Right-of-way permits in Tacoma: fees, timeline & requirements (2026)
Everything you need to know about pulling a right-of-way permit in Tacoma, Washington — when one is required, what it costs, how long review takes, what documents are required, and which inspections you can expect. Cited to Tacoma Planning & Development Services.
Free lookup, no account needed — your lot lines, where the lot meets the street, cited to Tacoma's source.
When does right-of-way work need a permit in Tacoma?
Issued by city public works (or SDOT in Seattle) under local ROW ordinance. Triggered by physical occupation of or work within the public ROW including driveway aprons, curb cuts, sidewalk replacement, utility tie-ins, hauling routes, and temporary construction staging.
From Tacoma's own code
“An authorized neighborhood and/or business district may apply for a blanket Right-of-Way Occupancy Permit. Such permit would provide an unlimited number of private occupancies (non-commercial in nature) in the right-of-way, if approved. The location and configuration of each right-of-way occupancy must be clearly identified with maps and drawings. Other permits may apply depending on the nature of the street occupancy.”Source ↗verified 2026-05-02
What Tacoma says in its own permit handout
From Right-of-Way Permits, published by Tacoma. This is the jurisdiction's own guidance on its permit process, not the ordinance text — where the two differ, the code governs.
“Previously referred to as a Street Occupancy Permit (SOP), is a provision of Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) 9.08 Right-of-Way Occupancies. It is a permit that allows for private use or occupancy of the public right-of-way, when that use or occupancy has a duration of 90 days or more.”Handout ↗read 2026-09-05
Required submittals
- ROW work plan / sketch
- Traffic-control plan if arterial
- Certificate of insurance
- Bond if required
Inspection sequence
- Pre-construction
- Subgrade / base
- Final ROW restoration
Contractor specialties needed
General contractor
Who can do this work in Tacoma?
Kolmo Construction is a licensed Washington general contractor — KOLMOL*753JS, active through April 10, 2027, bonded and insured — working throughout Tacoma and Pierce County. Kolmo prepares the drawings and submittals, files the right-of-way permit with Tacoma Planning & Development Services, carries the project through review and inspections, and performs the construction. Call (206) 410-5100 for a Tacoma right-of-way quote.
Notes & caveats
Issuing body is city public works, not the building department. Often required as a precondition to a building permit (e.g. addition w/ new driveway). Bond + insurance commonly required. Traffic-control plan for arterial work.
How to apply yourself
- 1. Find where your lot meets the street. Run an address lookup for your right-of-way work in Tacoma — we'll pull your lot lines as the county maps them, which show where the lot ends and the public right-of-way begins.
- 2. Assemble submittals: the 4 documents under Required submittals above.
- 3. Submit through the city portal: Tacoma Planning & Development Services ↗
- 4. Track review. Respond to reviewer comments promptly.
- 5. Pay issuance fees (Tacoma's fee schedule 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 Tacoma Planning & Development Services, handles reviewer comments, and builds the project.
Licensed WA general contractor KOLMOL*753JS · bonded & insured
Right-of-way permits in Tacoma — FAQ
When does right-of-way work need a permit in Tacoma?
Issued by city public works (or SDOT in Seattle) under local ROW ordinance. Triggered by physical occupation of or work within the public ROW including driveway aprons, curb cuts, sidewalk replacement, utility tie-ins, hauling routes, and temporary construction staging.
How much does a right-of-way permit cost in Tacoma?
Tacoma's right-of-way construction permits are priced by the work (PDS Fee Schedule Table 6-1): a permanent concrete driveway up to 30 feet wide $510, removing and replacing sidewalk or curb and gutter $540 plus $4 a linear foot over 50 feet, a storm sewer connection $540, a water line or utility trench $350 for the first 100 feet, and review and inspection $210 an hour. A street barricade is $74 a day for each block (Table 7). Table 1 adds the technology (5%), emergency preparedness (5%) and reserve fund (2%) surcharges, and the natural resources program (5%) on right-of-way permits.