The permit process FAQ

Q:

How do I apply for a building or land use permit?

If your property is in unincorporated King County, permit applications are filed through the DDES Permit Center. Most building permit applications and some land use applications require an intake appointment which can be scheduled by calling 206-296-6797. See applying for a permit for more information.

Clearing and grading permits and certain other land use permits do not require an intake appointment and can be filed by mail or directly with the Permit Center cashier. Please refer to Customer Information Bulletin #28 Clearing and Grading Permits* for more information.

If your property is within a city boundary (Seattle, Issaquah, Kent, etc.) in King County, you must contact the city directly. DDES processes permits for property in unincorporated King County only. Check jurisdiction online to determine whether property is in unincorporated King County or within city limits.

Filing instructions and other information are available online at permit forms, handouts and application materials or by calling DDES customer service at 206-296-6600.

Q:

What is the cost of a permit?

For property in unincorporated King County, permit costs vary by permit type and, for those permit types requiring hourly reviews, according to the amount of required review time. Other permit fees vary according to project valuation.

See permit fees for more information or fee estimates by permit type.

Q:

How can I get help with bonds or financial guarantees?

See DDES Customer Information Bulletin #40, Financial Guarantees*. For questions not covered in Bulletin 40, contact DDES Financial Guarantee Management Unit staff at 206-296-6659 or e-mail fgmu.ddes@kingcounty.gov.

Financial guarantees are required by Washington State statutes and certain sections of the King County Code (K.C.C.) on various types of projects, such as commercial or residential permits, subdivision of land, grading permits, or code enforcement.

They are a form of financial security posted by the applicant to ensure timely and proper completion of improvements to ensure compliance with the K.C.C. and/or to warranty materials, workmanship of improvements, and design.

Financial guarantees include assignments of funds, cash deposits, surety bonds and/or other financial securities acceptable to the Director of the Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES). K.C.C. requires such financial guarantees to ensure that certain conditions are met at various stages of the permit process (e.g., before plan approval or before issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy).

Q:

What is the status of my permit?

Customers who have submitted a permit application to DDES and would like to know the review status can:

• Go to the DDES online permit search at www.metrokc.gov/ddes/permits/reports/ to view a generalized permit status.
• Call DDES customer service at 206-296-6600 where staff can research your permit application and tell you which review stations have issued approvals and which review stations are still pending.
• Check with your DDES Project Manager or Project Coordinator if applicable. For proposed projects that are large and/or complicated, a manager or coordinator will have been assigned to the permit. You will have been introduced to that Project Manager early in the intake or review process, and you can call him or her directly for periodic updates.

Q:

How do I schedule a building inspection?

To request, cancel, or check the status of building and fire inspections for unincorporated King County 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, go online to http://inspections.metrokc.gov or call 1-888-5-INSPCT (1-888-546-7728). Please refer to DDES Building Inspections for information on the building inspections process and scheduling.

Online Inspections: To use DDES' online Inspection Request System at http://inspections.metrokc.gov, simply enter your permit number.

Inspections via Automated Phone System: Access DDES' 24X7 Voice Inspections Line by dialing 1-888-5-INSPCT (1-888-546-7728).

Permit customers need only a touch tone telephone, their DDES permit number, and a list of inspection codes which is provided to customers upon permit issuance. The DDES Voice Inspection Line User's Guide* gives detailed information.

Please note: DDES conducts inspections for building projects that are under construction in unincorporated King County only. If your property is inside city limits, you must contact your city directly.

Q:

Will I need a pre-application meeting for a building permit?

Pre-application meetings are held between a prospective permit applicant and DDES staff before a permit application is filed (see pre-application meetings for building permits).

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss project parameters and site conditions pertinent to review of a permit. The intent of the pre-application meeting is to prepare prospective applicants for the permit process and provide technical guidance to assist customers with the application and review process.

For large or complex building permits in unincorporated King County, a mandatory pre-application meeting is required as specified in 20.20.030* of the King County Code (KCC). Typically, this includes any project proposing 5,000 or more square feet of building area and/or site development area.

