What the program is
Kitsap's pre-approved ADU plans are six ready-to-permit accessory dwelling unit designs that homeowners can use free of charge. The program is led by the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council (KRCC) with Kitsap County, Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Port Orchard and Poulsbo.
The jurisdictions hired Artisans Group, an architecture firm that had already made pre-approved plans for other Puget Sound cities. KRCC licensed four existing Artisans plans and had two new ones designed, the Kitsap and the Salish. The approach was modeled on programs in Lacey, Tumwater and Olympia.
The six plans
| Plan | Square feet | Bedrooms | Baths | Stories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Lille | 480 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| The Sidney | 600 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| The Sinclair | 800 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| The Blakely | 800 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| The Kitsap | 672–834 | 2 or 1 | 1 | 2 |
| The Salish | 1,000 | 3 | 1.5 | 1 |
See renderings, footprints and fit-check for each plan →
Where you can use them
The plans can be used anywhere in Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard and Poulsbo, and in the urban areas of unincorporated Kitsap County, as long as no changes are made to the plans.
Rural unincorporated Kitsap is different. Kitsap County says the plans are available on rural-zoned lots for a fee: you need a Conditional Use Permit, you pay the CUP fees, and you pay a $1,000 design fee. Rural ADUs also follow the county's rural size and owner-occupancy rules.
What review they skip, and what they don't
Because the building itself has already been checked, a pre-approved plan can skip the design fee and parts of review. On Bainbridge Island, the city says these include architectural, structural and energy code review.
Your site is still reviewed. Zoning, setbacks, lot coverage, critical areas, shoreline rules and utility capacity all apply to your lot. That's why a complete, accurate site plan is the step that decides how smoothly the permit goes.
What's free and what isn't
- Free: the plan set itself, in eligible urban areas, when used without structural changes.
- Not free: permit and inspection fees, any impact or connection fees, the site plan, any septic design, and construction.
Kitsap County publishes approximate building permit fees for each plan in unincorporated Kitsap. They exclude other fees that may apply, and cities set their own.
| Plan | Size | Approx. county permit fee |
|---|---|---|
| The Lille | 480 SF | $4,666.50 |
| The Sidney | 600 SF | $5,120.29 |
| The Sinclair | 800 SF | $5,847.15 |
| The Blakely | 800 SF | $5,770.24 |
| The Kitsap | 834 SF | $7,235.45 |
| The Salish | 1,000 SF | $6,593.72 |
Source: Kitsap County DCD pre-approved ADU page, checked October 2026.
Plan versions
Two plans come in more than one version. The Kitsap is offered with a two-car or three-car garage below the living space. The Salish comes in a Traditional and an Offset version.
How to get a plan set
Kitsap County has an online request form, and the detailed plan set is emailed to you. That copy is watermarked "not for construction"; it's for reviewing options like roof configurations and optional porches, and for estimating cost before you apply. Cities have their own request steps; Poulsbo, for example, asks you to contact its Building Department.
We can request the set for you, confirm it applies to your parcel and build the rest of the permit package around it.
What you can and can't change
The county lists the non-structural choices you can make and still use the plan:
- Window frame colors, sill heights and how windows open (egress windows must still meet code)
- Roof pitch and style, roof materials, color and trim
- Eaves and overhangs, or none
- Siding materials and colors
- Door color, style and materials
- Lighting fixtures
- Interior walls, which are non-load-bearing (except in the 800 SF two-story plan)
Anything beyond that makes it a modified plan, which loses the free, pre-approved path and goes through full review. If you want a different size or layout, a licensed plan from another architect is usually the faster route.