What does NC3 zoning mean in Seattle?

NC3 is Seattle's largest-scale Neighborhood Commercial designation, allowing the widest range of commercial uses and the greatest height among the NC tiers, typically paired with residential development above ground-floor retail. It's used along major arterials and near designated urban villages.

How do I find the zoning for an address in Seattle?

SDCI's online zoning map, accessed through the Seattle Services Portal, returns the current zone designation, any overlay district, and applicable development standards for a searched address or parcel number.

Can I build a duplex on a single-family lot in Seattle?

Yes. Under the city's 2024 Neighborhood Residential rezone implementing state HB 1110, most lots formerly zoned single-family now allow at least a duplex, with higher unit counts permitted on larger lots or near frequent transit service.

Seattle, Washington · city zoning districts · 19 districts

Seattle, WA zoning map & districts

Seattle's zoning is codified in SMC Title 23 and administered by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). The code layers a base zone — residential, commercial, downtown, or industrial — with development standards keyed to that designation and, in many neighborhoods, an urban village or urban center overlay tied to the city's growth strategy. Most zones citywide also carry a Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) requirement, obligating projects that build to the zone's upper density or height to either include affordable units on-site or pay into the city's housing fund.

The code Seattle Municipal Code, Title 23 (Land Use Code)

Seattle zoning map

SDCI's online zoning map, part of the Seattle Services Portal, returns the current zone and any overlay for a searched address or parcel; the code text itself is published as SMC Title 23.

There is no link to the official map here yet — confirm current district boundaries directly with the Seattle planning or zoning department.

A published summary is never the authority. The adopted ordinance and the city's official zoning map govern, and both change — verify the district and every standard on your parcel before you rely on it.

How zoning works in Seattle

Recent state law has driven the biggest change to Seattle zoning in decades. The city's long-standing "Single-Family" zones are being replaced with a Neighborhood Residential designation under the 2024 One Seattle Plan, implementing the state's 2023 middle-housing law (HB 1110) — most lots that once allowed only a detached house must now permit at least a duplex, with fourplexes or more near frequent transit. Citywide, property owners may also add up to two accessory dwelling units (one attached, one detached) per lot without owner-occupancy requirements. Because this rezone has been phasing in through 2025, developers should confirm a parcel's current allowed density against SDCI's live zoning map rather than relying on an older printed zone label.

Seattle zoning districts by family

The 19 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Seattle, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the Seattle Municipal Code, Title 23 (Land Use Code) — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 6 districts
LR1	Lowrise 1	Smallest-scale multifamily/townhouse zone above single-family density.
LR2	Lowrise 2	Mid-scale rowhouse and small apartment buildings.
LR3	Lowrise 3	Highest-density lowrise tier, largest apartment buildings under the lowrise standards.
MR	Midrise	Apartment buildings roughly 4-6 stories, typically near urban villages.
HR	Highrise	High-rise residential towers, concentrated near downtown and First Hill.
NR	Neighborhood Residential	Replaced Seattle's former single-family zones under the 2024 One Seattle Plan implementing state middle-housing law (HB 1110); most lots now allow at least a duplex.
Mixed-use 4 districts
NC1	Neighborhood Commercial 1	Smallest-scale neighborhood commercial node with housing above ground-floor retail.
NC2	Neighborhood Commercial 2	Mid-scale commercial corridor allowing taller mixed-use buildings than NC1.
NC3	Neighborhood Commercial 3	Largest-scale neighborhood commercial designation, used on major arterials and near urban villages.
SM	Seattle Mixed	High-density mixed-use zone used in South Lake Union and Uptown.
Commercial 2 districts
C1	Commercial 1	Auto-oriented commercial corridor zone, residential use optional above ground floor.
C2	Commercial 2	Broader commercial corridor zone permitting more intensive commercial and light manufacturing uses.
Downtown / core 2 districts
DMC	Downtown Mixed Commercial	Downtown high-rise mixed-use zone allowing office, residential, and retail towers.
DOC1	Downtown Office Core 1	Core downtown office district with the city's tallest allowed heights.
Industrial 5 districts
IC	Industrial Commercial	Replaced Seattle's General Industrial 1 (IG1) district in the 2023 industrial and maritime lands rezone; allows a mix of industrial and commercial uses.
II	Industry and Innovation	Allows advanced manufacturing and innovation-sector uses alongside traditional industrial uses.
MML	Maritime Manufacturing and Logistics	Replaced Seattle's General Industrial 2 (IG2) district in the 2023 rezone; protects maritime and marine-industrial uses.
UI	Urban Industrial	Allows a broader mix of industrial, commercial, and limited residential uses than the core industrial zones.
IB	Industrial Buffer	Transitional industrial zone allowing some office and commercial uses adjacent to industrial areas.

Seattle zoning — common questions

What does NC3 zoning mean in Seattle?: NC3 is Seattle's largest-scale Neighborhood Commercial designation, allowing the widest range of commercial uses and the greatest height among the NC tiers, typically paired with residential development above ground-floor retail. It's used along major arterials and near designated urban villages.
How do I find the zoning for an address in Seattle?: SDCI's online zoning map, accessed through the Seattle Services Portal, returns the current zone designation, any overlay district, and applicable development standards for a searched address or parcel number.
Can I build a duplex on a single-family lot in Seattle?: Yes. Under the city's 2024 Neighborhood Residential rezone implementing state HB 1110, most lots formerly zoned single-family now allow at least a duplex, with higher unit counts permitted on larger lots or near frequent transit service.

Working in Washington? Get on the list.

The parcel layer lands in the order demand does. Illinois went first because that's where the deals were; the next state is decided by who tells us what they're trying to underwrite. Tell us where you're building and what you wanted to run — you'll hear from us when Washington opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

← Washington zoning — who holds the zoning power in Washington, under which enabling statute, and the reforms that override local rules.

Other Washington cities

The zoning reference → — every state, plus city-level district guides like this one.

Seattle zoning summaries on this page are provided for information, not legal advice. Confirm every project against the current adopted code for the jurisdiction.