WA HB1353

Cities planning under the Growth Management Act may establish programs allowing registered architects to self-certify building code compliance for detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) construction, eliminating the need for additional city review beyond procedural completeness checks

Cities must adopt program rules including architect qualification requirements, mandatory random audits of at least 20% of applications or five per year (whichever is fewer), and professional liability insurance requirements

Architects who fail an audit face financial penalties and a minimum one-year suspension from the program; a second failed audit within five years results in permanent prohibition from participating

The state department must maintain a database of penalized architects accessible to all cities, and no city may accept self-certified applications from architects currently under penalty in another jurisdiction

Cities operating programs must report to the department by July 31, 2028, with data on applications submitted, permits issued, processing times, and audit results; the department must submit a summary report to the legislature by December 31, 2028