City of Redmond building permits: fees, timelines & requirements (2026)
What needs a permit in the City of Redmond 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 weekly 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).
14 of 23 project types have authoritative rules on file · 11 always require a permit · 12 depend on the scope · 0 do not.
Get your lot in 3D with zoning, setbacks, and the exact permits your project needs — cited to the City of Redmond's source.
Permit department
Redmond Planning and Community Development
Adopted code cycles
2021 IRC w/ WA amendments · 2021 WSEC
Resources
Construction permits
| Project | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel Depends on scope | Finish work (cabinets, counters, tile, paint) needs no permit. Replacing a sink or faucet needs a plumbing permit, and moving plumbing, new circuits, gas or venting, or any wall change needs a permit too. Cosmetic-only refresh (cabinets, countertops, flooring, paint) without structural/electrical/plumbing changes is generally exempt under 2021 IRC R105.2 (work exempt from permit). Any new circuit, fixture relocation, or structural change requires permits. | FeeAbout $1,693 for a $35,000 project, when a permit is needed | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
| Bathroom remodel Depends on scope | Tile, paint and other finish work need no permit, nor does pulling and resetting the same toilet. Replacing any fixture, faucet or valve, moving plumbing, replacing a tub or shower, new circuits or wall changes need permits. Like-for-like fixture replacement in same location with no plumbing rerouting and no new circuits: typically exempt under 2021 IRC R105.2(2)(g). Any relocation, new fixture, new circuit, or shower-pan replacement triggers permits. | FeeAbout $1,201 for a $22,000 project, when a permit is needed | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
| 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. | FeeAbout $1,866 for a $40,000 project | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
| Deck Depends on scope | A detached deck up to 200 sq ft and 30 in or less above grade that does not serve the required exit door needs no permit; an attached, larger or higher deck does. A permit is required for a deck that is attached to a structure, over 200 sq ft, or more than 30 inches above grade. A detached deck not over 200 sq ft and under 30 inches in height is exempt. | FeeAbout $1,010 for an $18,000 project, when a permit is needed | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| Fence Depends on scope | A fence 7 ft or under needs no building permit; a taller one does. Zoning limits fence height and bars fences in critical areas and their buffers. A permit is required for a fence over 7 feet in height; fences 7 feet and under are exempt (the Work Exempt handout confirms "Fences not over 7 feet (2,134 mm) high"). Property lines and sight-distance must be observed. | FeeAbout $435 for a $6,000 project, when a permit is needed | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| Siding Always | The state code exempts no siding replacement, and the local code adds no exemption: re-siding needs a permit. Patching a few boards without cutting into the wall is an ordinary repair. | FeeAbout $1,010 for an $18,000 project | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
| Window replacement Depends on scope | Replacing a window in its existing opening needs no permit if the opening stays the same size and no window's operable opening is made smaller; a new or resized opening, a smaller operable opening, or framing work, does. Removal and replacement of exterior windows in existing openings is exempt provided the opening size is not altered and the operable opening size is not decreased. Resizing or creating a new opening requires a permit. | FeeAbout $531 for an $8,000 project, when a permit is needed | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| Flooring Depends on scope | New flooring is finish work and needs no permit; changing the subfloor or joists, or adding radiant heat, does. Floor finish work (carpet, tile) is exempt finish work — no building permit required. | FeeAbout $435 for a $6,000 project, when a permit is needed | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| ADU / DADU Always | An ADU or DADU always needs a building permit, and usually trade permits with it. Redmond's ADU rules are in RZC 21.04.1110, as amended by Ordinance 3261 (codified August 2026). Two ADUs or tiny homes are allowed on each residential lot, added to or inside the house or in a detached structure (C.1, C.2.a). An ADU may be up to 1,000 sq ft; the Administrator may allow more when it fills a whole floor of the house, or on a site over 10,000 sq ft when the ADU is an affordable housing unit or provides a public benefit (C.3.a to C.3.c). A tiny home is limited to 400 sq ft (C.3.d). A detached ADU meets the lot coverage and other standards for a detached house in its zone, but may sit right on a lot line that abuts a public alley or right-of-way (C.2.b). | FeeAbout $5,333 for a $200,000 project | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-11-08 |
