5,000 square feet;12 (d) Affordable housing; 13 (e) Senior housing; 14 (f) Housing for people with disabilities; 15 (g) Facilities that serve alcohol; 16 (h) Child care facilities; 17 (i) Commercial spaces in mixed-use projects. 18 (4) For purposes of this section, "affordable housing" has the 19 same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.030. 20 (5) This section does not apply to accessible parking spaces in 21 compliance with the Americans with disabilities act.22 Sec. 5. RCW 36.70A.620 and 2020 c 173 s 3 are each amended to 23 read as follows: 24 In counties and cities planning under RCW 36.70A.040, minimum 25 residential parking requirements mandated by municipal zoning 26 ordinances for housing units constructed after July 1, 2019, are 27 subject to the following ((requirements)): 28 (((1) For housing units that are affordable to very low-income or 29 extremely low-income individuals and that are located within one-30 quarter mile of a transit stop that receives transit service at least 31 two times per hour for twelve or more hours per day, minimum 32 residential parking requirements may be no greater than one parking 33 space per bedroom or .75 space per unit. A city may require a 34 developer to record a covenant that prohibits the rental of a unit 35 subject to this parking restriction for any purpose other than 36 providing for housing for very low-income or extremely low-income 37 individuals. The covenant must address price restrictions and 38 household income limits and policies if the property is converted to 39 p. 3 SB 5184 a use other than for low-income housing. A city may establish a 1 requirement for the provision of more than one parking space per 2 bedroom or .75 space per unit if the jurisdiction has determined a 3 particular housing unit to be in an area with a lack of access to 4 street parking capacity, physical space impediments, or other reasons 5 supported by evidence that would make on-street parking infeasible 6 for the unit. 7 (2) For housing units that are specifically for seniors or people 8 with disabilities, that are located within one-quarter mile of a 9 transit stop that receives transit service at least four times per 10 hour for twelve or more hours per day, a city may not impose minimum 11 residential parking requirements for the residents of such housing 12 units, subject to the exceptions provided in this subsection. A city 13 may establish parking requirements for staff and visitors of such 14 housing units. A city may establish a requirement for the provision 15 of one or more parking space per bedroom if the jurisdiction has 16 determined a particular housing unit to be in an area with a lack of 17 access to street parking capacity, physical space impediments, or 18 other reasons supported by evidence that would make on-street parking 19 infeasible for the unit. A city may require a developer to record a 20 covenant that prohibits the rental of a unit subject to this parking 21 restriction for any purpose other than providing for housing for 22 seniors or people with disabilities.23 (3) For market rate multifamily housing units that are located 24 within one-quarter mile of a transit stop that receives transit 25 service from at least one route that provides service at least four 26 times per hour for twelve or more hours per day, minimum residential 27 parking requirements may be no greater than one parking space per 28 bedroom or .75 space per unit. A city or county may establish a 29 requirement for the provision of more than one parking space per 30 bedroom or .75 space per unit if the jurisdiction has determined a 31 particular housing unit to be in an area with a lack of access to 32 street parking capacity, physical space impediments, or other reasons 33 supported by evidence that would make on-street parking infeasible 34 for the unit )) Cities with a population of at least 10,000 that are 35 within a county with a population density exceeding 100 people per 36 square mile may not require off-street parking as a condition of 37 permitting development of multifamily, middle housing, or accessory 38 dwelling units that are located within one-half mile walking distance 39 of transit service. For the purposes of this section, transit service 40 p. 4 SB 5184 means at least one route that provides service at least four times 1 per hour for 12 or more hours per day. Nothing in this section 2 precludes a city from adopting maximum parking limits or requiring 3 frontage improvements to provide on-street parking.4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act may be known and cited as the 5 parking reform and modernization act.6 --- END --- p. 5 SB 5184