Quality Control: Plans Routing
Before your plans are approved and the permit is issued, your plans go through a quality-control process in our Plans Routing department. During the QC process, Plans Routing staff verify that approvals and redlines are transferred from all plan sets to the plan set that is permitted and archived -- and that all the plans match. Quality control also involves verifying valuation changes and double-checking fees that are affected, and adding and adjusting fees if necessary -- especially fees for site inspections and special inspections.
Plans Routing verifies that all prior to issuance conditions have been met including: bonds, insurance, tenant relocation and Master Use permitting. Because of the record-breaking number of projects DPD has been handling in the last two years, the Plans Routing process takes 48 - 72 hours.
Permit Issuance
Our Plans Routing staff will notify you by phone when your plans have been approved by DPD and other agencies. Once you receive notification, come to the Permit Issuance counter in the Applicant Services Center (location & hours) to pick up your permit and approved plans and to pay any outstanding fees.
Post-Issuance: Required Points of Inspection
After your building permit is issued, a DPD inspector checks to make sure that your work is done according to code. As a permit holder, you must call or use our online service to arrange for each inspection. Unless your building permit provides for additional or special inspections, there may be five required points of inspection:
- At time of first ground disturbance (erosion control requirement)
- Prior to pouring of foundation
- Prior to covering framing
- After insulation is installed
- After construction is complete
Plumbing, electrical, side sewer work, and water service lines require separate inspections. After the final inspection, DPD will grant approval to occupy or, in the case of projects other than single family homes and duplexes, issue a Certificate of Occupancy.
Requesting an Inspection
To schedule an inspection, use our online inspection request service. You may also call our 24-hour inspection request line at (206) 684-8900 before 7 a.m. on the day you need the inspection. Be sure to have your permit number available for reference when you call. Inspection requests called in after 7 a.m. will be put on the list for the next business day.
NOTE: We strongly discourage use of cell phones for calling in inspection requests, as connection problems frequently occur and many calls drop out of our system before the request is completed.
Contacting your Inspector
If you have issues to discuss prior to your inspection, our inspectors are available by calling (206) 684-8950 between 7:30-8:30 a.m., Monday-Friday.
Turnaround Time for Inspections
Our service goal is same-day inspections. However, on rare occasions, this is not possible. Also, as efficient routing of inspections is required in order to meet our service goal, it is not possible for inspectors to give customers specific times for inspections. If you have an unusual scheduling issue or other concern, be sure to contact your inspector the morning of your inspection as they may be able to give you a time-window or make other arrangements that are mutually satisfactory. For further inspection-related information, call (206) 684-8950.
Checking the Status of Your Inspection
You can view the status of your permit application or inspection online anytime by using our "Permit Status" tool at top right.
Special Inspection Agencies
A list of registered special inspectors, as referenced in the International Building Code, Section 1704, is available on the WABO Special Inspection Program website.
Questions?
Check our Frequently Asked Questions website.
