City of Federal Way building permits: fees, timelines & requirements (2026)
Every fee, threshold, and review window for City of Federal Way 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).
21 of 24 project types have authoritative rules on file · 17 typically require a permit · 4 often do not.
Get your lot in 3D with zoning, setbacks, and the exact permits your project needs — cited to City of Federal Way's source.
Construction permits
| Project | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | Yes | Cosmetic finish work (cabinets, countertops, tile) is exempt; remodels touching framing, wiring, plumbing, or mechanical require a permit per the Single Family Remodel Checklist (#156). | Fees set by jurisdiction. WA Building Code Council surcharge: $4.50 per building permit. Trade permits separate. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Bathroom remodel | Yes | Clearing stoppages and repairing leaks are exempt, but new or relocated plumbing fixtures are not on the exemption list and require a permit; finish-only work (tile) is exempt. | Fees set by jurisdiction. Plus separate electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Basement finish | Yes | Finishing or converting a basement into habitable space is a remodel requiring a building permit; hard-wired smoke detectors must be shown on each floor including basements. | Plan-review fee scales with valuation. State surcharge $4.50. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Deck | Yes | A building permit is required for a deck larger than 200 sq ft, OR greater than 30 inches above the ground, OR attached to the house, OR within an environmentally critical area or buffer. Decks ≤200 sq ft and ≤30 inches above grade are exempt. | Most jurisdictions handle decks as field-inspection or simplified plan review. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Fence | Often no | A building permit is not required for a fence 7 feet or under in height; taller fences require a permit. Zoning height limits in FWRC Title 19 still apply. | Typically no fee unless permit required. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Flooring | Often no | Floor finish work (carpet, tile) is exempt finish work — no building permit required. | No permit fee for surface flooring. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| ADU / DADU | Yes | An ADU may be up to 1,000 sq ft of floor area (and may not exceed the square footage of the primary dwelling), with up to two bedrooms, and may be up to 30 feet tall. ADUs are not permitted within required yard setbacks; a minimum 10-foot separation from other structures is required. Three off-street parking spaces are required for a property with an ADU, except within 1/4 mile of a major transit stop. | Full Construction Permit (Addition/Alteration) fees. Sewer capacity charges may apply (King County: ~$8k-$10k). | 30–120 days | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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). | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Electrical | Yes | Electrical work requires a permit except minor work — replacement of branch-circuit overcurrent devices and minor electrical repair (replacing lamps, connecting approved portable equipment) are exempt. Federal Way adopts NEC 2023. | L&I permit fees by circuit count + service size. Standard residential ~$60-$200. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Plumbing | Yes | Plumbing work requires a permit except minor repairs — stopping leaks in drain/water/soil/waste/vent pipe and clearing stoppages or repairing leaks in pipes, valves, or fixtures are exempt. Federal Way adopts UPC 2021. | Plumbing permit fees by fixture count. Standard residential ~$80-$250. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Addition | Yes | Any increase to building footprint or conditioned floor area requires a building permit. A Certificate of Water Availability with fire-flow calculations is required for additions or any change to the building footprint. | Plan-review fee scales with valuation per UBC Table 1-A. State surcharge $4.50 per building permit. Trade permits (E/P/M) separate. | 30–120 days | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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+. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| 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. | — | Cite verified 2026-06-26 |
| Other / general | Pending verification | — | — | — | — |
City of Federal Way permits — frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a building permit in Federal Way, and what are the Permit Center hours?
Most applications that require review must be submitted electronically — you first request a Document Upload Link from the city, which can take a few days. Simple mechanical, electrical, and plumbing jobs can instead go through the over-the-counter program on MyBuildingPermit. The Permit Center is open 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (closed Wednesdays); [email protected] or (253) 835-2607.
Source: City of Federal Way — Permit Center ↗What residential work is exempt from a building permit in Federal Way?
Federal Way exempts a short list: one-story detached accessory structures up to 200 sq ft, fences not over 7 feet tall, retaining walls not over 4 feet (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall), and decks up to 200 sq ft that sit no more than 30 inches above grade. Finish work like paint, cabinets, and countertops is also exempt. Critically, none of these exemptions apply inside a critical area or its buffer.
Source: City of Federal Way — Permit Exemptions ↗What are the rules for an ADU in Federal Way?
Washington’s HB 1337 — which cities had to adopt by mid-2025 — requires Federal Way to allow up to two ADUs per lot in single-family zones, including detached units, with a detached ADU permitted up to 1,000 sq ft. HB 1337 also caps parking: no more than one off-street space per ADU on lots under 6,000 sq ft, and none can be required within a half-mile of a major transit stop. Federal Way’s ADU standards live in FWRC 19.265; because the code was updated for HB 1337 in 2024–2025, confirm the current text for your zone before designing.
Source: Federal Way Revised Code 19.265 ↗Do I need a water/sewer availability certificate for an ADU or new unit in Federal Way?
Yes. Federal Way has no city water or sewer utility, so your property is served by an outside district — most commonly Lakehaven Water & Sewer District — and certificates of water and sewer availability are required before you submit your building permit application for an ADU or new unit. If Lakehaven serves you, you complete its Certificate of Availability application; an ADU on septic must first get King County Public Health approval, and a detached ADU on sewer needs its own service connection.
Source: Lakehaven Water & Sewer District ↗How do critical areas (wetlands, bluffs, shoreline) affect a Federal Way permit?
Federal Way regulates Environmentally Critical Areas — wetlands, critical aquifer recharge areas, fish-and-wildlife habitat, frequently flooded areas, and geologically hazardous areas — under FWRC Chapter 19.145, and you generally cannot disturb them or their buffers without approval. The city may require a critical-area report, often peer-reviewed by a third-party expert at your expense. Even minor work like tree removal or demolition in an ECA needs written approval from the Director.
Source: City of Federal Way — Building Division ↗Does my contractor need to be registered to pull a Federal Way permit?
Yes. Washington requires every construction contractor to register with Labor & Industries and to be bonded and insured before they bid, advertise, or perform work — the same in Federal Way as anywhere in the state. Verify a contractor’s active registration, bond, and insurance through L&I’s "Verify a Contractor" lookup before signing.
Source: WA L&I — Contractor Registration ↗How this page is built
Each row is the most-recently-verified authoritative rule on file for City of Federal Way and the listed project type. “Pending verification” means we have City of Federal Way 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.