City of Bellevue building permits: fees, timelines & requirements (2026)
What needs a permit in City of Bellevue and what triggers one — each row quoted from the city's own code or permit page, with the source linked and the source page checked daily for changes. Fees and review times appear where the city publishes them. Covers ADU, addition, kitchen, bathroom, basement, deck, fence, siding, windows, flooring, roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and ancillary permits (King County).
21 of 24 project types have authoritative rules on file · 12 always require a permit · 10 depend on the scope · 0 do not.
Get your lot in 3D with zoning, setbacks, and the exact permits your project needs — cited to City of Bellevue's source.
Construction permits
| Project | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | Depends on scope | No permit for cabinets, counters, paint or tile. A permit once you move plumbing, add circuits, run gas or change walls. Replacing kitchen cabinets or countertops does not require a permit; new circuits, moved plumbing, gas lines, or wall changes do. | Fees set by jurisdiction. WA Building Code Council surcharge: $6.50 per building permit. Trade permits separate. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 10–21 days | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Bathroom remodel | Depends on scope | A same-spot swap of a basin, toilet, bidet or laundry tub needs no permit. A shower or bathtub needs one even like-for-like, as does relocating fixtures, adding plumbing or electrical, or moving walls. Replacing a fixture with a similar fixture in the same location does not require a permit — wash basins, toilets, bidets and laundry tubs. SHOWERS AND BATHTUBS REQUIRE PERMITS even in a like-for-like swap. Relocating fixtures, adding plumbing or electrical, or moving walls also requires one. | Fees set by jurisdiction. Plus separate electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 10–21 days | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Basement finish | Always | Finishing a basement into habitable space needs a building permit; egress and ceiling height are the usual review items. 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 $6.50. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 14–30 days | Cite verified 2026-05-17 |
| Deck | Depends on scope | A free-standing deck 30 in or under is exempt. Higher, or attached to the house, needs a permit. 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 2026-09-24 |
| Fence | Depends on scope | No permit for a fence up to 8 ft. A permit is not required for a fence unless it is over 8 feet tall. Fences over 4 feet 6 inches often cannot be located in front-yard setbacks — confirm placement with Bellevue Land Use before building. A fence may not violate the sight-obstruction restriction at street intersections (LUC 20.20.400.A.1, which applies BCC 14.60.240 and the Transportation Department Design Manual §21). | Typically no fee unless permit required. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Siding | Depends on scope | Siding replacement needs no permit, except stucco or brick and stone veneer above 4 ft. Siding replacement does not require a permit, except for stucco and brick or stone veneer greater than 4 feet above the grade plane. | Typically minimal fee — like-for-like usually exempt. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Window replacement | Depends on scope | Same size, same location: no permit. Enlarging an opening needs the SF Remodel permit. No permit is required for window replacements of the same size in the same location. Enlarging an opening requires the SF Remodel permit. | Like-for-like usually no permit fee. Structural changes scale with valuation. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Flooring | Depends on scope | Floor finishes are exempt. Modifying the subfloor or joists, or installing radiant heat, needs a permit. 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. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| ADU / DADU | Always | An ADU or DADU always needs a building permit, and usually trade permits with it. Per Bellevue ADU reform (LUC Chapter 20.20.120): ADU size limits were increased from 800 sq ft to 1,200 sq ft or 40% of the structure, whichever is larger. Owner-occupancy is no longer required. Off-street parking: no parking is required for ADUs smaller than 1,000 sq ft, or for ADUs within 1/2 mile of frequent transit; 1 space for ADUs larger than 1,000 sq ft; for ADUs larger than 2,000 sq ft, 1 space on lots smaller than 6,000 sq ft and 2 spaces on lots larger than 6,000 sq ft. | Full Construction Permit (Addition/Alteration) fees. A new ADU connection commonly also triggers a ONE-TIME sewer and/or water connection charge from the utility that serves the property — called a general facility charge, a capacity charge or a system development charge depending on the utility. WHICH UTILITY AND WHICH CHARGE IS A PER-PROPERTY FACT, not a city or county one, and a single lot can sit inside a city for permitting and outside its sewer district. Ask the utility that will actually serve the ADU; this charge is often the largest single line in an ADU budget after construction. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 21–90 days | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Roofing | Depends on scope | A re-roof needs a permit only when it modifies or replaces the sheathing. A permit is required for roofing projects that include modifying or replacing the sheathing. | Flat fee or valuation-based, per the city's fee schedule. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 1–5 days | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| HVAC | Always | Installing, moving or replacing a furnace or heat pump needs a permit; an air conditioner also needs an electrical permit. A permit is required for installing, moving, or replacing a furnace and/or heat pump (and an air conditioner also needs an electrical permit). | Mechanical permit + electrical permit (if new circuit) + plumbing permit (if condensate to drain). Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Electrical | Depends on scope | Adding or moving circuits, or changing the service panel, needs a permit. Bellevue issues its own. A permit is required for adding or moving electrical circuits and for changes to the service panel. Bellevue issues its own electrical permits (not WA L&I); permits without plan review can issue same day but still require inspection. | Electrical permit fees are set by circuit count and service size in the issuing agency's fee schedule. