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SB 5184

Concerning minimum parking requirements.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jess Bateman and 9 co-sponsors

Caps local parking minimums and bans them for many housing types, reducing development costs and nudging projects toward market-driven parking and more walkable communities.

Effective date 7/27/2025.
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Bill Summary · SB 5184

SB 5184 — Summary: Concerning minimum parking requirements

Effective date: July 27, 2025 (chapter 204, 2025 Laws). Governor signed May 7, 2025.

Purpose / intent

The act (the "parking reform and modernization act") aims to reduce mandated on‑site parking minimums that the Legislature found increase development costs (particularly for housing), discourage walking and transit use, and encourage automobile dependence. It shifts decisions about how much parking to provide toward market- and project‑specific determinations while establishing statewide maximums and prohibitions on local minimums.

Key provisions

  • Caps on local parking minimums:
    • Cities, code cities, and counties may not require more than 0.5 parking space per multifamily dwelling unit and not more than 1 parking space per single‑family home (as amended).
    • Local jurisdictions may not require more than 2 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of commercial space.
  • Prohibitions on minimum parking requirements (no local minimums allowed) for:
    • Residences under 1,200 sq ft
    • Commercial spaces under 3,000 sq ft (final bill)
    • Affordable housing (per RCW 36.70A.030 definition)
    • Senior housing
    • Child care centers licensed/certified by the Dept. of Children, Youth, and Families
    • Ground‑level nonresidential spaces in mixed‑use buildings
    • Buildings undergoing change of use from nonresidential to residential (and, in some provisions, for changes to commercial use)
  • ADA and accessible parking: Requirements for accessible spaces in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are preserved; jurisdictions may seek variances to require additional disability‑designated spaces beyond ADA where objectively warranted.
  • Exceptions and allowances:
    • Jurisdictions may require parking in excess of limits for religious organizations and carpools.
    • Temporary or time‑restricted parking remains permitted; jurisdictions are encouraged to consider drop‑off, waiting, and accessibility in design review.
    • Portions of jurisdictions within a one‑mile radius of very large commercial airports (≥9,000,000 enplanements) are excluded from the limitations.
    • Jurisdictions with population ≤30,000 are exempt.
  • Variances and compliance review:
    • A jurisdiction may submit an empirical safety study (credentialed expert) to the Department of Commerce showing the parking limits would be significantly less safe; Commerce may certify an exemption.
    • Jurisdictions with substantially similar existing rules (as of July 2025) may apply to Commerce for a compliance determination.
    • Cities/counties may request variances where compliance would be hazardous to life/health/safety as confirmed by a building official or fire marshal.
  • State Building Code Council:
    • Directed to research and, if necessary, adopt updated accessible parking space requirements aligned with current research on disability rates among drivers.
  • Repeal:
    • RCW 36.70A.620 (certain Growth Management Act minimum parking requirements) is repealed.

Who is affected

  • Primary: cities, code cities, and counties in Washington (with small‑jurisdiction exemptions).
  • Secondary: developers and owners of residential (especially multifamily and smaller units), commercial, mixed‑use, affordable, senior, and child care facilities — who will generally face reduced mandated parking minimums.
  • Transit, land use, and housing policy stakeholders: potential impacts on housing costs, parking supply, travel mode choice, and local planning.

Implementation & timelines

  • Jurisdictions with population between 30,000 and 50,000 must implement within 3 years of the act’s effective date.
  • Jurisdictions with population of 50,000 or greater must implement within 18 months.
  • Effective statewide July 27, 2025.

Fiscal/procedural notes

  • No direct appropriation in the bill; fiscal note(s) were prepared.
  • Enacted as Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5184 (passed both chambers; delivered to Governor 4/23/2025; signed 5/7/2025).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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