Side sewer permit requirements across 17 Seattle-area cities
Side-by-side: which of Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Renton, Kent, Federal Way, Mercer Island, Shoreline, Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup, Everett, Lynnwood, Woodinville require a permit for side sewer work, and what triggers one — each row quoted from the city's own code or permit page, with the source linked. Fees and review times appear where the city publishes them.
11 of 17 cities have authoritative rules on file · 17 always require a permit · 0 depend on the scope · 0 do not.
King County
| Jurisdiction | Threshold | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Always | Where the City owns the sewer, building a side sewer and any addition, repair or connection to one needs a City permit, with no minimum length; where a district owns the main, that district issues it. Where the City of Bellevue's sewer utility owns the sewer, a side sewer permit is required to construct a side sewer and to make any addition, repair or connection to an existing side sewer (BCC 24.04.120(B)(1)), so any repair counts, with no minimum length. The property owner or their licensed and bonded contractor applies, and the permit expires two years after it is issued. Where a sewer 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. | Fee: Where Bellevue Utilities serves the lot, a single-family side sewer connection permit is $325 for review plus a $432 inspection deposit; a small repair is $216 for inspection with no review fee (Ordinance 6879, Table 26). Apply via mybuildingpermit.com. | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | A new side-sewer connection needs a permit from the utility that owns the main; many utilities also require one for any repair, however short, and for capping. 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. | Fee: — | Cite verified 2026-05-17 |
Always | Where the City owns the sewer, building a side sewer or any modification of one needs a City permit before work starts, with no minimum length; where a district owns the main, that district issues it. Where the City of Issaquah owns the sewer, a City side sewer permit is required before any work starts to build a side sewer or to modify an existing one, on private property or in the right-of-way (IMC 13.40.020), so any repair counts, with no minimum length. A permit for work only on private property may go to the owner or their licensed side sewer contractor; one that includes work in a public way goes only to a licensed side sewer contractor. Where a sewer 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. | Fee: Where the City serves the lot, Issaquah's utility service application is $410.80, and a new connection pays the City's sewer general facilities charge, $4,410 per residential customer equivalent, while King County bills its own sewer capacity charge (Site Work and Utility Permit Fee Schedule, effective April 7, 2026). Apply via mybuildingpermit.com where the City serves the lot. King County's sewer service area map shows about four fifths of Issaquah served by the City's own sewer utility and most of the rest by Sammamish Plateau Water. Where a district serves it, the side sewer permit and its fees come from that district, under its own rules and fee schedule, not from the City, so confirm the lot's utility before applying. District: Sammamish Plateau Water (spwater.org). | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | Where the City owns the sewer, any work to build, extend, relay or repair a building sewer or side sewer, and any connection, needs a City permit, with no minimum length; where a district owns the main, that district issues it. Where the City of Kent owns the sewer, a permit is required for all work to construct, extend, relay or repair a building sewer or a side sewer, and to make any connection to a side stub or the public sewer, on private property or in the right-of-way (KCC 7.04.050), so any repair counts, with no minimum length. The owner or a licensed contractor does the work. Where a sewer 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. | Fee: — | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | Where the City owns the sewer, any connection, and any construction, extension, relaying or repair of a sewer or drain on the lot (no minimum length), needs a City permit; where a district owns the main, that district issues it. Where the City of Kirkland owns the sewer, the city engineer's permit is required to construct, extend, relay, repair or make a connection to any sanitary sewer or drain on the property (KMC 15.28.070), so any repair counts, with no minimum length, and any connection to a public or private sewer needs a City permit (KMC 15.28.040). The owner or occupant may take the permit for a private sewer inside the property lines; side sewer work in the right-of-way outside the lot is permitted only to a state-certified plumber or a licensed general contractor. Where a sewer 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. | Fee: Where the City's sewer utility serves the lot, Kirkland's side sewer inspection is $736 for a new side sewer and $169 for a repair or for capping one; a newly connected or expanded sewer customer also pays the City's sewer capital facility charge, $5,124 for a single-family house, and King County's capacity charge. Apply via mybuildingpermit.com. King County's sewer service area map shows about half of Kirkland served by Northshore Utility District; there