Kirkland, WA vs Phoenix, AZ: Development Impact Fees Compared (2026)
A single-family home pays about $47,431 in Kirkland vs $36,107 in Phoenix — Kirkland is $11,324 (31%) higher. Every figure below is normalized per dwelling unit by category, with links to each jurisdiction’s official sources.
City
Kirkland, WA
$47,431
Total per single-family home
impact + connection fees
$28,182
Impact / development fees
roads, parks, schools…
$19,249
Water & sewer connection
tap / capacity / SDC
—
Per multifamily unit
total fees / unit
Impact / development fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Transportation / roads Transportation Impact Fee — Kirkland charges the transportation impact fee at $4.39/sq ft (2025) for Residential Non-Stacked, raised 2.7% CPI-W to ~$4.51/sf for Jan-Jun 2026, capped at a per-dwelling-unit max of $8,115.35. The max is reached at ~1,800 sq ft, so essentially every detached single-family home pays the $8,115.35 cap. Figure is the Jan-Jun 2026 maximum from the official fee-change notice. KMC Ch. 27.04, Ord. O-4904. VERIFIED via Jina proxy of source 1 and an independent search snippet. | per dwelling unit | $8,115 | City of Kirkland Jan 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Park Impact Fee — Charged at $5.04/sq ft (2025) Residential Non-Stacked, +2.7% CPI-W for Jan-Jun 2026, capped at per-dwelling-unit max of $9,316.94. Max reached at ~1,800 sq ft, so a typical detached single-family home pays the $9,316.94 cap. KMC Ch. 27.06, Ord. O-4901. VERIFIED via Jina proxy of source 1 and an independent search snippet. | per dwelling unit | $9,317 | City of Kirkland Jan 1, 2026High |
Fire / EMS Fire Impact Fee — Fire impact fee is per sq ft of conditioned floor area: $0.73/sf (2025), +2.7% CPI-W = ~$0.7497/sf for Jan-Jun 2026. Unlike park/transportation, the fire cap ($2,399.07 in 2026) is NOT reached until ~3,200 sq ft, so a representative ~2,500 sq ft home pays ~$1,874 (2,500 x $0.7497 = $1,874.27). Amount shown is COMPUTED for a 2,500 sq ft home; actual fee scales with home size up to the $2,399.07 max. KMC Ch. 27.10, Ord. O-4901. Per-sf rate and max VERIFIED in source 0 (Jina proxy); confidence downgraded high->medium because the exact dollar is a derived computation at an assumed home size, not a published figure. | per dwelling unit | $1,874 | City of Kirkland Jan 1, 2026Medium |
Fire / EMS Fire Impact Fee (maximum cap, large home) — Maximum per-dwelling-unit fire impact fee (Jan-Jun 2026), reached at ~3,200+ sq ft of conditioned floor area. Excluded from total as an alternative tier to the per-sqft primary row above. VERIFIED verbatim in source 1 (Jina proxy). alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $2,399 | City of Kirkland Jan 1, 2026High |
Schools School Impact Fee (Lake Washington SD No. 414) — Flat fee per detached single-family unit, set by Lake Washington School District No. 414 and collected by the City of Kirkland under RCW 82.02 / KMC Ch. 27.08 (Ord. O-4910 for 2026). 2025 was $5,972; Jan 2026 is $7,277. A separate $142 school impact fee administrative fee is also charged per the July-Dec 2025 schedule. VERIFIED verbatim in source 1 (Jina proxy) and corroborated by LWSD Impact Fees FAQ (SF $7,277 effective 1/1/2026). | per dwelling unit | $7,277 | City of Kirkland Jan 1, 2026High |
Schools School Impact Fee admin fee — Administrative fee charged in addition to the school impact fee. Value shown is from the 2025 schedule ($142); the 2026 admin amount may differ slightly with CPI but was not separately published in the Jan 2026 notice. Excluded from total to avoid double counting; add to school fee for an all-in figure. VERIFIED verbatim in source 0 (Jina proxy). alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $142 | City of Kirkland Jan 1, 2025Medium |
Drainage / stormwater Surface Water Capital Facility Charge (SWCFC), one new detached dwelling — Kirkland stormwater/surface water capital facility charge for one new detached dwelling on a single lot (Jan 2026). For other development types the charge = (impervious sq ft added / 2,600), rounded down, x $1,598. Alteration/expansion of an existing single dwelling on a single lot is exempt. VERIFIED verbatim by direct pdftotext of source 2. | per dwelling unit | $1,598 | City of Kirkland (hosted by MRSC) Jan 1, 2026High |
