Addition permits in City of Seattle: fees, timeline & requirements (2026)

Everything you need to know about pulling a home addition permit in City of Seattle, Washington — when one is required, what it costs, how long review takes, what documents are required, and which inspections you can expect. Cited to Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI).

Permit required?
Yes — see threshold below
Permit fee
Construction Permit (Addition/Alteration). Pay 75% of plan-review + permit fees at application acceptance. See SDCI 2026 Fee Estimator.
Review timeline
30–120 days

When does a home addition need a permit in City of Seattle?

Any additional floor area requires Construction Permit (Addition or Alteration). Plan review required. ECA + lot coverage + setback compliance verified at intake.

Required submittals

  • architectural plans
  • structural calcs
  • WSEC compliance form
  • site plan w/ setbacks + lot coverage
  • survey if near setback or in ECA

Inspection sequence

  1. footing
  2. foundation
  3. framing
  4. rough-in (electrical/plumbing/mechanical)
  5. insulation
  6. drywall
  7. final

Contractor specialties needed

general, electrical-01-or-02, plumbing, mechanical

Notes & caveats

Full structural plan review. Lot coverage limits apply (NR zones: 35% or 1,000sf + 15% for small lots). Energy code applies to new conditioned space.

Addition permit fee estimate in City of Seattle

Worked example for a $120,000 home addition project (building permit). Your actual fee scales with project valuation.

Building permit fee$1,437.48
Plan review$934.36
Technology surcharge$71.87
WA state surcharge$4.5
Estimated total$2,448.21

$100,001 to $500,000: $993.75 + $5.60 per $1,000 over $100,000 (Seattle SDCI applies ~1.30× multiplier vs. UBC baseline; verify against current SDCI Fee Subtitle for exact figures) Computed from the City of Seattle fee bracket schedule · source ↗. Impact/utility fees may apply separately.

How to apply

  1. 1. Confirm your parcel's zoning & overlays. Run an address lookup for your City of Seattle home addition — we'll pull your specific lot polygon, zoning, setbacks, and any shoreline/ECA/historic overlays.
  2. 2. Assemble submittals (5).
  3. 3. Submit through the city portal: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)
  4. 4. Track review (typical: 30–120 days). Respond to reviewer comments promptly.
  5. 5. Pay issuance fees (Construction Permit (Addition/Alteration). Pay 75% of plan-review + permit fees at application acceptance. See SDCI 2026 Fee Estimator.) and pick up the permit. Inspection card travels with the job.

Addition permits in City of Seattle — FAQ

When does a home addition need a permit in City of Seattle?

Any additional floor area requires Construction Permit (Addition or Alteration). Plan review required. ECA + lot coverage + setback compliance verified at intake.

How much does a home addition permit cost in City of Seattle?

For a $120,000 home addition project, the estimated City of Seattle permit fee is about $2,448.21 — building fee $1,437.48 + plan review $934.36 + surcharges. Fees scale with project valuation per the city schedule.

How long does City of Seattle take to review a home addition permit?

Typical review window: 30–120 days.

City of Seattle resourcesPermit portal ↗Fee schedule ↗