| Roofing Depends on scope | Re-roofing with composition, metal or similar roofing under 4 lb per sq ft needs no permit; heavier roofing such as tile, or any sheathing or framing work, does. Lightweight re-roof coverings (composition or metal, installed unit weight less than 4 lb/sq ft) are exempt. Heavier coverings (e.g., tile) or work touching the sheathing/structure require a permit. | FeeWhere a re-roof needs a permit in Redmond, it is a building permit priced on the value of the work: $138.26 for the first $2,000 plus $27.90 for each $1,000 more up to $25,000, and $781.12 for the first $25,000 plus $20.17 for each $1,000 more up to $50,000, with plan review, where plans are reviewed, at 65% of that fee. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| HVAC Depends on scope | Installing or replacing heating, cooling or ventilation equipment needs a mechanical permit; portable appliances, work on the piping inside the equipment, minor part replacements and self-contained refrigeration systems with 10 lb of refrigerant or less or a motor of 1 hp or less do not. Mechanical systems require a separate trade permit; all trade permits are separate and not included in the building permit. | FeeRedmond's mechanical permit is the $140.71 base fee plus $48.25 for each furnace or air handler, $48.25 for each outdoor compressor, air conditioner or heat pump, $38.60 for each vent of a new or remodeled duct system, $48.25 for gas piping to up to 4 outlets and $48.25 for a gas water heater. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| Electrical Depends on scope | Electrical work needs a permit from the City of Redmond, not L&I. Class A basic electrical work, like-in-kind replacement on the state's list, needs none. Redmond issues its own electrical permits — through the City's permit center, not WA L&I. The City's Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing Permit page lists "New or altered electrical circuit, panel, or service" among the projects that need a permit and takes residential electrical applications online through the Redmond ePermitting Service (REPS). Redmond's electrical code applies the City's building-code administrative provisions to electrical work (RMC 15.12.050, NEC 90.4(A)) and makes electrical work "for which an Electrical Permit is required by this Code … subject to inspection by the Building Official" (NEC 90.4(C)). No permit is required for Class A basic electrical work as defined in RCW 19.28.006 (RMC 15.08.060) — the state's list of like-in-kind replacements. | FeeRedmond issues its own electrical permits, not L&I. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-09-25 |
| Plumbing Depends on scope | Stopping leaks, clearing stoppages and removing and resetting the same toilet need no permit; replacing or moving any fixture, faucet or valve, resetting a fixture other than a toilet, a water heater, new piping or a concealed pipe does. WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) requires plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation of any plumbing fixture, water heater, or piping. Like-for-like faucet replacement is exempt. | FeeRedmond's plumbing permit is the $140.71 base fee plus $48.55 for each fixture, such as a sink, toilet, bathtub, shower or valve replacement, dishwasher, electric water heater or backflow preventer, and $97.08 a fixture for repairing or replacing water piping. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
| Addition Always | Adding floor area always needs a building permit. Additions, alterations, and remodels require a building permit with a site plan. Garage conversion to living space also requires a permit. All trade (electrical/plumbing/mechanical) and fire sub-permits must be completed and passed before the Building Final. | FeeAbout $3,795 for a $120,000 project | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| Solar (rooftop PV) Always | A solar PV system needs an electrical permit from the City of Redmond, which administers electrical work instead of L&I. Redmond's exempt-work list has no exemption for solar panels. | FeeRedmond's residential electrical fee schedule has no solar line: a permit is the $140.71 base fee plus its items, such as $96.02 for 0 to 3 new or altered circuits, with plan review at 20% of the permit fee and a 4% technology surcharge (Electrical Permit Fees, effective 2.1.2026). | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
| Heat pump Depends on scope | Installing or replacing a heat pump needs a mechanical permit and a City electrical permit; a portable unit, work on the piping inside the equipment, a minor part replacement or a self-contained unit with 10 lb of refrigerant or less or a motor of 1 hp or less does not need the mechanical permit. | FeeRedmond's mechanical permit is the $140.71 base fee plus $48.25 for each outdoor compressor, air conditioner or heat pump, and $38.60 for up to 2 ductless heads ($38.60 a head over 2), with building plan review at 25% of the permit fee and a 4% technology surcharge (Mechanical Permit Fees, effective 2.1.2026). | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
