Responsibilities

The Building Division administers and enforces building, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing codes, which includes plan review, permit issuance, and inspection. Permit applications are accepted and permits are issued between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. An appointment is not required for most permit submittals; however, some projects do require one. You are encouraged to arrive prior to 4:00 pm to allow sufficient time to process your application. 

Some applications may be faxed to 253.835.2609 or applied for online. Please contact the Permit Center at email or 253-835-2607 for more specific information.

A variety of simple projects may be applied for utilizing the over-the-counter (OTC) program. Please review the OTC handouts and then contact the Permit Center to find out if your project meets OTC application requirements and to request one of the six weekly appointments.

Permit Review Time
Virtually every improvement on a residential or commercial lot requires a permit.  Some work is exempt from the building permit process (residential permit exemptions / commercial permit exemptions). Because the permit process is a dynamic process involving staff and an applicant, several factors can affect process time lines. The main influences are: 

• Availability of key people (owner, architect, engineer, etc.)
• Application volumes at time of submittal
• Completeness and clarity of plans 
• Submittal of all requested information
• Type of permit

The division has a number of handouts that summarize code requirements. Please note that the handouts are not intended to replace or substitute for codes. For additional information, please contact the Permit Center at email or 253-835-2607.