Zoning Guide

Tacoma Setbacks & Height Limits — Residential Zones

Last updated: Verified:

Fact-checked against Tacoma's Home in Tacoma Urban Residential standards, effective February 1, 2025 and current as of September 2026.

Tacoma's previous R-1, R-2, R-2SRD, and R-3 single-family/two-family framework is no longer the current citywide residential zoning system. Home in Tacoma replaced traditional single-family zoning with Urban Residential zones UR-1, UR-2, and UR-3.

The prior version of this page was therefore based on obsolete district names and standards.

Current Urban Residential Base Standards

The City's current Urban Residential development table provides:

Standard UR-1 UR-2 UR-3
Minimum parent-lot size 2,500 sq ft 2,500 sq ft 2,500 sq ft
Maximum height 35 ft, but 25 ft in rear 25 ft of lot 35 ft, but 25 ft in rear 25 ft of lot 35 ft
Front setback 15 ft 15 ft 10 ft
Side setback 5 ft, or 8 ft on a building side where units have their primary entrance facing that side yard Same Same
Rear setback 15 ft 15 ft 10 ft
Amenity space 10% of lot area 7.5% 5%

Accessory buildings have a 15-ft maximum height under the base table.

The code contains separate rules for Backyard Buildings, Courtyard Housing, Rowhouses, alley conditions, and other housing types.

Bonus Standards Change the Envelope

Home in Tacoma includes Bonus 1 and Bonus 2 development paths.

Under the published district table:

  • UR-1 and UR-2 front/rear setbacks can reduce to 10 ft under Bonus 1 and 5 ft under Bonus 2;
  • UR-3 front/rear setbacks can reduce to 7.5 ft under Bonus 1 and 5 ft under Bonus 2;
  • UR-1 and UR-2 can use 35 ft in the rear yard with the applicable bonus;
  • UR-3 can reach 45 ft with bonus standards, with the code distinguishing the number of stories by bonus tier.

Do not use a bonus dimension unless the project actually qualifies for that program.

Tree Retention and Ownership / ADU Flexibility

Tacoma also provides dimensional flexibility for qualifying tree-retention, ownership, and ADU projects.

Examples include reduced front/rear setbacks and increased rear-yard height in specified circumstances. These are conditional flexibilities, not the base rule for every site.

Current Housing Types

The UR districts use form-based housing categories including:

  • Houseplex;
  • Backyard Building;
  • Rowhouse;
  • Courtyard Housing;
  • Multiplex in UR-3.

Each housing type adds design standards for orientation, access, building dimensions, entries, parking, and separation.

How to Check a Property

  1. Confirm whether the parcel is UR-1, UR-2, UR-3, or another current Tacoma district.
  2. Use TMC §13.06.020.F for district standards.
  3. Identify the housing type.
  4. Determine whether Bonus 1, Bonus 2, tree-retention, ownership, or ADU flexibility applies.
  5. Check View Sensitive Overlay, critical areas, historic, shoreline, and other special controls.
  6. Confirm parcel-specific questions with Tacoma Planning & Development Services.

Official Sources

This guide is informational only. Current TMC standards, bonuses, overlays, and parcel-specific approvals control.

More about Tacoma Zoning

Building PermitsADU Rules in Tacoma, Washington

Sources

  1. City of Tacoma Planning & Development Services·cityoftacoma.org·Accessed 2026-04-14·Direct link
  2. Tacoma Municipal Code Title 13 — Land Use Regulatory Code·library.municode.com·Accessed 2026-04-14·Direct link
  3. Tacoma Zoning Map·cityoftacoma.org·Accessed 2026-04-14·Direct link

FAQ

What are the setback requirements in Tacoma residential zones?
For the most common single-family residential zones (R-1 and R-2), Tacoma requires a front setback of approximately 20 feet, interior side setbacks of 5 feet, and a rear setback of 25 feet. The R-3 two-family district uses similar standards. R-4 multi-family setbacks vary based on building type and lot configuration — see Tacoma Municipal Code Title 13 for the applicable schedule.
What is the maximum building height in Tacoma residential zones?
R-1, R-2, and R-3 residential districts in Tacoma cap building height at 35 feet, measured from average grade to the highest point of the roof. R-4 and higher-density districts allow greater heights depending on the specific zone classification and any overlay districts that apply.
Do Washington HB 1110 and HB 1337 change Tacoma's setback and height rules?
Yes. WA HB 1110 (2023) requires Tacoma to allow middle housing (duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, and cottage housing) on lots historically limited to single-family, and HB 1337 (2023) requires up to two ADUs per lot. These state laws override portions of local zoning — including some setback and height restrictions — when applied to qualifying housing types. Check with Planning & Development Services for the current Tacoma Municipal Code amendments implementing these laws.
How do I confirm the setback and height limits for my specific Tacoma lot?
Look up your property on the Tacoma zoning map linked in the sources above to identify your zoning district, then open Tacoma Municipal Code Title 13 on Municode and read the chapter for your district. You can also call Tacoma Planning & Development Services at (253) 591-5030 for a pre-application zoning review.