Water & sewer connection fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Capital Facility Charge (WCFC), 5/8" x 3/4" meter — City of Kirkland Water Capital Facility Charge for a new connection at the base residential 5/8"x3/4" meter (Jan 2026). This is the city portion. The additive Cascade Water Alliance RCFC ($8,852) is a separate row; combined total for a 3/4" connection is $13,724. VERIFIED verbatim by direct pdftotext of source 2. | per meter | $4,872 | City of Kirkland (hosted by MRSC) Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Cascade Water Alliance Regional Capital Facility Charge (RCFC), 3/4" meter — Cascade Water Alliance regional wholesale capacity charge collected by Kirkland on all new water connections, ADDITIVE to the city WCFC (correctly NOT excluded; applies to the same connection alongside WCFC). 2026 = $8,852 for a 3/4" meter (Cascade Board Resolution 2024-13). No vesting; rate due is the rate in place at time of payment. Levied by a separate regional entity (Cascade Water Alliance) but mandatory for Kirkland builders. VERIFIED verbatim in source 1 (Jina proxy) and cross-checked against source 2 total ($13,724). | per meter | $8,852 | City of Kirkland Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water meter installation (drop-in), 5/8" x 3/4" — One-time water meter drop-in (installation) fee for the base residential meter (Jan 2026). Separate from and additive to the WCFC/RCFC capacity charges. VERIFIED verbatim by direct pdftotext of source 2. | per meter | $401 | City of Kirkland (hosted by MRSC) Jan 1, 2026High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Sewer Capital Facility Charge (SCFC), single-family — City of Kirkland Sewer Capital Facility Charge for a single-family residential connection (Jan 2026). Multi-unit: 2-unit $8,301; 3-unit $12,451; 4-unit $16,602; 5+ units $3,228/unit. Does NOT include the separate King County sewer treatment capacity charge (see coverage notes). VERIFIED verbatim by direct pdftotext of source 2. | per dwelling unit | $5,124 | City of Kirkland (hosted by MRSC) Jan 1, 2026High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) King County Sewer Treatment Capacity Charge (monthly, separate district) — SEPARATE regional charge by King County Wastewater Treatment Division, billed in addition to Kirkland's SCFC on all newly connected sewer customers. NOT a one-time lump sum: $77.99/RCE/MONTH, billed quarterly for 15 years. A medium single-family house (1,500-2,999 sq ft) = 1.0 RCE = $77.99/month (~$936/yr; ~$14,038 nominal over 15 years before any early-payoff/interest discount). Excluded from the one-time SDC total because it is a financed monthly charge, not a connection lump sum. A builder/buyer should budget for it separately. VERIFIED verbatim via WebFetch of source 5 (billed quarterly for 15 years). alternative · not added to total | $77.99 | King County Wastewater Treatment Division Jan 1, 2026High |
City
Phoenix, AZ
$36,107
Total per single-family home
impact + connection fees
$5,585
Impact / development fees
roads, parks, schools…
$30,522
Water & sewer connection
tap / capacity / SDC
$3,775
Per multifamily unit
total fees / unit
Impact / development fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Fire / EMS Fire Protection Impact Fee — Northwest (Off-Project) service area used as the representative primary. Fire SFD fee varies by service area: $1,165 (Northeast/Paradise Ridge), $1,625 (Estrella/Laveen), $1,833 (Ahwatukee), and $0 in the established Balance of City. Phoenix System Development Fees under ARS 9-463.05 apply only in designated growth/service areas. VERIFIED: $1,282 matches Northwest (Off-Project) column of 2025 PDF. | per dwelling unit | $1,282 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Police Police Impact Fee — Northwest (Off-Project). Police SFD fee is uniform at $348 across all active growth service areas; $0 in Balance of City (established core). VERIFIED: $348 matches; uniform $348 across all non-zero service areas confirmed in PDF. | per dwelling unit | $348 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Parks & recreation Parks & Recreation Impact Fee — Northwest (Off-Project). Parks SFD fee varies: $1,474 (Northeast/Paradise Ridge), $2,082 (Estrella/Laveen), $1,094 (Ahwatukee), $0 in Balance of City. Each service area's parks fee funds only parks in that area. VERIFIED: $1,409 matches Northwest column; variation confirmed. | per dwelling unit | $1,409 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Library Libraries Impact Fee — Northwest (Off-Project). Library SFD fee varies: $133 (Northeast/Paradise Ridge), $205 (Estrella/Laveen); $0 in Ahwatukee and Balance of City. VERIFIED: $216 matches Northwest column; variation confirmed. | per dwelling unit | $216 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Transportation / roads Major Arterials (Roads) Impact Fee — Northwest (Off-Project). The Major Arterials (street/road) impact fee of $2,330/SFD applies ONLY in the four northern service areas (Northwest, Deer Valley, Northeast, Paradise Ridge). It is $0 in the Estrella, Laveen, Ahwatukee, and Balance of City areas. VERIFIED: $2,330 matches; $0 in all southern/central and Balance columns confirmed in PDF. | per dwelling unit | $2,330 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Drainage / stormwater Storm Drainage Impact Fee — EXCLUDED from the Northwest primary total because Storm Drainage is $0 in the Northwest service area. Shown here as a representative SFD value from a service area where it applies. Storm Drainage SFD fee = $0 (Northwest/Deer Valley/Northeast), $3,094 (Paradise Ridge), $1,207 (Estrella), $1,401 (Laveen); $0 in Ahwatukee/Balance of City. For multifamily and non-residential it is charged per acre ($4,828-$12,376). VERIFIED: $1,207 matches Estrella columns; $0 in Northwest confirmed, so excludeFromTotal=true is correct (mutually-exclusive service-area swap). alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $1,207 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Water & sewer connection fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Wastewater Collection System Development Fee — Northwest (Off-Project), base residential 'Single Family Unit - up to 1.0" meter' tier (covers the standard 3/4" residential meter). This is an additive SDF, separate from Wastewater Treatment. Varies by area: $5,127 (Northwest/Northeast/Paradise Ridge), $5,409 (Estrella South On-Project), $0 (Deer Valley, Estrella North, Laveen, Ahwatukee, Balance of City). 1.5" meter tier = $11,177. VERIFIED: $5,127 matches Northwest 'up to 1.0"' tier; 1.5" tier = $11,177 confirmed; using the up-to-1.0" tier (not the mutually-exclusive 1.5" tier) is the correct base residential row. | per dwelling unit | $5,127 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Wastewater Treatment System Development Fee — Northwest (Off-Project), base residential 'up to 1.0" meter' tier. Additive SDF on top of Wastewater Collection. Varies by area: $3,753 (Northwest/Northeast/Paradise Ridge) vs $1,071 in most other areas (Deer Valley, Estrella, Laveen, Ahwatukee, Balance of City). 1.5" tier = $8,182. VERIFIED: $3,753 matches Northwest 'up to 1.0"' tier; $1,071 in other areas and $8,182 1.5" tier confirmed. | per dwelling unit | $3,753 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Transmission System Development Fee — Northwest (Off-Project), base residential 'up to 1.0" meter' tier. Additive SDF. The four northern areas (Northwest, Deer Valley, Northeast, Paradise Ridge) carry the high $14,046 transmission fee; the southern/central areas (Estrella, Laveen, Ahwatukee) are $1,703; Balance of City is $0. 