the side sewer permit and its fees come from the district, under its own rules and fee schedule, not from the City, so confirm the lot's utility before applying. District: Northshore Utility District (nud.net). | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | Building a side sewer or any modification of one needs the City's permit approvals first, with no minimum length. The City of Mercer Island requires its side sewer permit approvals before any construction of a side sewer or any modification of an existing one (MICC 15.06.040), so any repair counts, with no minimum length. A permit for work only on private property may go to the owner or a licensed side sewer contractor; work in a right-of-way or public sewer easement is permitted only to a licensed side sewer contractor. WAC 51-56, the state plumbing code, governs how the building sewer is laid. | Fee: Mercer Island's side sewer permit is $342 for a connection, a revision, modification or repair, a disconnect, or a stub-out to the property line; further review and inspection is $182 an hour (2026 Fee Schedule). | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
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. | Fee: In 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. A new connection also pays the sewer system connection charge: $2,470 for a home under 1,500 sq ft, $3,050 for 1,500 to 2,999 sq ft and $3,540 for 3,000 sq ft or more. The side sewer contractor must be on the City's active roster. A 4% technology surcharge applies to the inspection fees (Sewer System Connection Fees, effective January 1, 2026). Apply through the Redmond ePermitting Service, REPS (cityofredmondwa-energovweb.tylerhost.net/ | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | A new side-sewer connection needs a permit from the utility that owns the main; many utilities also require one for any repair, however short, and for capping. 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. | Fee: — | Cite verified 2026-05-17 |
Always | A new side-sewer connection needs a permit from the utility that owns the main; many utilities also require one for any repair, however short, and for capping. 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. | Fee: — | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | SPU's side sewer permit is needed to connect to the City's sewer and to build, repair, alter, cap or abandon any side sewer, with no minimum length. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) issues the side sewer permit, and inspects the work, for property served by the City's sewer and drainage system. A permit is required to connect a property to the public sewer or a storm drain, and to construct, repair, alter or add to, or to abandon, remove or cap, any sanitary or drainage side sewer (SMC 21.16.070). There is no minimum length: SPU requires its repair permit anytime a pipe or an outside fixture such as a cleanout or yard drain is repaired or replaced, and capping a side sewer for a demolition takes a stand-alone capping permit. Only a registered side sewer contractor may work in a public place (SMC 21.16.055). WAC 51-56, the state plumbing code, governs how the building sewer is laid. | Fee: Seattle Public Utilities issues the side sewer permit and sets its fee by Director's Rule (SMC 21.16.070). Under SPU's 2026 rule, a new, relocated or altered side sewer is $375 for the first connection and $280 for each additional one, with $75 for each pump; a repair is $280, capping a line $375 and a temporary service $225. Each permit includes one hour of inspection, and further inspection time is $160 an hour (Director's Rule FIN-220.2). | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | A new side-sewer connection needs a permit from the utility that owns the main; many utilities also require one for any repair, however short, and for capping. 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. | Fee: Where the City's wastewater utility serves the lot, Shoreline bills a single-family side sewer permit at $267 an hour: a new connection has a 3-hour minimum, a repair or replacement or capping-off a 2-hour minimum, and a single-family pump a 5-hour minimum. Apply electronically via eTRAKiT (shorelinewa.gov/ | Cite verified 2026-05-17 |
Always | The City of Woodinville issues no side-sewer permit: the sewer utility that serves the lot does, under its own rules (most of the City is in Woodinville Water District's area). New construction needs the District's certificate of sewer availability before the City takes the building application; a septic system is approved by Public Health – Seattle & King County. The City of Woodinville has no sewer utility and issues no side-sewer permit: the utility that serves the lot does, under its own rules and fees. King County's sewer service area map puts most of Woodinville in Woodinville Water District's area, with slivers in Northshore Utility District's and the City of Bothell's; a lot with no sewer available is on a septic system. New construction needs Woodinville Water District's certificate of water and sewer availability before the City takes the building application; Public Health – Seattle & King County approves a septic system. | Fee: — | Cite verified 2026-11-07 |
Pierce County
| Jurisdiction | Threshold | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Always | A new side-sewer connection needs a permit from the utility that owns the main; many utilities also require one for any repair, however short, and for capping. 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. | Fee: — | Cite verified 2026-05-02 |
