Building permits are not the most exciting topic in home renovation, but getting them wrong can cost you thousands of dollars and months of delay. We have seen homeowners forced to tear out finished work because it was not permitted. We have seen home sales fall apart at inspection because unpermitted work was discovered.
This guide covers what you need to know about permits for residential renovation projects in King County, Washington, including the specific requirements for Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and other Eastside cities.
What Requires a Permit
The general rule is: if you are changing the structure, systems, or footprint of your home, you need a permit. Specifically:
- Structural changes: Removing or modifying load-bearing walls, adding beams, changing roof structure, or modifying the foundation.
- Electrical work: Adding new circuits, upgrading your electrical panel, adding outlets, or rewiring any portion of the house. Replacing a light fixture or switch in the same location does not require a permit.
- Plumbing work: Adding new fixtures, relocating existing plumbing, replacing water heaters, or modifying drain/vent lines. Replacing a faucet or toilet in the same location does not require a permit.
- Adding square footage: Room additions, bump-outs, finishing a garage or attic, or converting a porch to living space.
- Window and door changes in bearing walls: Enlarging a window opening or adding a new door in a load-bearing wall requires structural engineering and a permit.
- Decks over 30 inches above grade: Any deck surface more than 30 inches above the ground requires a building permit. This includes most second-story decks and many stepped-down patio decks.
- Reroofing (in some jurisdictions): Bellevue and Kirkland require permits for reroofing. Unincorporated King County generally does not for a like-for-like replacement.
- Water heater replacement: In King County, replacing a water heater requires a plumbing permit, even if it is in the same location.
- Furnace or HVAC replacement: A mechanical permit is required for replacing or modifying heating and cooling systems.
What Usually Does Not Require a Permit
- Painting interior or exterior walls.
- Installing new flooring (hardwood, tile, LVP, carpet) as long as no structural changes to the subfloor are needed.
- Replacing cabinets in the same layout (no plumbing or electrical relocation).
- Installing new countertops.
- Replacing fixtures in the same location: swapping a toilet, faucet, or light fixture without moving supply lines or circuits.
- Replacing interior doors (same size opening, non-bearing walls).
- Minor drywall repairs and patching.
- Landscaping and fencing under 6 feet tall (with some neighborhood and HOA exceptions).
- Installing shelving, closet organizers, or built-ins that are not structural.
How to Apply for a Permit in King County
The permitting process varies depending on whether your home is in an incorporated city (Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Bothell, Woodinville, Sammamish) or in unincorporated King County. Each jurisdiction has its own permitting department, fee schedule, and timelines.
For unincorporated King County, permits are handled through King County Department of Local Services. Applications can be submitted online through their permitting portal (DPER). You will need to create an account, submit your project description, upload plans, and pay the application fee.
For incorporated cities, check the specific city website:
- Bellevue: MyBuildingPermit.com portal. Bellevue has one of the more streamlined online systems on the Eastside. Simple permits (like a water heater replacement) can often be processed in a few days.
- Kirkland: Also uses the MyBuildingPermit.com portal. Kirkland tends to have reasonable turnaround times for residential projects.
- Redmond: Uses the MyBuildingPermit.com portal as well. Plan review for simple projects typically takes 2 to 3 weeks.
- Bothell: Straddles King and Snohomish counties. Make sure you are applying to the correct jurisdiction based on your address.
- Sammamish: Uses the MyBuildingPermit.com system. Known for thorough plan review, especially for projects near critical areas (wetlands, steep slopes).
What You Need to Submit
Most residential renovation permits require:
- A completed application form with project description.
- A site plan showing your property boundaries and the location of the work.
- Floor plans showing existing conditions and proposed changes (to scale).
- Structural engineering calculations if load-bearing elements are affected.
- Electrical and plumbing plans for those respective permits.
- The application fee (varies by jurisdiction and project scope).
Permit Costs
Permit fees in King County vary widely based on the scope of work and the jurisdiction. Here are typical ranges:
Simple permits (water heater, furnace replacement, electrical panel upgrade): $100 to $400.
Bathroom or kitchen renovation (with plumbing and electrical): $500 to $1,500. This usually includes separate building, plumbing, and electrical permits.
Structural modifications (wall removal, beam installation): $800 to $2,000+. Structural engineering review adds to the cost.
Room additions: $1,500 to $5,000+. Larger additions may also require a site development permit, environmental review, or design review depending on the jurisdiction.
In addition to the application fee, there are plan review fees (typically 65% to 100% of the building permit fee) and inspection fees. Some jurisdictions charge per inspection, while others include a set number of inspections in the permit fee.
