City of Bellevue building permits: fees, timelines & requirements (2026)
Every fee, threshold, and review window for City of Bellevue permits — cited to the city's own page and re-verified weekly. Covers ADU, addition, kitchen, bathroom, basement, deck, fence, siding, windows, flooring, roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and ancillary permits (King County).
20 of 22 project types have authoritative rules on file · 16 typically require a permit · 4 often do not.
Permit department
Bellevue Development Services
Adopted code cycles
2021 IRC w/ WA amendments · 2021 WSEC
Resources
Construction permits
| Project | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | Yes | Cosmetic-only refresh (cabinets, countertops, flooring, paint) without structural/electrical/plumbing changes is generally exempt under 2021 IRC R105.2 (work exempt from permit). Any new circuit, fixture relocation, or structural change requires permits. | Fees set by jurisdiction. WA Building Code Council surcharge: $4.50 per building permit. Trade permits separate. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 10–21 days | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Bathroom remodel | Yes | Like-for-like fixture replacement in same location with no plumbing rerouting and no new circuits: typically exempt under 2021 IRC R105.2(2)(g). Any relocation, new fixture, new circuit, or shower-pan replacement triggers permits. | Fees set by jurisdiction. Plus separate electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 10–21 days | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Basement finish | Yes | 2021 IRC R310: every sleeping room below grade requires emergency escape and rescue opening (egress window). Min sill height 44in, min net clear opening 5.7 sq ft (5.0 grade-floor), min width 20in, height 24in. Ceiling height min 7ft (R305). Entire newly conditioned area must comply with WSEC R402. | Plan-review fee scales with valuation. State surcharge $4.50. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 14–30 days | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Deck | Yes | Bellevue follows IRC default: permit if deck >30in above grade or attached. Bellevue LUC sets setbacks by zone. | Most jurisdictions handle decks as field-inspection or simplified plan review. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 7–14 days | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Fence | Often no | Bellevue LUC 20.20.460: max 6ft front yard, 8ft side/rear yard. Permit required if exceeding standard heights or for fences in critical areas. | Typically no fee unless permit required. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Siding | Often no | 2021 IRC R105.2(1)(g) exempts "ordinary repairs" — like-for-like siding replacement on existing structure. Permit required if changing structural sheathing, adding insulation that affects WSEC compliance, or modifying weather-resistive barrier (WRB) detailing. | Typically minimal fee — like-for-like usually exempt. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Window replacement | Often no | 2021 IRC R105.2(1)(g) exempts like-for-like window replacement (same rough opening, same R-value class). Permit required for: new openings, enlarged/reduced openings, egress-affecting changes (R310), and any change that crosses a structural element. | Like-for-like usually no permit fee. Structural changes scale with valuation. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Flooring | Often no | 2021 IRC R105.2(1)(j) exempts floor finishes (carpet, vinyl, hardwood, tile). Permit required if subfloor structure is modified, joists altered, or radiant heat installed. | No permit fee for surface flooring. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| ADU / DADU | Yes | WA HB 1337 (effective 2024) requires cities ≥6,000 pop. to allow 2 ADUs per lot in residential zones, max 1,000 sq ft, no owner-occupancy requirement, no parking requirement near transit. Local size + design caps apply. | Full Construction Permit (Addition/Alteration) fees. Sewer capacity charges may apply (King County: ~$8k-$10k). Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 21–90 days | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Roofing | Yes | 2021 IRC R907 requires permit for re-roofing. Many WA cities require a re-roof permit even for simple tear-off + replace because of underlayment, ice/water shield, and ventilation inspection. Some allow over-the-counter. | Flat fee or valuation-based. Typically $150-$400 for residential. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 1–5 days | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| HVAC | Yes | WAC 51-52 (2021 IMC) and WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) require mechanical permit for any equipment install, replacement, or relocation. WSEC R403 requires sizing per Manual J/S/D for new equipment. | Mechanical permit + electrical permit (if new circuit) + plumbing permit (if condensate to drain). Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Electrical | Yes | WAC 296-46B (WA-adopted 2020 NEC) requires electrical permit for ALL electrical work except low-voltage (<50V) and ordinary repairs. WA L&I issues electrical permits in most jurisdictions; some cities have local issuance. | L&I permit fees by circuit count + service size. Standard residential ~$60-$200. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Plumbing | Yes | WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) requires plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation of any plumbing fixture, water heater, or piping. Like-for-like faucet replacement is exempt. | Plumbing permit fees by fixture count. Standard residential ~$80-$250. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Addition | Pending verification | — | — | — | — |
Ancillary & non-building permits
| Project | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition | Yes | 2021 IBC Section 105.1 + WA-adopted IRC R105.1: demolition of any structure or portion thereof requires a permit. Tear-out of interior finishes only is generally treated as alteration. Asbestos / lead notification often required separately under WAC 173-303 / 296-62. | Demolition fees commonly charged as flat fee or by structure size. State surcharge $4.50 applies. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Right-of-way | Yes | Issued by city public works (or SDOT in Seattle) under local ROW ordinance. Triggered by physical occupation of or work within the public ROW including driveway aprons, curb cuts, sidewalk replacement, utility tie-ins, hauling routes, and temporary construction staging. | ROW permit fees vary widely by city; commonly $150-$500 for residential driveway/curb cut, plus per-day occupancy if street obstruction. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Side sewer | Yes | Side-sewer permits issued by the local utility (Seattle SPU; King County WTD; per-city utility elsewhere) under 2021 UPC + city utility code. Triggered by new connection, repair >2 ft of pipe, relining (CIPP), or capping at the property line for demolition. | Side-sewer permits typically $150-$500; depth-based surcharge in some cities. Utility-issued, not building-permit-issued. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Stormwater / drainage | Yes | KC Surface Water Design Manual 2021 (KCC 9.04 + adopted by reference in most KC cities) sets the 2,000 sqft new+replaced impervious threshold for "small project" drainage review; ≥5,000 sqft triggers full drainage review. Different thresholds in critical-area drainage basins. | Drainage review fee commonly tiered by project size; small project ~$300-$800, full drainage review $1,500+. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Land-use / zoning | Yes | Triggered when a project does not conform to the strict letter of the zoning code. Variances require a hardship finding under most city codes. Design review thresholds vary (Seattle: most multifamily + non-residential >4,000 sqft; many cities: design review only in designated districts). | Land-use fees vary widely; variance commonly $1,000-$3,000 + actual cost recovery for hearing examiner. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Tree removal | Yes | Triggered by removal of trees meeting the city's "significant tree" / "exceptional tree" / "tier" threshold. Common thresholds: ≥6in DBH (Bellevue tier 2+), ≥24in DBH (Seattle exceptional), or specific listed species. Single-family lots are sometimes exempt for non-exceptional trees. | Tree-removal permits commonly $50-$300 per tree; replacement bonds in some cities. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Signs | Yes | City sign code (typically Title 22 or 23) governs. Wall, freestanding, projecting, awning, and electronic message signs all require permits. Most cities exempt small temporary residential signs (real-estate, political) under area thresholds (~6 sqft). | Sign permit fees commonly $100-$400 plus electrical sub-permit. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Other / general | Pending verification | — | — | — | — |
How this page is built
Each row is the most-recently-verified authoritative rule on file for City of Bellevue and the listed project type. “Pending verification” means we have City of Bellevue in our database but haven't yet personally checked the city page for that project — those rows fall back to King-County or Washington-state baselines until verified.
See the data-quality leaderboard for how we keep these current, or run an address-specific lookup on the main permits page.