Deck permits in City of Kirkland: fees, timeline & requirements (2026)

When does a deck need a permit in City of Kirkland?

KMC 21.06.215(5): a building permit is NOT required for a deck that is (a) not more than 30 inches above grade, AND (b) not over any basement or story below, AND (c) not part of an accessible route. All three must hold — a 24-inch deck over a basement, or one forming an accessible route to an entrance, still requires a permit. Decking-board replacement that does not change/add structural members or remove guardrails is separately exempt. The guard is not covered by this exemption: Kirkland Development Services confirmed at the counter on 2026-08-06 that a deck may be exempt while its railing still requires a permit, so the deck and the guard are evaluated separately.

In the source's own words

“A building permit is not required for a deck that is not more than 30" above grade and not over any basement or story below and which is not part of an accessible route.”

Source ↗verified 2026-09-24

Required submittals

• Site plan showing the deck in relation to other structures and property lines, with lot coverage calculations and required setbacks shown
• Site plan identification of any slope, wetland, or other environmentally sensitive area, and definition of the extent of work
• Elevations showing the deck including height, related stairs, access, guards and handrails
• Floor plans showing the deck and the rooms, windows and doors adjacent to it, indicating whether the deck is drip-through or waterproof
• Notes and details showing compliance with the deck code requirements in Step 4 of the City handout
• Structural notes and framing plans with dimensions, joist layout, beam size and location, post size and location, footing size, guard post spacing, connections, fasteners and bracing — stating clearly whether the design is prescriptive per Construction Tip Sheet 5 or engineered
• Structural calculations (required only where the design is engineered rather than prescriptive per Construction Tip Sheet 5)
• Building Permit Checklist — remaining application requirements per the City checklist

Inspection sequence

1. footing
2. framing
3. final

Contractor specialties needed

general

Notes & caveats

Ledger connection details per IRC R507. Guards required for walking surfaces ≥30in above grade (R312). Lateral load connection required for attached decks (R507.9.2).

Deck permit fee — Washington baseline, not City of Kirkland's own schedule

Worked example for a $18,000 deck project (building permit). Your actual fee scales with project valuation.

Most jurisdictions handle decks as field-inspection or simplified plan review. Apply via https://mybuildingpermit.com. We have not read City of Kirkland's adopted fee schedule, so this is not City of Kirkland's fee: it walks the standard valuation table most Washington cities adopt by reference, as a rough guide. The real numbers are in City of Kirkland's fee schedule ↗. Impact/utility fees may apply separately.