Window replacement permit requirements across 16 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 require a permit for a window replacement, 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.
10 of 16 cities have authoritative rules on file · 6 always require a permit · 10 depend on the scope · 0 do not.
King County
| Jurisdiction | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
city | Depends on scope | Replacing a window with one of the same size needs no permit when no structural member is altered; a new opening, or a larger or smaller window, does. No permit is required for window replacements of the same size in the same location. Enlarging an opening requires the SF Remodel permit. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Always | Replacing windows needs a building permit in Federal Way: neither the state code nor the city exempts it, and in a critical area even a repair needs one. Under the state code (the 2021 IRC as adopted by WAC 51-51-003) R105.2 lists no exemption for replacing windows, so window replacement needs a permit under R105.1 unless the city's own code exempts in-kind replacement; many cities do, with conditions on structure, egress, safety glazing and the energy code. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
city | Depends on scope | Replacing a window with one of the same size needs no permit when no framing changes, egress is kept, safety glazing and fall protection are provided where required, and the new window meets the energy code's U-factor; a new or resized opening does. Like-for-like window/door replacement is exempt when the opening is not increased, energy efficiency (U-value) is not decreased, and egress is maintained. A new or larger opening requires a permit. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Always | Kent processes window replacement as a Minor Work permit. Window permits are processed as Minor Work and need a site plan and specifications; typically processed within 2–3 business days. | — | 2–3 days | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | In-kind window replacement is exempt when no framing changes, egress is kept, safety glazing and fall protection are provided where required and the new window meets the energy code U-value, except in a flood hazard area, a critical area or its buffer, or a wildland-urban interface (WUI) location. A new or enlarged opening needs a permit. In-kind window/door replacement is exempt when no structural members are altered, the U-value meets the prescriptive energy code, safety glazing and fall protection are provided where required, and egress is maintained. A new or enlarged opening requires a permit. KMC 21.06.215(1)(N) exempts "In-kind window replacement for IRC structures where no alteration of structural members is required, safety glazing is provided where required, window fall protection is provided where required, emergency egress requirements are provided and when the window U-values meet the current prescriptive requirements of the International Energy Conservation Code." None of this is exempt in a flood hazard area, a critical area or its buffer, or where the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code applies. KMC 21.06.215: "Permit exemptions shall not apply to areas of flood hazard or city land use critical areas and their required buffers, or locations subject to the construction requirements of the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code." | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Replacing a window in kind needs no permit when no framing changes, egress is kept, safety glazing and fall protection are provided where required and the U-value meets the energy code, even in a critical or flood hazard area. A new or resized opening, a structural change, any of those conditions unmet, or a wildland-urban interface (WUI) location needs a permit. Exempt: in-kind window replacement for IRC structures where no alteration of structural members is required, safety glazing is provided where required, and window fall protection is provided where required. Permit required for: new openings, larger openings, or any structural alteration. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-04-29 |
city | 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. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Replacing a window or door in kind needs no permit when the opening is not enlarged, no framing is altered, no egress window gets smaller, the new unit meets the energy code's U-value and safety glass is used where required, except in a flood hazard area or a critical area. In-kind window/door replacement is exempt when openings are not increased, no structural members are altered, the U-value meets the prescriptive WSEC requirement, and safety glass is provided where required. Enlarging an opening requires a permit. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Replacing a window needs no permit when no structural member is altered, unless it is an egress (escape) window or one that must have safety glass or fall protection. Under the state code (the 2021 IRC as adopted by WAC 51-51-003) R105.2 lists no exemption for replacing windows, so window replacement needs a permit under R105.1 unless the city's own code exempts in-kind replacement; many cities do, with conditions on structure, egress, safety glazing and the energy code. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
city | Depends on scope | Seattle's code has no window exemption of its own. Replacing windows needs no building permit only as minor work: all minor work on the house worth $6,000 or less in any six months, this job included, in the same openings, with nothing loadbearing changed and no smaller escape window. Over $6,000 in six months, or a new or enlarged opening, needs a permit. In a special flood hazard area, or on a parcel with an environmentally critical area, even the exempt work needs floodplain development approval or the Director's approval of an exemption. Like-for-like replacement in existing rough opening with U-factor compliance: typically exempt. New opening, enlarged opening, change in egress compliance, or any structural header change requires Subject-to-Field-Inspection permit. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-04-26 |
city | Depends on scope | Replacing windows needs no permit when no framing is revised and no bedroom escape opening is made smaller; a new or resized opening does. Replacing windows of the same size in the same location most likely does not need a permit. Moving or enlarging a window opening requires a building permit. New glazing must meet 2021 WSEC R402 U-factor/SHGC. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-17 |
Pierce County
| Jurisdiction | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
city | Always | Replacing windows or doors needs a building permit in Lakewood; same-opening work goes through the City's Like-for-Like permit type. Permit required for window or door replacement (a "Like for Like" permit type exists per Residential Applications Matrix). Bedrooms have specific egress sizing requirements per IEBC 702.5: where existing window does not meet egress requirements, replacement window must be the manufacturer's largest standard size that fits within existing frame/rough opening. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-04-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Enlarging an opening needs a permit; like-for-like in the same opening is not addressed by the source and is treated as exempt under the state baseline. Permit required for window or door installation that enlarges the opening. Like-for-like replacement in same opening NOT explicitly addressed in source — assume exempt per WA baseline. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-04-29 |
city | Always | The state code exempts no window replacement: replacing windows needs a permit unless the city's own code exempts in-kind replacement, as many do. Replacing broken glass is an ordinary repair. Under the state code (the 2021 IRC as adopted by WAC 51-51-003) R105.2 lists no exemption for replacing windows, so window replacement needs a permit under R105.1 unless the city's own code exempts in-kind replacement; many cities do, with conditions on structure, egress, safety glazing and the energy code. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
Snohomish County
| Jurisdiction | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
city | Always | The state code exempts no window replacement: replacing windows needs a permit unless the city's own code exempts in-kind replacement, as many do. Replacing broken glass is an ordinary repair. Under the state code (the 2021 IRC as adopted by WAC 51-51-003) R105.2 lists no exemption for replacing windows, so window replacement needs a permit under R105.1 unless the city's own code exempts in-kind replacement; many cities do, with conditions on structure, egress, safety glazing and the energy code. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
city | Always | The state code exempts no window replacement: replacing windows needs a permit unless the city's own code exempts in-kind replacement, as many do. Replacing broken glass is an ordinary repair. Under the state code (the 2021 IRC as adopted by WAC 51-51-003) R105.2 lists no exemption for replacing windows, so window replacement needs a permit under R105.1 unless the city's own code exempts in-kind replacement; many cities do, with conditions on structure, egress, safety glazing and the energy code. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
How this table is built
Each row reflects the most-recently-verified authoritative rule on file for that jurisdiction and project type. “Pending verification” means we have the jurisdiction in our database but haven't yet personally checked the city page for window replacement 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.