Want To Pass Statewide Parking Reform? Try Reframing the Conversation

Washington state’s new Parking Reform and Modernization Act (SB 5184) is a game-changer for housing and small business development. Passed in April 2025, this new law eliminates or caps mandatory parking minimums statewide—removing one of the most arbitrary and costly barriers to development.

The law doesn’t stop developers or businesses from providing parking. It simply prevents cities from requiring more than a project actually needs. As the bill itself states, “the amount of parking that a project actually needs should be determined on a case-by-case basis by permit applicants sensitive to actual market conditions rather than a one-size-fits-all regulation.”

The law caps parking mandates at 0.5 spaces per unit for all multifamily buildings—everything from duplexes to apartment buildings. It also limits requirements for commercial development and eliminates mandates entirely for homes under 1,200 square feet, ADUs, child care centers, affordable housing, and other critical uses. The law does not apply to ADA parking requirements. Cities can request a variance if reduced requirements would cause serious safety risks, as confirmed by a building official or fire marshal.