I have an old unpermitted ADU — can I legalize it?
✓ Verified against code · August 19, 2026
Yes. Bothell's code provides an amnesty path: apply, pass a building inspection, and the unit can be brought into compliance.
Citation: BMC 12.14.135(F)
How current is this?
Bothell’s ADU rules run under BMC 12.14.135 (Bothell Municipal Code) (Ordinance 2415 (amended by Ords 2445, 2461)). Bothell adopted its core ADU rewrite in March 2024, then kept going: a December 2024 amendment, and in July 2025 Ordinance 2461 repealed minimum off-street parking citywide and capped ADU impact fees at half the principal-unit rate. Its residential zones were also renamed in 2025 — older guides cite zone labels that no longer exist. We verified this answer against primary sources on August 19, 2026, and every change we catch is logged in the changelog.
More Bothell ADU questions
- Do I need parking for a Bothell ADU?
- How tall can a Bothell DADU be?
- What do impact fees cost on a Bothell ADU?
- How many ADUs can I build in Bothell?
All Bothell ADU rules → · Compare Washington cities →
Not legal advice — lot-specific overlays can change the answer for your parcel. The citation above points at the governing code section; check it, or ask the city to confirm.