Ancillary & non-building permits
| Project | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition Always | Demolishing a building or structure needs a permit; a demolition of 200 sq ft or more also needs a salvage and deconstruction assessment from a King County certified salvage verifier. 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. | FeeRedmond prices a demolition permit on its building permit table, by the value of the work: $46.89 up to $500, $46.89 for the first $500 plus $6.08 for each $100 more up to $2,000, and $138.26 for the first $2,000 plus $27.90 for each $1,000 more up to $25,000, with plan review at 65% of that fee, plus a $434.48 fire fee. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
| Right-of-way Always | Any work in or occupation of the public right of way needs a right-of-way permit from the city, or from the agency that owns the street. A permit is required for any activity that disrupts traffic, restricts access, or modifies infrastructure within the right-of-way or utility easements, and for any private use of the public right-of-way including streets, on-street parking, and sidewalks. Work that stays entirely on private property does not require a permit — but anything protruding into the public right-of-way does, and nothing may block the sidewalk. | FeeRedmond's right-of-way use permit is $787.84, or $207.92 for a miscellaneous use. | Review10–15 days | Cite verified 2026-08-11 |
| Side sewer Always | Where the City owns the sewer, any connection, and any construction, extension, relaying or repair of a sewer on the lot (no minimum length), needs a City permit; where a district owns the main, that district issues it. Where the City of Redmond owns the sewer, a City permit is required to make any connection to a public or private sanitary sewer (RMC 13.04.110) and to construct, extend, relay or repair any sewer inside the property line (RMC 13.04.140), so any repair counts, with no minimum length. The City Engineer may issue the permit to the owner, who then need not hire a licensed side sewer contractor for a private sewer. Where a sewer or water district owns the main, that district issues the permit under its own code, so confirm the owner of the main before applying. WAC 51-56, the state plumbing code, governs how the building sewer is laid. | FeeIn the Redmond service area, the side sewer inspection fee is $1,722.55 for a new connection within the property, $475.60 for a repair or disconnection and $3,288.75 for a complex side sewer in the right-of-way; plan review of a single-family infill is $2,408.72. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
| 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. | FeeRedmond's clearing, grading and stormwater review of a single-family project is $1,399.30 for plan review and $1,023.23 for inspection (the inspection line reads single-family residential, 50 to 100 cubic yards). | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| 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). | FeeRedmond's variance is $19,347.23 for a single-family or non-corporate applicant and $20,240.60 otherwise; an administrative modification is $13,169.26. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
| Tree removal Depends on scope | In Redmond a significant tree, a tree of 6 in or more at 4.5 ft, needs a tree removal permit before it comes down, on any lot, and so does a stand of three or more trees whose drip lines touch. A tree of 4 to 6 in is significant if the City finds it so for its age, height, value or function; one under 4 in needs no tree permit. A landmark tree, over 30 in, comes down only by an exception the City grants. On a house lot the City permits up to 2 significant trees a year on a lot to 10,000 sq ft, 4 to 20,000, 6 to 30,000 and 8 on a larger lot; dead and hazardous trees do not count toward that. A tree in the street right-of-way is a street tree. Removing a tree on a lot in Redmond turns on its trunk diameter, measured 4.5 ft above the ground (RZC 21.78.130). A significant tree is a healthy tree of 6 in or more, or a tree of 4 in or more that the City finds significant for its age, height, value or function (RZC 21.78.280); cutting down or removing any significant tree, or any stand of three or more trees whose drip lines touch (RZC 21.78.290), needs a tree removal permit from the City first (RZC 21.72.020.A). On a developed single-family lot the City permits up to 2 significant trees a year on a lot up to 10,000 sq ft, 4 on a lot of 10,001 to 20,000 sq ft, 6 on a lot of 20,001 to 30,000 sq ft and 8 on a larger lot; hazardous, dead or otherwise dangerous trees do not count toward that, and a tree designated earlier for protection or in a native growth protection area comes down only if it is hazardous (RZC 21.72.020.B). A landmark tree, a healthy tree over 30 in (RZC 21.78.210), comes down only by an exception the City grants (RZC 21.72.060). Emergency work against an immediate threat and routine tree maintenance need no permit (RZC 21.72.030.A), but neither allows removing trees in a critical area, its buffer or a native growth protection area where the code prohibits it (RZC 21.72.030.B). A tree in the street right-of-way is a street tree, cut or pruned only under the supervision of the City's Parks Department (RZC 21.72.110). | FeeRedmond's tree removal permit is $208.36 on a single-family lot, or $570.91 where exceptional review is required, and $149.22 on other lots. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-10-27 |
