HomeMy WebLinkAboutKingCounty_LLOR_ChecklistDepartment of Local Services, Permitting Division Page 1 of 4 206-296-6600
35030 SE Douglas Street, Suite 210 TTY Relay: 711
Snoqualmie, WA 98065-9266 June 2020 www.kingcounty.gov
Legal Lot Status Information and Determination
Checklist
A “Legal Lot” is a parcel of land that has been created in accordance with the subdivision, short
subdivision, or other land segregation laws in existence at the time that the lot was created. The
building and land use requirements for legal lots are organized according to the way the lots were
created or divided, by the date, and by other relevant criteria. Note that while a “Tax Parcel” is usually
also considered a Legal Lot, there are circumstances in which a Tax Parcel is not considered a Legal
Lot.
Know Before You Build
Before a property owner can build or subdivide, a lot must
meet the requirements of a legal lot as defined by King
County Code, Title 19A, Land Segregation. Proof of a legal
lot is required before a permit application can be accepted.
Although a parcel may be determined to be a legal lot, other
requirements will apply, including, but are not limited to,
applicable zoning, health, and building site criteria, as well
as compliance with all land use ordinances.
Proof of a Legal Lot
Proof of a Legal Lot is the responsibility of the person
claiming legal lot status. Acceptable proof presented to the King County Department of Local
Services, Permitting Division (Permitting) may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the
following documents:
Recorded copy of the plat or short plat
A copy of the King County approval for unrecorded subdivisions of four or fewer lots
A deed, or historical tax record dated prior to October 1, 1972
A letter or notice from King County previously recognizing a parcel as a legal lot
Lot(s) created in a plat recorded prior to June 9, 1937 require submittal of proof that indicates
that each individual lot was either conveyed or taxed separately, and that the lot(s) have been
provided with approved sewage disposal, water, or roads.
Other reliable documentation that clearly demonstrates that a parcel satisfies the requirements
of the King County Code Title 19A.08.070, Determining and maintaining legal status of a lot.
Legal Lot Determination
Service
Property owners may request that
Permitting determine the legal status
of a parcel(s). The property owner
is responsible for providing
adequate documentation to support
the legal lot status. The fee for this
service can be found in the current
fee guide under Land Division.
Legal Lot Status Information and Determination Checklist, continued
Department of Local Services, Permitting Division Page 2 of 4 206-296-6600
35030 SE Douglas Street, Suite 210 TTY Relay: 711
Snoqualmie, WA 98065-9266 June 2020 www.kingcounty.gov
Legal Lot Status Determination Service Checklist
Permitting provides a legal lot determination service.
King County Code (KCC) 19A.08.070 defines the
process for determining and maintaining legal status of
a legal lot consistent with the Revised Code of
Washington (RCW). Consistent with state
requirements, the only way to create a legally
segregated parcel less than 40 acres after October 1,
1972 is through a subdivision process. Prior to this
date, some lots may have been created legally simply by recording a property deed and/or bill of sale.
However, the separate parcel may not necessarily be shown on the County Assessor's records.
If you own a parcel or property in unincorporated King County that was created prior to the adoption
of the State of Washington and County subdivision laws (adopted October 1, 1972) and do not have a
separate tax lot parcel number, you may qualify for separate lot recognition of that property. To
accomplish this determination, the property owner/applicant must submit a completed Determination
of Legal Lot Status application (available on MyBuildingPermit.com).
The recognition of property as a separate lot by King County does not imply or guarantee the property
is buildable nor necessarily entitle an owner to permits for property development. Development
permits will be issued dependent on consistency with pertinent County Codes, regulations and
policies.
Legal Lot Determination Application Checklist
If you have questions or would like to inquire about alternatives, please email
DPERWebInquiries@kingcounty.gov.
1 Combine similar documents into a single PDF file
Copies Required Submittal Documents
1 Legal Lot Status Determination Application available on MyBuildingPermit.com
1 Legal and common description for each piece of property1
1 Certification of Applicant Status form
1 A copy of a title report for each property1
1 Deed and tax history for each property1
Apply On-Line at MyBuildingPermit.com
Select: King County | Land Use | Any
Project Type | Lot Status | NA
Legal Lot Status Information and Determination Checklist, continued
Department of Local Services, Permitting Division Page 3 of 4 206-296-6600
35030 SE Douglas Street, Suite 210 TTY Relay: 711
Snoqualmie, WA 98065-9266 June 2020 www.kingcounty.gov
Locating Documentation
The information that property owners need to prove legal lot status generally is not available at the
Permitting office. Resources include:
All recorded documents, including plats, short plats, surveys, condominiums, deeds,
easements (online records available)
King County Department of Executive Services, Records and Licensing Services Division
311 Administration Building
500 - 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
206-263-2880
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Unrecorded short plats, on microfilm
Department of Local Services, Permitting Division
35030 SE Douglas Street, Suite 210
Snoqualmie, WA 98065-9266
206-296-6600
7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. (Closed Wednesday.)
Please call ahead to review records.
Assessor's maps, unrecorded plats, tax history from 1973-present, lot areas (online records
available)
King County Department of Assessments
709 Administration Building
500 - 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
206-296-7300
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., except Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Assessor's tax records from approximately 1937-1973
Washington State, Puget Sound Regional Archives Office
Pritchard-Fleming Building on Bellevue Collage Campus
3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Building N (Mail Stop N-100)
Bellevue, WA 98007-6484
425-564-3940
Wednesday - Friday, for in-person research, by appointment only
Title reports, abstract of title
Title Insurance Companies
Legal Lot Status Information and Determination Checklist, continued
Department of Local Services, Permitting Division Page 4 of 4 206-296-6600
35030 SE Douglas Street, Suite 210 TTY Relay: 711
Snoqualmie, WA 98065-9266 June 2020 www.kingcounty.gov
Additional Resources
King County Code, Title 19A, Land Segregation
Department of Local Services, Permitting Division
Property Research Guide
Property Research & Maps