Do I have to live on the property?
✓ Verified against code · August 19, 2026
No — Kent's code goes out of its way to say an owner-occupancy covenant is not required, and if you recorded one under the old rules, the planning director can release it.
Citation: KCC 15.08.350(B)(9)
How current is this?
Kent’s ADU rules run under KCC 15.08.350 (Kent City Code) (Ordinance 4517 (building on Ord 4464)). Kent's ADU rules came in two waves — a 2023 liberalization (Ord 4464) and the ReCode Kent package effective July 30, 2025 (Ord 4517) — with the zone charts reworked again in April 2026 (Ord 4536). ReCode phases are still in progress, so this code is actively moving. We verified this answer against primary sources on August 19, 2026, and every change we catch is logged in the changelog.
More Kent ADU questions
- What do impact fees cost on a Kent ADU?
- How close to the property line can a Kent DADU sit?
- How big can a Kent ADU be?
- Can I sell a Kent ADU separately?
All Kent 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.