| Signs Always | Putting up or structurally altering a permanent sign generally needs a city sign permit; which small or temporary signs are exempt differs by city. Each city's own sign code, usually a chapter of its zoning or development code, decides which signs need a permit and sets their size, number and placement by zone. Putting up or structurally altering a permanent sign generally needs a city sign permit, plus an electrical permit if the sign is lit, while repainting, ordinary maintenance and copy changes generally do not. Which small or temporary signs need no permit, and up to what size, differs from city to city, so check the city's own list before ordering a sign. | FeeRedmond prices a sign permit on its building permit table and plan review, with no Planning, engineering or fire fee: $46.89 up to $500, $46.89 for the first $500 plus $6.08 for each $100 more up to $2,000, and $138.26 for the first $2,000 plus $27.90 for each $1,000 more up to $25,000, with plan review at 65% of that fee. | ReviewNot published by the city | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
City of Redmond permits — frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a building permit in Redmond?
Redmond uses its own online portals — not MyBuildingPermit.com like its Eastside neighbors. Over-the-counter permits (no plan review) go through the REPS portal (Redmond ePermitting Service); permits needing plan review are requested through the PRO portal (Plan Review Online), after which you get an email within 48 hours with a permit number and upload instructions. You can also apply in person at the Development Services Center, 15670 NE 85th Street, 2nd floor.
Source: City of Redmond — How to Apply ↗How long does building permit review take in Redmond?
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits typically run about two weeks of plan review. Permits requiring full land-use review follow the state-mandated clocks: Type I decisions within 65 days and Type II decisions within 100 days of a completeness determination, and Redmond has 28 days to decide whether your application is complete. Correction cycles pause those clocks.
Source: City of Redmond — MEP Permits ↗How many ADUs can I have in Redmond, and how big?
Redmond’s zoning code allows up to two accessory dwelling units (or tiny homes) on a single residential lot, attached or detached (DADU). An ADU may not exceed 1,000 sq ft in total (RZC 21.04.1110.C.3, as amended by Ordinance 3261, codified August 2026); the Administrator may allow more for an ADU occupying a full floor, or on sites over 10,000 sq ft that provide affordable housing or another public benefit.
Source: Redmond Zoning Code 21.08.220 ↗Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my Redmond property?
Usually yes. Redmond requires a Tree Removal Permit to remove any "significant tree" — a healthy tree at least 6 inches in diameter measured 4.5 feet above grade. "Landmark" trees over 30 inches, and trees in critical areas or protected easements, have stricter limits and generally cannot be removed without an approved exception.
Source: City of Redmond — Tree FAQ ↗If I develop my Redmond lot, how many trees must I keep?
At least 35% of all significant trees must be retained in any development. Trees in Native Growth Protection Areas, critical areas, and their buffers cannot be removed at all, and landmark trees need an approved exception. Preserving 40% or more of healthy significant trees can qualify a project for Administrative Design Flexibility.
Source: Redmond Zoning Code 21.72.060 ↗Do I need a permit for a fence or a deck in Redmond?
No permit is needed for a fence less than 6 feet tall in a residential neighborhood (it still can’t block sight-distance triangles, and you must locate property lines first). For decks, Redmond says a permit is required per the International Residential Code and points to its Residential Deck Application Packet for the details.
Source: City of Redmond — Fences & Decks ↗Building in the City of Redmond?
Kolmo Construction is a licensed Washington general contractor — KOLMOL*753JS, bonded and insured — working throughout the City of Redmond and King County. We pull the building permits listed above and build the project. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work, and those permits, go to licensed trade subcontractors that Kolmo manages.
How this page is built
Each row is the most-recently-verified authoritative rule on file for the City of Redmond and the listed project type. “Pending verification” means we have the City of Redmond 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.