Which cities is the Kolmo permit lookup verified for?

Ten cities: Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Renton, Kent, Federal Way, and Mercer Island. For these, every fee, threshold, and timeline is sourced from the city directly with the exact quote, URL, and the date Kolmo sourced it; an automated scanner monitors the source pages daily for drift. Outside these ten cities address lookup still works and we render the parcel and Washington-state baseline code, but per-city specifics are flagged as unverified.

Does the lookup cover unincorporated King, Pierce, or Snohomish County?

Address lookup works and parcels resolve to the county building department, but unincorporated coverage is currently baseline-only — Washington-state IRC, IBC, and WSEC plus state critical-area rules. Per-county fee and code deviations have not been verified to the same standard as the ten verified cities.

Will this replace calling the permit center?

For most homeowner projects — decks, kitchens, bathrooms, ADUs, fences, siding, windows, flooring, roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing — the published answer matches what the permit center will say, and the homeowner can submit with a pre-filled application packet. For variances, conditional uses, or unusual scope, calling the city planner is still recommended.

Where does the address go after submission?

The address is geocoded via Google Maps to identify the correct county, then queried against public county GIS endpoints. Parcel data is cached for 30 days. The address is not contacted, sold, or shared with third parties.

Who built this — and why?

Built by Kolmo Construction, a licensed Seattle-area general contractor. The team works with permit code daily and built this to fix the public web's poor coverage of homeowner permit questions. The lookup is free; if a homeowner wants a contractor for the project, Kolmo is one option.

Land-use permits in City of Federal Way: fees, timeline & requirements (2026)

Everything you need to know about pulling a land-use / zoning permit in City of Federal Way, Washington — when one is required, what it costs, how long review takes, what documents are required, and which inspections you can expect. Cited to Apply via MyBuildingPermit.com..

Permit required?

Yes — see threshold below

Permit fee

Land-use fees vary widely; variance commonly $1,000-$3,000 + actual cost recovery for hearing examiner.

Review timeline

—

When does a land-use / zoning need a permit in City of Federal Way?

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).

Required submittals

narrative of request
site plan
design / elevation drawings if design review
SEPA checklist (if required)
mailing labels for public notice

Inspection sequence

intake completeness
staff review
public comment period
decision (admin or hearing examiner)

Notes & caveats

Issuing body is city planning, not building. Land-use approvals precede building permits and have their own SEPA threshold review. Process timelines run weeks to months; public notice + hearing examiner involvement is common.

Land-use permit fee estimate in City of Federal Way

Worked example for a $25,000 land-use / zoning project (building permit). Your actual fee scales with project valuation.

Building permit fee	$391.25
Plan review	$254.31
WA state surcharge	$4.5
Estimated total	$650.06

Land-use fees vary widely; variance commonly $1,000-$3,000 + actual cost recovery for hearing examiner. Computed from the City of Federal Way fee bracket schedule · source ↗. Impact/utility fees may apply separately.

How to apply

1. Confirm your parcel's zoning & overlays. Run an address lookup for your City of Federal Way land-use / zoning — we'll pull your specific lot polygon, zoning, setbacks, and any shoreline/ECA/historic overlays.
2. Assemble submittals (5).
3. Submit through the city portal: Apply via MyBuildingPermit.com. ↗
4. Track review (typical: —). Respond to reviewer comments promptly.
5. Pay issuance fees (Land-use fees vary widely; variance commonly $1,000-$3,000 + actual cost recovery for hearing examiner.) and pick up the permit. Inspection card travels with the job.

Compare this against other cities

Side-by-side land-use / zoning requirements across all 10 verified Seattle-area cities.

All City of Federal Way permits

Every project type — ADU, addition, kitchen, bath, deck, fence, and more — for City of Federal Way.

Land-use permits in City of Federal Way — FAQ

When does a land-use / zoning need a permit in City of Federal Way?

How much does a land-use / zoning permit cost in City of Federal Way?

For a $25,000 land-use / zoning project, the estimated City of Federal Way permit fee is about $650.06 — building fee $391.25 + plan review $254.31 + surcharges. Fees scale with project valuation per the city schedule.

City of Federal Way resourcesPermit portal ↗Fee schedule ↗