Seattle Building Permits — Cost, Timeline & Process

Seattle requires a building permit for most construction, alteration, and repair work that affects structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems. Permits are issued by SDCI (Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections), which also administers zoning, plan review, and field inspections.

Seattle enforces the 2021 Seattle Building Code — a locally amended version of the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — and the 2021 Seattle Residential Code (based on the 2021 International Residential Code) for single-family homes, duplexes, and low-rise townhouses. Both codes include amendments adopted by the Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) and additional Seattle-specific amendments. The 2021 codes became effective on November 15, 2024.

When You Need a Permit

You generally need a Seattle building permit for:

• New construction, additions, and accessory structures (including ADUs — Accessory Dwelling Units)
• Structural alterations, load-bearing wall changes, and foundation work
• Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical (HVAC) changes
• Re-roofing on commercial or multifamily buildings when the City's re-roof permit rules apply, and residential roofing work that changes the building envelope; ordinary in-kind roof replacement on qualifying one- and two-family homes and townhouses can be permit-exempt
• Swimming pools, spas, and retaining walls above a height threshold
• Grading or site work disturbing more than 750 square feet in non-environmentally critical areas (less in sensitive areas)
• Demolition of any habitable structure
• Changes of use or occupancy

Seattle also exempts some small repairs and alterations. Outside environmentally critical areas, minor repair/alteration work valued at $6,000 or less in a six-month period can qualify for an exemption, but structural work, building-envelope changes, and work that reduces egress, light, ventilation, or fire resistance still require a permit regardless of cost. Painting, many surface finishes, and some in-kind roofing/siding work are also listed among common exemptions. Check the current SDCI exemption guidance before starting.

Seattle Services Portal — The Online Submittal System

Seattle Services Portal (services.seattle.gov) is SDCI's unified online platform for permit applications, plan review, fee payment, and inspection scheduling.

Through the Seattle Services Portal you can:

• Create a personal or business account
• Submit a Building & Land Use Pre-Application to initiate your project
• Upload plans and documents for electronic plan review
• Schedule an intake appointment
• Respond to review comments and resubmit corrected documents
• Pay fees online (Visa, Mastercard, or check)
• Request and track construction inspections

The portal is available 24/7. For inspection requests by phone, SDCI operates a 24-hour automated line at (206) 684-8900.

Permit Costs

SDCI permit fees are set by the Fee Subtitle, updated annually. The 2026 Fee Subtitle and a 2026 Fee Estimator spreadsheet are published on the SDCI website (see sources). Fees are calculated based on:

• Building permit fee — scales with project valuation and square footage
• Plan review and permit fees — for building permits that require plan review, SDCI currently requires approximately 75% of the total plan-review and permit fees when the application is accepted; final fees are due before issuance
• Technology fee — applies to all permits
• Trade permit fees — separate permits and fees for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work
• Land use fees — hourly review fees for projects requiring Master Use Permits (MUPs), environmental review, or shoreline permits

Do not rely on third-party fee estimates. Always check the current SDCI 2026 Fee Subtitle linked in the sources above for exact amounts.

Review Timing

Seattle does not use one fixed review time for every construction permit. Current SDCI guidance distinguishes several steps:

• Subject-to-Field-Inspection (STFI) applications are for qualifying simple projects. SDCI says the screening process takes a few days, and its fee guidance notes that some simple STFI building permits with minimal review can be issued within 48 hours after submittal.
• For regular construction and land-use applications, SDCI's Intake Express Lane can usually take in a complete application within 2–3 weeks after upload.
• After intake, review time depends on permit category, project complexity, correction cycles, and workload. SDCI publishes a Construction Permit Performance dashboard rather than a single citywide promise.

Use the current SDCI performance data for planning instead of a fixed “8-week initial review” estimate.

The Process

1. Research: Confirm your property's zoning, permit history, and whether environmentally critical area (ECA) regulations apply using the Seattle Services Portal
2. Pre-Application: Submit the preliminary application materials required for your project through the Seattle Services Portal
3. Pre-Application Site Visit (PASV): Required for many land-use, new-construction, grading, shoreline, wetland, and qualifying ground-disturbance applications; SDCI provides a site-conditions report
4. Preliminary review: Complete any project-specific preliminary assessment, utility, transportation, or other agency coordination required for the application
5. Plans: Prepare construction drawings; a licensed Washington architect or engineer must stamp documents where required by code
6. Intake Appointment: Schedule and upload complete documents by 7:00 a.m. on the appointment day; pay fees within 48 hours or the application is rejected
7. Plan Review: SDCI reviews for code compliance across building, zoning, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire disciplines
8. Corrections: Respond to review comments in the portal and resubmit until approved
9. Permit Issuance: Pay remaining fees and print approved permit and plans from the portal
10. Inspections: Schedule required inspections at each construction phase
11. Final: Pass final inspection and, where applicable, receive a Certificate of Occupancy

Inspections

Typical required inspection stages for residential projects include:

• Site inspection — before first ground disturbance (erosion control)
• Preconstruction meeting — for complex projects (schedule several days in advance)
• Foundation — before concrete placement
• Subfloor — before covering floor framing
• Structural — before exterior sheathing is covered
• Framing — before insulation or interior covering
• Insulation — after installation
• Rough mechanical, electrical, and plumbing — separate trade inspections
• Final — after all work is complete

Schedule inspections online through the Seattle Services Portal or call the 24-hour inspection line at (206) 684-8900. Requests before 7:00 a.m. are generally scheduled for the same day; after 7:00 a.m. for the next workday. For a two-hour arrival window, call your assigned inspector between 7:00–8:00 a.m. on the day of the inspection. Customer service is also available at (206) 684-8950 during business hours.

Common Reasons for Denial or Corrections

• Plans do not comply with the 2021 Seattle Building Code or Seattle/Washington State amendments
• Missing structural calculations, energy compliance documentation, or licensed design-professional stamps
• Zoning conflicts — setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, or use restrictions for the applicable district
• Project is in an Environmentally Critical Area (ECA) — steep slopes, liquefaction zones, landslide-prone areas, wetlands, or floodplains — without the required geotechnical report or ECA approval
• Shoreline overlay: projects within the Shoreline District require a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit or exemption before intake
• Missing stormwater drainage or grading plans
• Failure to obtain interdepartmental clearances (Seattle Public Utilities, SDOT, Seattle City Light)
• Incomplete submittal — documents not uploaded or fees not paid within 48 hours of intake appointment

Official Sources

Always verify current requirements with SDCI and the Seattle Services Portal before starting your project. For current timing, use SDCI's Construction Permit Performance page; for costs, use the 2026 Fee Subtitle and Fee Estimator.

Disclaimer: This guide summarizes publicly available information from official City of Seattle sources and is provided for general orientation only. It does not constitute legal or engineering advice. Building code and permitting requirements change — always confirm current rules with SDCI at (206) 684-8600 or seattle.gov/sdci before submitting plans or starting construction.