We are excited to announce the launch of our new Permit-Ready Plan resources, designed to help local governments streamline housing development through pre-approved home designs.
Permit-ready plans, also known as pre-approved plans, significantly reduce design costs for homeowners and builders while accelerating the building permit process, making them an excellent tool for promoting infill housing like accessory dwelling units (ADUs), cottage housing and middle housing options. To support communities in exploring these programs, we have launched the Permit-Ready Plan Explorer — an interactive dashboard featuring over 150 pre-approved plans and programmatic insights from 18 jurisdictions across Washington, including direct links to adopted ordinances.
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Public comment open: Draft Permit-Ready Plan guidance
To further assist local governments in creating or expanding their own programs, a new draft guidance document is now available for public review. Built from research and interviews with Washington communities that have successfully implemented these programs, this guide outlines the key steps and regulatory considerations for establishing an effective permit-ready plan framework.
We invite you to review the Draft Permit-Ready Plan Guidance (PDF) and submit your feedback. Comments are being accepted through July 30, 2026, and can be emailed directly to Lilith Vespier at Lilith.Vespier@commerce.wa.gov.