Permit Timelines
How long it takes to get your permit depends on the complexity of the project and the workload of the local permitting office.
Over-the-counter permits (simple trade permits like a water heater or furnace): Same day to 3 business days.
Simple residential permits (bathroom remodel, kitchen remodel without structural changes): 2 to 4 weeks for plan review.
Complex residential permits (structural modifications, additions, significant electrical upgrades): 6 to 12 weeks. If corrections are required after initial review, add another 2 to 4 weeks.
We always factor permit timelines into our project schedules. For complex projects, we submit permit applications as early as possible, often during the design phase, so that approvals are in hand before construction is scheduled to begin.
What Happens If You Skip Permits
Some homeowners consider skipping permits to save money or time. This is almost always a bad idea. Here is what can happen:
Problems at resale. When you sell your home, the buyer will likely hire an inspector. If the inspector finds unpermitted work, the buyer may demand that you obtain retroactive permits (which cost more and require opening up finished work for inspection), reduce the sale price, or they may walk away entirely. Title companies and lenders are increasingly flagging permit records.
Insurance claims denied. If a fire, flood, or other damage is traced to unpermitted work (especially electrical or plumbing), your homeowner insurance company can deny the claim. This can leave you personally liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
Forced to demo and redo. In the worst case, the building department can require you to remove unpermitted work entirely and redo it with proper permits and inspections. This means paying for the work twice, plus the cost of any damage caused by the removal.
Code violations and fines. King County and its cities can issue notices of violation and daily fines for unpermitted construction. Fines vary by jurisdiction but can be $100 to $500 per day.
Permit Requirements by Project Type
Kitchen Remodel
A cosmetic kitchen update (new countertops, paint, hardware) does not need permits. But if you are moving plumbing (relocating the sink), adding electrical circuits (for a new appliance or island), or removing walls, you need building, plumbing, and/or electrical permits. Most mid-range to high-end kitchen remodels require at least one permit.
Bathroom Renovation
Similar to kitchens: if you are replacing a vanity in the same location and just doing tile and paint, no permit is needed. If you are moving the toilet, adding a shower where there was not one, or running new electrical for heated floors or additional outlets, you need permits. Most full bathroom renovations require plumbing and electrical permits at minimum.
Deck Construction
Any deck with a surface more than 30 inches above grade requires a building permit. Ground-level patios and decks attached to the house may also require permits depending on size and construction method. All decks must meet current structural codes for live loads, guard rails, and ledger board attachment. The International Residential Code requirements changed significantly in recent years, so even if your neighbor built a deck without a permit 15 years ago, that does not mean you can do the same today.
Room Addition
Any addition of living space requires a building permit, period. This includes converting a garage to a bedroom, finishing an attic, building a bump-out, or adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Additions also often require setback variances, design review (in some cities), and utility capacity verification. Plan for a longer permit timeline of 8 to 16 weeks.
Working with a Contractor on Permits
A reputable contractor handles the permitting process for you. At Cedar Ridge Renovation, we prepare all permit applications, submit plans, coordinate with structural engineers when needed, schedule inspections, and ensure everything passes before moving to the next phase.
Be wary of any contractor who suggests skipping permits or asks you to pull the permits yourself under a homeowner permit. While homeowners can legally pull their own permits in Washington state, doing so shifts liability onto you and can create issues with warranties and insurance.
Our permit costs are included in our project estimates so there are no surprises. We view permitting as a built-in part of every project, not an optional add-on.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are replacing cabinets in the same layout without moving plumbing, electrical, or gas lines, no permit is needed. If the new cabinet layout requires moving the sink, adding outlets, or relocating appliance connections, then yes, permits are required for those specific changes.
You can search your property permit history through the King County Parcel Viewer or your city permitting portal. Most jurisdictions have online records going back to at least the 1990s. If you find unpermitted work, you can apply for a retroactive permit, though this may require opening up walls for inspection.
Washington state allows homeowners to do their own electrical and plumbing work on their primary residence with a homeowner permit. You must do the work yourself (not hire someone under your permit) and it must pass inspection. The work must meet the same code requirements as a licensed professional. If you sell the home within a year, you must disclose that you did the work yourself.
An inspector from your local jurisdiction visits the job site at specific stages of construction: rough framing, rough plumbing, rough electrical, insulation, and final. Each inspection verifies that the work meets current building codes. If something does not pass, the inspector leaves a correction notice and you fix the issue before calling for a re-inspection.
In most King County jurisdictions, a building permit is valid for 18 months from the date of issuance. If work has not started within that timeframe, the permit expires and you need to reapply. Some jurisdictions allow one 6-month extension. Once work begins, inspections must be called at regular intervals or the permit can also expire.