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WashingtonHB 10962025-2026 Regular SessionHouse

Increasing housing options through lot splitting.

Sponsored By: Andrew Barkis (Republican)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Faster lot splits for eligible homeowners

Covered Washington cities must offer an administrative process to split one eligible residential lot into no more than two lots. Both lots must meet local size, building, and density rules. The parent lot cannot come from an earlier split under this process, and repeat splits through this process are barred. Applicants must provide water and sewer availability certificates, access and utility rights, and an approved, recorded survey. When demolition or housing changes displace a renter, the applicant must recommend a plan to address that displacement. Eligible splits must be approved without a predecision public hearing, nonadministrative design review, or administrative appeal. Review can occur alongside a residential building permit and follows existing deadlines unless both sides agree to extend them. Cities may require street rights-of-way and frontage improvements; designated sole-source aquifer areas on Puget Sound islands are excluded. Cities with comprehensive plan updates due in 2027 must include these rules in that update; other covered cities have two years after the section takes effect. The act sets July 27, 2025 as its effective date and requires specified funding by June 30, 2025 to avoid nullification.

Split lots keep allowances, skip housing requirements

Cities cannot set a home limit on either the parent or new lot below the parent lot's pre-split zoning allowance. Newly created lots are exempt from the specified state middle-housing requirements. This reduces requirements on owners but also removes the state's required housing options for those lots. Other local rules still affect what owners can build.

Residents lose some lot-split legal remedies

Cities are immune from liability for losses or damage related to approving a lot split under this law. That protection applies even when the lot is later found unsuitable for building. City ordinances implementing the lot-split process cannot face administrative or court appeals under the specified state environmental review law. This appeal limit applies to those ordinances, not every possible legal challenge.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Andrew Barkis

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Adam Bernbaum

    Democratic • House

  • Adison Richards

    Democratic • House

  • April Connors

    Republican • House

  • Beth Doglio

    Democratic • House

  • Cindy Ryu

    Democratic • House

  • Dan Bronoske

    Democratic • House

  • Davina Duerr

    Democratic • House

  • Joe Fitzgibbon

    Democratic • House

  • Joe Timmons

    Democratic • House

  • Julia Reed

    Democratic • House

  • Lisa Callan

    Democratic • House

  • Mari Leavitt

    Democratic • House

  • Mark Klicker

    Republican • House

  • Mary Fosse

    Democratic • House

  • Monica Jurado Stonier

    Democratic • House

  • Natasha Hill

    Democratic • House

  • Nicole Macri

    Democratic • House

  • Sharon Wylie

    Democratic • House

  • Steve Tharinger

    Democratic • House

  • Timm Ormsby

    Democratic • House

  • Travis Couture

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 230 • No: 12

House vote • 4/27/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 94 • No: 4

Senate vote • 4/14/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 43 • No: 4 • Other: 2

House vote • 3/6/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 93 • No: 4 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 7/27/2025.

    5/17/2025House

  2. Chapter 301, 2025 Laws.

    5/17/2025House

  3. Governor signed.

    5/17/2025legislature

  4. Passed final passage; yeas, 94; nays, 4; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    4/27/2025House

  5. House concurred in Senate amendments.

    4/27/2025House

  6. President signed.

    4/27/2025legislature

  7. Speaker signed.

    4/27/2025legislature

  8. Delivered to Governor.

    4/27/2025legislature

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 43; nays, 4; absent, 0; excused, 2.

    4/14/2025House

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/14/2025House

  11. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    4/14/2025House

  12. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    4/2/2025House

  13. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    3/27/2025House

  14. HSG - Majority; do pass.

    3/26/2025House

  15. First reading, referred to Housing.

    3/10/2025House

  16. Third reading, passed; yeas, 93; nays, 4; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    3/6/2025House

  17. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/6/2025House

  18. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    3/6/2025House

  19. 2nd substitute bill substituted.

    3/6/2025House

  20. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    3/5/2025House

  21. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    2/21/2025House

  22. APP - Executive action taken by committee.

    2/20/2025House

  23. APP - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

    2/20/2025House

  24. Referred to Appropriations.

    1/29/2025House

  25. HOUS - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

    1/27/2025House

Bill Text

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