1.5" tier = $30,620. VERIFIED: $14,046 matches Northwest 'up to 1.0"' tier; $1,703 southern, $0 Balance, $30,620 1.5" tier all confirmed. | per dwelling unit | $14,046 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Treatment System Development Fee — Northwest (Off-Project), base residential 'up to 1.0" meter' tier. Additive SDF. Uniform at $4,387/SFD across ALL service areas including Balance of City. 1.5" tier = $9,564. VERIFIED: $4,387 matches; uniform $4,387 across all 15 columns confirmed in PDF; 1.5" tier = $9,564 confirmed. | per dwelling unit | $4,387 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Resources Acquisition Fee — Northwest (Off-Project), base residential 'up to 1.0" meter' tier. Separate ARS-authorized Water Resources Acquisition Fee (Phoenix City Code Ch. 30), additive on top of Water Transmission/Treatment. $2,009/SFD applies in all listed 'Off-Project' service areas; $0 in 'On-Project' columns (where the developer provides resources directly). 1.5" tier = $4,380. VERIFIED: $2,009 matches Northwest (Off-Project) 'up to 1.0"' tier; $0 in On-Project columns and $4,380 1.5" tier confirmed. | per dwelling unit | $2,009 | City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Jun 23, 2025High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Sewer Development Occupational Fee (DOF) — Sewer Development Occupational Fee, inside-city single-family = $600 (outside city $900; mobile home space $420; apartment/multifamily unit $360). Separate citywide capacity fee under Ord. G-2664/G-2665/G-2666/G-2667 (adopted Nov 1, 1984); applies in addition to the geographic impact fees and applies even in the established core (Balance of City) where impact fees are $0. Commercial/industrial DOF is by meter size. VERIFIED: quote 'Single-Family residential project: Water DOF $600 + Sewer DOF $600 = Total DOF $1200' appears verbatim on source 2; inside-city SF $600.00, outside $900.00, mobile home $420, apartment/dwelling unit $360 all confirmed; Sewer DOF = Water DOF confirmed. | per dwelling unit | $600 | City of Phoenix Water Services Department Nov 1, 1984Highdated 1984 |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Development Occupational Fee (DOF) — Water Development Occupational Fee, inside-city single-family = $600 (outside city $900). Separate citywide water-capacity fee, additive to impact fees and applies even in the established core where impact fees are $0. Multifamily/dwelling unit = $360, mobile home space = $420. VERIFIED: quote appears verbatim on source 2; inside-city SF Water DOF $600.00 confirmed. Note: source states DOF is based on meter size/type for commercial; the $600 figure is the published single-family residential value, not a specific 5/8"/3/4" disk breakdown (researcher's prior parenthetical about meter sizes is not separately itemized on the page, but the SF residential $600 value is explicit). | per dwelling unit | $600 | City of Phoenix Water Services Department Nov 1, 1984Highdated 1984 |
What drives the difference
Kirkland’s $47,431 per single-family home is $11,324 (31%) above Phoenix’s $36,107. The largest single difference is in parks & recreation: Kirkland charges about $9,317 there versus $1,409 in Phoenix — a $7,908 swing that accounts for much of the overall gap. The two also differ in how much falls on water and sewer connection charges: $19,249 in Kirkland versus $30,522 in Phoenix.
Keep comparing
Kirkland vs Phoenix impact fees — FAQ
- Which has higher impact fees, Kirkland or Phoenix?
- Kirkland, WA is higher. A single-family home pays about $47,431 per unit in Kirkland versus $36,107 in Phoenix, AZ — $11,324 (31%) more, as of 2026.
- How much more does it cost to build a home in Kirkland than in Phoenix?
- About $11,324 more per single-family home — $47,431 in Kirkland, WA versus $36,107 in Phoenix, AZ, a difference of 31% in total development impact and connection fees.
- What's the difference between impact fees in Kirkland and Phoenix for a single-family home?
- Kirkland, WA charges about $47,431 per single-family home ($28,182 impact + $19,249 water/sewer connection), while Phoenix, AZ charges about $36,107 ($5,585 impact + $30,522 connection). Figures are normalized from official sources for 2026.