Side sewer permits in Lakewood: fees, timeline & requirements (2026)
Everything you need to know about pulling a side sewer permit in Lakewood, Washington — when one is required, what it costs, how long review takes, what documents are required, and which inspections you can expect. Cited to Pierce County Planning and Public Works.
Free lookup, no account needed — your lot lines and the house, with a plan to draw the side sewer, cited to Lakewood's source.
When does side sewer work need a permit in Lakewood?
The side-sewer permit comes from the utility that owns the sewer main (the city, a sewer or water district, or a regional utility), under that utility's own code. 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. The utility's code, not a statewide rule, decides which work needs the permit: a new connection does, and many utility codes also require it for any repair, however short, and for capping or disconnecting a side sewer, so check that code before digging. WAC 51-56, the state plumbing code, governs how the building sewer is laid.
From Lakewood's own code
“A. Sewer Connection Required. After a notice of availability is provided to a property owner that sewer service is available, it shall be unlawful for that property owner to fail to or neglect to connect the structures on their property to the sanitary sewer. B. Upon notice of availability, the owner of each lot or parcel of real property with sanitary sewer service available shall take steps to connect all appropriate structures thereupon to the sanitary sewer system.”Source ↗verified 2026-05-02
Required submittals
- Site plan with sewer line route
- Depth + slope detail
- Cleanout locations
- Utility locate ticket
Inspection sequence
- Pre-cover (open trench)
- Air / water test
- Final
Contractor specialties needed
Side sewer contractor
Who can do this work in Lakewood?
Kolmo Construction is a licensed Washington general contractor — KOLMOL*753JS, active through April 10, 2027, bonded and insured — working throughout Lakewood and Pierce County. Kolmo prepares the drawings and submittals, files the side sewer permit with Pierce County Planning and Public Works, carries the project through review and inspections, and performs the construction. Call (206) 410-5100 for a Lakewood side sewer quote.
Notes & caveats
Issuing body is the sanitary sewer utility, not the building department, and inspection is the utility's too. Some utilities additionally require the contractor to hold a side-sewer card or registration before they will issue; it is not universal, so check the serving utility's own rules rather than assuming either way.
How to apply yourself
- 1. Draw the side sewer. Run an address lookup for your side sewer work in Lakewood — we'll pull your lot lines and the house, and you can draw the side sewer's run to the street on a plan of the lot.
- 2. Assemble submittals: the 4 documents under Required submittals above.
- 3. Apply with Pierce County Planning and Public Works.
- 4. Track review. Respond to reviewer comments promptly.
- 5. Pay issuance fees (Pierce County Planning and Public Works sets them) and pick up the permit. Inspection card travels with the job.
Or have Kolmo do it
Kolmo prepares the drawings and submittals, files with Pierce County Planning and Public Works, handles reviewer comments, and builds the project.
Licensed WA general contractor KOLMOL*753JS · bonded & insured
Side sewer permits in Lakewood — FAQ
When does side sewer work need a permit in Lakewood?
The side-sewer permit comes from the utility that owns the sewer main (the city, a sewer or water district, or a regional utility), under that utility's own code. 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. The utility's code, not a statewide rule, decides which work needs the permit: a new connection does, and many utility codes also require it for any repair, however short, and for capping or disconnecting a side sewer, so check that code before digging. WAC 51-56, the state plumbing code, governs how the building sewer is laid.
How much does a side sewer permit cost in Lakewood?
Lakewood's Permit Center says the City is not a full-service agency: sewer permits, reviews and inspections are done by an outside agency, and for sewer it names Pierce County Planning and Public Works. The side sewer permit, Pierce County's sewer service permit, and its fees come from Pierce County Planning and Public Works under Pierce County Code Title 13, not from the City: it is required for any new connection to the public sewer and for any modification, repair, disconnection or addition to an existing building sewer (PCC 13.04.055), and the work must be done by a Pierce County registered sewer contractor. Apply through Pierce County's online permits (https://www.piercecountywa.gov/Permit), where a registered contractor gets an emergency repair or capping permit at once.