All States / Washington
Permit Fees in Washington
1 city tracked. 1 verified from published fee schedules.
1
Cities
$1,590.00
Avg Building
1
Verified
| City | Bathroom | Kitchen | Roof | HVAC | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $1,590.03 | $2,130.40 | - | $69.87 | ✓ |
How permits work in Washington
Washington enforces the 2021 model codes with state amendments, including a 2021-IRC-based residential code, effective March 15, 2024 after the state twice delayed the start. The next editions are already scheduled and distant: final adoption of the 2024 cycle is slated for late summer 2026, with implementation not until May 3, 2027. Washington runs long, irregular gaps between editions, so the code year on your permit matters more here than in annual-update states.
The structural quirk is that one project often needs two permit systems. Counties and cities issue the building permit, but electrical permits and inspections come from the state Department of Labor and Industries everywhere except cities that run their own electrical programs and Tacoma Power's territory. A kitchen remodel in most of the state means a city building permit plus a state electrical permit.
Homeowners can legally do their own electrical work at their own residence under RCW 19.28.261, with exceptions for buildings intended for sale, rent, or lease (including selling within 12 months). The permit is still required either way; whoever does the work buys it.
Seattle tops our entire 29-city index on remodel permits: $1,590.03 for a bathroom and $2,130.40 for a kitchen, against just $69.87 for an HVAC changeout. The spread between trade work and remodel review is wider in Seattle than anywhere else we track.
Sources: WA SBCC current codes · SBCC 2024 code adoption cycle · L&I electrical permits · RCW 19.28.261 (homeowner electrical) · verified 2026-06