Tacoma, WA Development Impact Fees (2026)

What a single-family home pays in Tacoma

$11,863 total per unit across 3 fee categories.

Tacoma’s $11,863 is close to the Washington tracked median of $13,063.

Full fee schedule — single-family

Full fee schedule — multifamily

Coverage & caveats

RESIDENTIAL development fees for the City of Tacoma (incorporated city limits), Pierce County, WA. Tacoma is a relatively NEW entrant to impact/SDC fees - several charges took effect or were adopted in 2025-2026, so figures are current. WHAT EXISTS (city-levied): 1) TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE - NEW, adopted by Ordinance 29082 amending Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) Chapter 10.31, effective June 1, 2026. The fee = (district cost-per-PM-peak-hour-trip) x (net new PM peak person trips per unit for the land use). There are SIX geographic districts with very different per-trip rates: North Tacoma $5,286, South Tacoma $5,208, Southeast Tacoma $5,357, Downtown/Dome/Hilltop $4,685, Tideflats $3,394, Northeast Tacoma $764 (citywide average $4,885). I used the official adopted 2025/2026 Rate Study "Table 7: Recommended Fee Schedule" which already converts these into per-dwelling-unit fees by land use. PRIMARY single-family row = NORTH TACOMA ($6,920) as a large, representative residential district near the citywide median; all five other districts are included as excludeFromTotal variants. Single Family detached ITE 210 = 1.35 net new PM peak person trips/unit. Reductions in the ordinance: 50% for ADUs (based on principal unit), 50% for MFTE multifamily near high-frequency transit, 80% for qualifying low-income housing & early-learning facilities; full exemption for development that generates no new trips. A 3% administrative fee is included in the schedule. 2) WATER SDC (System Development Charge) - EXISTING since 1997 under TMC 12.10.310 (RCW 35.92.025), collected by Tacoma Water / Tacoma Public Utilities. A one-time charge due at meter purchase, based on customer class + meter size. Ordinance 29091 (adopted Jan 13, 2026) revised the SDC and PHASES IT IN over 5 years beginning Feb 1, 2026, reaching the full study target Jan 1, 2030. I reported the CURRENT (2/1/2026-1/31/2027) adopted residential figures: 5/8" = $1,204, 3/4" = $1,793 (full 2030 targets are $2,785 and $4,114). NOTE: Tacoma requires new single-family homes to be served by a 1-inch service + 3/4-inch meter, but where combination domestic/fire sprinkler service is documented through plan review, the 5/8" SDC ($1,204) applies. Multi-family per-unit water SDC = number of units x 44% of the 5/8" residential SDC. 3) WASTEWATER SDC - NEW, Ordinance 29084, effective July 1, 2026. One-time charge based on meter size + customer type; typical single-family home with 5/8" meter = $3,339. Replaces the old Connection Charge-in-Lieu-of-Assessment program (retired 7/1/2026). 50% reduction available for septic-to-sewer first-time connections (Septic Amnesty, subject to funding). 4) STORMWATER / SURFACE-WATER SDC - NEW, Ordinance 29085, effective July 1, 2026, = $0.53 per square foot of net increased impervious surface. NOT expressible as a flat per-dwelling-unit figure (depends on impervious area); reported as per_sqft and excluded from the per-unit total. A 2,000-2,500 sf SF home with ~2,500-3,500 sf of new impervious (roof + driveway) would owe roughly $1,300-$1,900, but this varies per site. WATER CONNECTION/METER INSTALLATION: In addition to the water SDC, Tacoma Water charges a meter set fee (per TMC 12.10.250: 5/8" meter $400/meter, 3/4" meter $450/meter "plus the SDC" for full installation) and the actual material/labor cost of the service line, quoted per project (not a fixed published figure). Reported the meter-set fee as a connection-related charge. WHAT DOES NOT EXIST in the City of Tacoma (important - do NOT assume regional norms apply): - NO city PARK / open-space impact fee. (Pierce County charges a park impact fee, ~$4,010/unit eff. 2/1/2026, but that applies in UNINCORPORATED Pierce County, NOT inside Tacoma city limits. Metro Parks Tacoma / Parks Tacoma does not levy a GMA impact fee.) - NO SCHOOL impact fee. School impact fees are permitted under RCW 82.02 in WA and common elsewhere, but Tacoma Public Schools / the City of Tacoma do NOT currently impose or collect a school impact fee. (The city studied it but has not adopted one.) - NO FIRE impact fee (studied historically but not adopted). - NO POLICE, library, affordable-housing, or general/capital impact fee. The city's own Dec 2025 council presentation fee-stacking chart confirms Tacoma residential development pays Water, Wastewater, Transportation, and Stormwater/Drainage only - the School and Parks bars apply to comparison jurisdictions (Pierce County, Federal Way, etc.), not Tacoma. CAVEATS: Transportation impact fee and wastewater/stormwater SDCs are brand-new (effective dates in summer 2026, i.e., now or imminent as of the 2026-06-16 verification date). Water SDC is mid-phase-in; the 2026 figures will step up annually through 2030. All per-unit transportation figures already include the 3% admin fee per the adopted Rate Study.

All transportation per-unit fees are taken verbatim from "Table 7: Recommended Fee Schedule" of the City of Tacoma 2025/2026 Transportation Impact Fee Rate Study (incorporated by reference into TMC 10.31 via Ordinance 29082). Table 7 column order is: North Tacoma, South Tacoma, Southeast Tacoma, Downtown/Dome/Hilltop, Tideflats, Northeast Tacoma. Single Family = ITE 210 (1.35 net new PM peak person trips/unit). I selected North Tacoma as the primary single-family district (large residential area, fee near citywide median); the other 5 districts are included as excludeFromTotal variants for transparency. Multifamily primary = ITE 220 "1-2 Story Multi/Townhome" North Tacoma ($3,869); other multifamily building types (midrise 221, highrise 222) and other districts are excluded variants. Water SDC primary = 5/8" residential at the current 2/1/2026 phase-in value ($1,204); the 3/4" value ($1,793, the meter new SFD actually receives) is included as an additive-but-marked alternative. The total reflects: transportation (North Tacoma SF $6,920) + water SDC 5/8" ($1,204) + wastewater SDC ($3,339). Stormwater SDC is per-sqft and excluded from the flat total. Water meter-set fee ($400 for 5/8") included as connection charge.

Sources

10 official sources · 14 high-confidence figures.

Tacoma impact fees — FAQ

How much are development impact fees in Tacoma, WA for a single-family home?

As of 2026-06-16, total development fees for a single-family detached home in Tacoma are about $11,863 per unit — roughly $6,920 in impact/development fees plus $4,943 in water/sewer connection fees. Figures are normalized from official sources; verify with the jurisdiction before relying on them.

What are the impact fees per multifamily unit in Tacoma, WA?

Total development fees for a multifamily unit in Tacoma are about $3,869 per unit as of 2026-06-16.

Are impact fees in Tacoma the same as building permit fees?

No. Impact fees (and water/sewer connection fees) fund off-site capital — roads, parks, schools, utilities — and are charged per new dwelling unit. Building permit and plan-review fees are separate and are not included here.

How often do Tacoma's impact fees change?

Most jurisdictions adopt fees by ordinance and escalate them annually (often by a construction cost index), with occasional mid-year updates. Always confirm the current adopted schedule with the jurisdiction. ImpactFeeAtlas last verified Tacoma on 2026-06-16.