Municipal permitting reference

How building permits work in Seattle

Seattle permits are issued by Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI). Master Use Permits cover land use; Building Permits cover construction.

Responsible authority
Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)
Indicative planning range
Subject-to-Field-Inspection: same day. Standard residential: 6–12 weeks. Commercial / MUP: 4–9 months.

Planning orientation only; not a municipal service guarantee.

Typical permitting sequence

  1. 1

    Zoning & MUP

    Confirm zoning (e.g. SF 5000, NC2-40, LR2). Many projects need MUP first.

  2. 2

    Permit application

    Applied through Seattle Services Portal.

  3. 3

    Review cycles

    Multi-discipline correction-letter cycles.

  4. 4

    Issuance & inspections

    Permit issued; inspections through portal.

Common permit categories

  • • Building
  • • Mechanical
  • • Electrical
  • • Construction Use Permit
  • • Master Use Permit (MUP)

Local considerations

Confirm zoning, code, submission, inspection, and closeout requirements with the municipality.

Primary municipal reference

Use the municipality's site for authoritative forms, fees, current service standards, codes, portal access, and project-specific requirements.

Open the official Seattle permit resource

Analyze actual permit activity

Compare this process overview with current municipality-reported filing counts, permit types, maps, neighborhoods, and address history.

View Seattle, WA permit statistics
How Building Permits Work in Seattle: Process & Timeline | PropertyLab