Always | Where the City owns the sewer, a new connection or any change to an existing one needs the city engineer's permit; ask the City whether a repair on the lot that leaves the connection unchanged does. Where the City of Puyallup owns the sewer, the city engineer's permission is required to make any connection to the sanitary sewer or to alter an existing connection in any way, and a permit from the city engineer's office to connect a private sewer line to a sewer in a street or alley (PMC 14.08.090). The chapter names no minimum length, and it does not say whether a repair on the lot that leaves the connection unchanged needs a permit, so ask the City's engineering office before that work. Where a sewer district owns the main, that district issues the permit under its own code. WAC 51-56, the state plumbing code, governs how the building sewer is laid. | Fee: Puyallup's sanitary sewer service connection permit is $280 with the tap and on-site inspection, $170 for on-site inspection only and $30 for an on-site repair; capping a side sewer for a demolition is a $30 inspection (2026 Municipal Fee Schedule). Apply through Puyallup's online permit system, CityView (permits.puyallupwa.gov/ | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | Where the City owns the sewer, any repair, rehabilitation, replacement or new construction of a private side sewer needs a City permit, with no minimum length; where a district owns the main, that district issues it. Where the City of Tacoma owns the sewer, all work to repair, rehabilitate, replace or construct a private side sewer needs a City permit and must meet the City's Side Sewer and Sanitary Sewer Availability Manual (TMC 12.08B.150), so any repair counts, with no minimum length. Where a sewer 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. | Fee: Where the City owns the sewer, Tacoma's side sewer permits are priced in its right-of-way fee table (Table 6-1): a $130 sanitary sewer connection permit issuance fee, $450 for each house sewer connection to a City main, and $400 to repair a house sewer to the City main or to a septic tank, each $110 more if the contractor is to repair the street. Table 1 adds the technology (5%), emergency preparedness (5%) and reserve fund (2%) surcharges. Where a sewer district owns the main, its own fees apply. | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Snohomish County
| Jurisdiction | Threshold | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Always | Where the City owns the sewer, any connection, and laying, altering, extending or repairing a sewer connected to it (no minimum length), needs a City permit; where a district owns the main, that district issues it. Where the City of Everett owns the sewer, a City permit is required to connect to or open any part of the City sewer system, or a private sewer connected to it, and to lay, alter, extend or repair any public or private sewer that connects to it (EMC 14.08.060), so any repair counts, with no minimum length. When the work comes with new construction or a remodel that needs a building permit, the sewer permit must be obtained, and its fees and connection charges paid, before the building permit is issued. Where a sewer 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. | Fee: Where the City serves the lot, Everett's sewer fees are $60 for a new connection to the sewer main or a reconnection to an existing stub, plus $10 for each building connected to the side sewer; altering or repairing a side sewer is $30, a backwater valve $30, and capping one off $10 (Sewer Fees, EMC 14.08.140, effective 01/01/2026). King County's sewer service area map shows Everett served by the City's own sewer utility except a small area served by Mukilteo Water and Wastewater District. Where a district serves it, the side sewer permit and its fees come from that district, under its own rules and fee schedule, not from the City, so confirm the lot's utility before applying. District: Mukilteo Water and Wastewater District (mukilteowwd.org). | Cite verified 2026-10-24 |
Always | A new side-sewer connection needs a permit from the utility that owns the main; many utilities also require one for any repair, however short, and for capping. 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. | Fee: Where the City of Lynnwood serves the lot, its side sewer permit is $997 for a new house, plat or short plat, per side sewer, and a repair or replacement is $475 over 25 feet or $247 for 25 feet or less; capping a sewer is $123, with a 2.5% technology fee added (LMC 3.104). King County's sewer service area map shows a small part of Lynnwood served by Alderwood Water & Wastewater District instead; there the side sewer permit and its fees come from the district, under its own rules and fee schedule, so confirm the lot's utility before applying. District: Alderwood Water & Wastewater District (awwd.com). | Cite verified 2026-05-02 |
How this table is built
Each row reflects the most-recently-verified authoritative rule on file for that jurisdiction and project type. “Not verified” means we have the jurisdiction in our database but haven't yet personally checked the city page for side sewer rules — those rows fall back to county or WA-state baselines until verified. Sources link directly to the city or county page we read on the verified-on date. See our data-quality leaderboard for how we keep these current.