Bill Allowing Smaller Elevators Rises Again in Washington

A Washington State Senate bill, SB 5156, which would allow smaller elevators in buildings with up to 24 residential units or six stories, has gotten a new lease on life with a 41-7 vote in the state Senate, The Urbanist is among outlets to report. A version greenlit by the Senate Housing Committee in 2025 directed the state Department of Labor & Industries to adjust elevator standards. The latest version, instead, directs the Washington Building Code Council to address the issue as part of its 2027 code update. The bill would legalize small elevators that still meet federal accessibility requirements for such buildings. Proponents point out that smaller elevators are common in places like Western Europe and East Asia, not to mention more affordable. Factors that play into the higher cost for elevators in the U.S. — approximately US$150,00 versus around US$50,000 elsewhere — include limited competition and U.S. elevators being required to accommodate not only a wheelchair user, but a full-sized stretcher. At least one local International Union of Elevator Constructors chapter has spoken out against SB 5156, stating it “skirts important safety requirements.”