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Plumbing | Depends on scope | Replacing or moving a water heater, adding or moving a fixture, or modifying water, drain or vent lines needs a permit. A permit is required for replacing or moving an existing hot water heater. A permit is required to install a new fixture, or move an existing fixture, where that requires installing or modifying existing water lines, drains or vents. A permit is required to move an appliance if it requires installing or modifying gas lines, water lines, drains, vents, or electrical circuits. | Plumbing permit fees are set by fixture count in the city's fee schedule. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Addition | Always | Adding floor area always needs a building permit. The Single-Family Addition (BR) permit covers adding LESS THAN 3,000 square feet, or a deck, to an existing single-family residence. At 3,000 square feet or more Bellevue routes the work to its New House Construction or Large Addition permit instead. The BR permit also covers an attached garage or carport, detached buildings such as garages and sheds, retaining walls over four feet, a deck or deck with spa and replacement of existing deck structural framing, a dock, boat house, boat lift or bulkhead over four feet, and a swimming pool, bathing pool or hot tub 24 inches or more deep and in-ground. One BR permit carries the clearing and grading, any required demolition, electrical (except temporary power), mechanical (except fire protection) and plumbing with it — those are not separate applications. | Plan-review fee scales with valuation per UBC Table 1-A. State surcharge $6.50 per building permit. Trade permits (E/P/M) separate. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | 30–90 days | Cite verified 2026-05-17 |
Ancillary & non-building permits
| Project | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition | Always | Demolishing a structure or a substantial part of one needs a permit; asbestos and lead notifications are separate. 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 $6.50 applies. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Right-of-way | Always | Any work in or occupation of the public right of way needs a right-of-way permit from public works. A Residential Right of Way permit covers work in the right of way associated with existing single-family home construction or major remodels. Commercial projects, multifamily development, and plat infrastructure use the Commercial Right of Way permit instead — that one is required for hauling, parking, and staging whether or not there is construction in the right of way. Street Use permits cover non-disturbing uses (sidewalk cafes, parades, block parties, closures). | Fees vary by scope — see Bellevue Permit Fees and Payment, or the Permit Fee Estimator at permitfeeestimator.bellevuewa.gov. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
| Side sewer | Always | A new side-sewer connection, a repair beyond about 2 ft, relining or capping needs a permit from whichever utility owns the main. The side-sewer permit is issued by whichever utility owns the sanitary sewer — the city, a sewer or water district, or a regional utility — under that utility's own code, with WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) governing how the building sewer is laid. WHICH UTILITY IS A PER-PROPERTY FACT: a lot can sit inside a city for permitting and outside its sewer district, so confirm the owner of the main before applying. Triggered by a new connection, repair of more than about 2 ft of pipe, relining (CIPP), or capping at the property line for a demolition. | Side-sewer permit fees are set by the utility that owns the main; some add a depth-based surcharge. Utility-issued, not building-permit-issued. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-06 |
| Stormwater / drainage | Always | New or replaced impervious surface and land disturbance are reviewed under the drainage manual this jurisdiction adopts; the threshold is the manual's. Ecology's Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington (SWMMWW, 2024 edition) is the state floor. A municipal stormwater permittee may instead adopt a REGIONAL manual Ecology has determined equivalent, and most do — some counties publish their own, some cities publish their own, and others adopt Ecology's directly. WHICH MANUAL APPLIES IS A PER-JURISDICTION FACT and it changes the numbers: review thresholds for new plus replaced impervious surface and for land-disturbing activity differ between manuals, so read this jurisdiction's own adopting chapter before quoting one. Critical-area and closed-basin parcels get stricter review under every manual. | Drainage review fees are commonly tiered by project size in the city's fee schedule. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-06 |
| Land-use / zoning | Always | A variance, conditional use, plat or design review is a land-use decision that precedes the building permit. 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; a variance usually carries an application fee plus cost recovery for the hearing examiner. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Tree removal | Not verified | This city protects trees under its own ordinance and Kolmo has not verified the size threshold. Ask the city before cutting; some cities prohibit removal above a size rather than permit it. Triggered by removal of a tree that the city's own tree ordinance protects — commonly defined by a diameter at breast or standard height, a listed-species table, a grove or heritage designation, or a canopy-cover target. This baseline row carries NO verified local threshold; read the city's tree chapter before quoting a number. Some cities do not permit removal above a size at all — they prohibit removal of regulated trees outside enumerated exceptions, so a "permit required at X inches" reading is wrong there. | Tree-removal permit fees are set per permit or per tree in the city's fee schedule; some cities require replacement bonds. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
| Signs | Always | Permanent signs need a sign permit; small temporary residential signs are usually exempt. 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 are set in the city's fee schedule, plus an electrical sub-permit for an illuminated sign. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. | Not published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-24 |
City of Bellevue permits — frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a Bellevue building permit online?
