Permits for Remodels on the Eastside: What Needs One and How Review Works

Who issues permits for an Eastside remodel?

Each incorporated city issues its own building permits: Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Bothell, Renton, Medina, Clyde Hill and the rest each have a building department, adopt the state building codes and set their own fees and procedures. Unincorporated areas, including places with city mailing addresses such as parts of Fairwood or Skyway, are permitted by King County.

Many Eastside cities, including Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Newcastle and Bothell, take applications through MyBuildingPermit.com. The shared portal standardizes the application, but each city still reviews with its own staff, checklists and timelines. Renton and Seattle use their own systems.

Electrical permits are a special case: in some cities they are issued by the city, and in others by the Washington Department of Labor & Industries. Your electrician will know which applies, but it is worth confirming because L&I electrical inspections are scheduled separately from the city's.

Which permits does a typical remodel need?

A single remodel often needs three or four of these. They can usually be applied for together, but each has its own review and inspections.

What work is usually exempt from a building permit?

The International Residential Code, as adopted in Washington, lists work that does not need a building permit, and cities can add to or narrow the list. Commonly exempt items include:

• Painting, wallpaper, flooring, carpet, countertops and cabinets replaced in place.
• Small detached accessory structures under the code's size limit, such as a tool shed.
• Fences and low retaining walls within the code's height limits, as long as they do not support a surcharge such as a driveway.
• Low decks that are not attached to the house and stay under the code's height and area limits.
• Replacing windows and doors in the same size opening, in many cities.

Exempt from a building permit does not mean exempt from everything. A like-for-like faucet replacement may not need a permit; adding a sink does. Re-roofing may not need a building permit in some cities but must still follow the code. Check your city's exemption list before starting.

How does plan review work from submission to permit?

1. Pre-application (optional)

   For complex additions or critical-area sites, a meeting with city staff identifies issues before design is final.

2. Intake and completeness

   The city checks that required documents, forms and fees are present. Missing items stop the clock before review starts.

3. Discipline reviews

   Building, structural, zoning, energy and any environmental reviews proceed, often in parallel by different reviewers.

4. Correction letter

   Reviewers list items to fix or clarify. Responses come back as revised sheets with a written reply to each comment.

5. Approval and issuance

   Once all disciplines approve, remaining fees are paid and the permit and stamped plans are issued.

Review times vary with city, scope and workload. Typical ranges by city and project type are in our Permit Cost and Timeline Estimator.

What inspections should you expect during construction?

Covering work before its inspection is the most expensive mistake in permitted construction: the inspector can require walls or ceilings to be reopened.

How do you avoid multiple correction rounds?

• Draw to the checklist. Each city publishes submittal requirements; drawings that address every item avoid intake rejection.
• Coordinate architectural and structural sheets. Mismatched beam sizes or post locations between sheets are among the most common comments.
• Show existing conditions accurately. Reviewers need to know what is being removed and what remains.
• Complete energy forms with the drawings. Window and insulation specifications that disagree with energy forms generate comments.
• Answer every comment in writing. A response letter that maps each comment to a revised sheet speeds the second review.
• Raise site issues early. Slopes, streams, trees and shorelines are best addressed at pre-application, not in a correction letter.

What does skipping a permit actually cost?

Unpermitted work tends to surface at the worst time. Buyers' inspectors look for it, and Washington's seller disclosure form asks sellers about work done without required permits. Lenders and insurers may question it. A city that learns of unpermitted work can require it to be permitted after the fact, which often means opening finished walls for inspection and paying additional fees. Structural work done without engineering may need to be redone entirely. A permit costs less than any of those outcomes.

Next steps before you apply for a permit