Additionally, proposals on a parcel that include critical areas such as wetlands, streams, steep slopes, critical drainage basins, landslide hazards, or erosion hazards require a pre-application meeting.

Voluntary pre-application meetings also are offered on smaller projects, should a customer simply want to carefully prepare before submitting an application.

Please refer to the application materials in the Building Services Division (BSD) Pre-applications Packet for detailed information.

To schedule a pre-application meeting for a building permit, please contact Julie Kubota at 206-296-7245 or e-mail julie.kubota@kingcounty.gov.

Q:

Will I need a pre-application meeting for a land use permit?

Pre-application meetings are held between a prospective permit applicant and DDES staff before a permit application is filed (see pre-application meetings for land use permits).

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss project parameters and site conditions pertinent to review of a permit. The intent of the pre-application meeting is to prepare prospective applicants for the permit process and provide technical guidance to assist customers with the application and review process.

For land use permits in unincorporated King County, pre-application meetings are required for large and/or complex projects with multiple review stations.

Pre-application meetings also are required for all Type II, III and IV Permits (these permits involve public notice and comment, and may be appealed to the Hearing Examiner or King County Council).

The largest and most complicated grading proposals such as surface mines (e.g., gravel pits), large highway expansions, and large pipeline expansions all will require a pre-application meeting, as will grading permits triggering SEPA review or some other Type II land use decision (appealable to the Hearing Examiner).

Finally, all proposed subdivisions begin with a pre-application meeting.

To request a land use pre-application meeting, complete the Pre-Application Meeting - Land use: Fees, Scheduling Information and Request Form (available as a 101KB Adobe PDF* or 87KB fill-in Word* document) and submit it to the DDES Permit Center. Pre-application meetings are usually scheduled within a 30-day time frame from the date of submittal.

After a land use pre-application has been submitted:

• E-mail Shirley Goll at shirley.goll@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-6796 for questions about pre-applications that have been submitted for Subdivisions (Plats), Short Subdivisions (Short Plats), Shoreline permits, Rezones, or Special Use Permits.
• Also contact Shirley Goll for questions about pre-applications submitted for Conditional Use Permits, Variances, Reasonable Use Exceptions, or Public Agency Utility Exceptions.
• E-mail Joan Brown at joan.brown@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-6780 for questions about pre-applications submitted for Clearing or Grading permits.

Q:

What is a testamentary segregation?

A Testamentary Segregation or Division is a simultaneous conveyance that is reviewed, approved and recognized by King County in accordance with RCW 58.17.040(3) (external link) and King County Code 19A.08.040(D)*. In layperson's terms, it is an exempt division of land that is divided and dispersed among heirs in accordance with the instructions in a Last Will and Testament.

The items needed for submittal and review are:

1. A cover letter explaining that you are requesting a Testamentary Division Review, and
2. Copy of the Death Certificate, and
3. Copy of the Last Will and Testament, and
4. A title certificate of the subject property, and
5. Map page prepared by a Professional Land Surveyor, which includes:
   1. a statement and signature from the person or persons legally responsible for the execution of the Will, stating that the land segregated hereon is segregated in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, and
   2. a graphic representation of the segregation with survey boundary control, and
   3. a Recorder's Certificate, and
   4. a Land Surveyors Certificate, and
   5. the original Legal Description (the new lots will be numbered, and therefore no new legal descriptions will be necessary), and
   6. an approval block for the authorized person at the King County Department of Development and Environmental Services to sign, and
   7. proof of legal lot status for the original parcels involved in the segregation pursuant to KCC 19A.08.070, and
   8. Payment of applicable fees.

King County will recognize only one lot per heir, per legal lot. The heirs cannot divide the property into extra lots beyond their single allocation for the purpose of maximizing the zoning density. Also, though this type of exempt segregation may create legal lots, it does not guarantee that the newly configured lots contain adequate building sites.