Yes — Bellevue takes permit applications online through MyBuildingPermit.com, the regional portal it shares with cities like Kirkland, Issaquah, Sammamish and Mercer Island. You create a property-owner, professional, or licensed-contractor account, select Bellevue, upload your plans, and pay online. Over-the-counter permits that need no plan review can be issued and paid for immediately; everything else routes to review.
Source: City of Bellevue — Online Permitting ↗How long does a Bellevue building permit take to review?
It depends heavily on scope. Simple single-family work that adds no area or height can often be issued the same day with no plan review, while a project that needs review takes much longer — Bellevue’s own processing report for the 12 months to September 14, 2026 shows single-family additions taking a median of 10.7 weeks and an average of 18.6 weeks (168 permits). Complete, accurate submittals move fastest; every correction round adds weeks.
Source: City of Bellevue — Local Project Review ↗Can I build a detached backyard cottage (DADU) in Bellevue?
Yes. Bellevue allows up to two ADUs per lot, attached or detached, each up to 1,200 sq ft of floor area (LUC 20.20.120). Detached ADUs were adopted on June 24, 2025 (Ordinance 6851), when the City Council implemented Washington’s HB 1110 and HB 1337. Older Bellevue pages written before that date still say detached ADUs are not allowed.
Source: City of Bellevue — ADU Reform & Middle Housing ↗My Bellevue lot is on a steep slope — does that add permit review?
Very likely. Bellevue’s critical areas code (LUC 20.25H) covers geological hazard areas — landslide hazard areas, steep slopes and coal mine hazard areas — and protects them by prohibiting disturbance or modification unless the code specifically allows it, and by requiring buffers and building setbacks. Ask Bellevue what study your lot needs before designing.
Source: City of Bellevue — Critical Areas ↗Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Bellevue?
In most cases yes. Bellevue requires a permit to remove any significant tree (at least six inches in diameter, measured four feet above grade), any landmark tree (generally at least 24 inches, with lower thresholds for several slower-growing native species), or any tree in a designated critical area, buffer or structure setback required by LUC 20.25H.
Source: City of Bellevue — Tree Removal ↗What home projects in Bellevue do NOT need a building permit?
A few small items are exempt — but they still must meet zoning rules (setbacks, lot coverage, height) and the Critical Areas Overlay. No building permit is required for a detached shed, playhouse, or gazebo of 200 sq ft or less; a fence 8 feet or shorter; or a deck less than 30 inches above grade. Retaining walls need a permit once they exceed 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing. Interior remodels, conversions, and most electrical/plumbing/mechanical work beyond like-for-like still require permits.
Source: City of Bellevue — Work Requiring Permits ↗Does my contractor have to be registered to pull a Bellevue permit?
Yes. Any contractor working in Bellevue must be registered with WA Labor & Industries, and the city will not issue a permit without verifying current registration. Washington requires a surety bond and liability insurance — as of July 1, 2024 the bond is $30,000 for general contractors and $15,000 for specialty contractors. Verify any contractor’s status, bond, and insurance free at L&I’s "Verify a Contractor" tool before you sign.
Source: WA L&I — Verify a Contractor ↗Building in City of Bellevue?
Kolmo Construction is a licensed Washington general contractor — KOLMOL*753JS, bonded and insured — working throughout City of Bellevue and King County. We pull the permits listed above and build the project.
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.