Special Use of Seattle Parks Property: Permits

Special Use of Seattle Parks Property: Permits

The Department of Parks and Recreation, as steward of public park lands, is responsible for preserving and protecting Seattle's park system. In order to preserve the public character of park lands and assure their availability for public use and enjoyment, it is the policy of the Department to eliminate and prevent unauthorized non-park uses. Further, it is the policy of the Department of Parks and Recreation to limit authorized non-park uses to the fullest extent practicable.

Non-Parks Use of Seattle Parks and Recreation Land Policy

If you need or want to use park property for a non-park use, you must obtain permission from the Department of Parks and Recreation in the form of a Revocable Use Permit (RUP). 

"Permits for Non-Park Use of Park Property" includes any non-recreational and/or private use of park land or park open space that limits or diminishes the public's ability to use or enjoy park land, even temporarily. This would include residential, commercial, and governmental activities such as accessing Park property to make repairs or changes to your adjacent property, installing or replacing utility lines under or over park property, storing belongings on park property, and adding or removing landscaping. View the Policy for Non-Park Uses of Park Property

Park lands include parks, playgrounds, viewpoints, boulevards, greenbelts, open space and other land under control of the Department of Parks and Recreation. If you are not sure, please check with the Department by emailing ParksRUP@seattle.gov . Permits are revocable upon thirty (30) days’ notice or immediately upon failure of the Permittee to comply with the terms and conditions of the Permit. Unauthorized use of park property, including failure to apply for and obtain a Revocable Use Permit, is unlawful and subject to enforcement actions or other remedies as specified in Seattle Municipal Code 18.30. 

Permits are wholly of a temporary nature, vest no permanent rights to holder whatsoever, are granted to Permittee only and cannot be transferred.  Permits are subject to revocation by the Department of Parks and Recreation upon thirty (30) days written notice mailed to Permittee at the contact address shown.

Applying for a Revocable Non-Park Use Permit

Download the Application, complete, sign and mail along with a non-refundable application fee of $500 to:

Seattle Parks & Recreation
ATTN: PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
300 Elliott Ave W. Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98119

Your Application Must Include the Following:

1. A completed application with all questions answered and the following items (which can be emailed to ParksRUP@seattle.gov):
2. Plans in pdf (or other readable) form,
3. Aerial and/or street level map or photo of area identifying location of work and access routes and cross streets,
4. Pedestrian Control Plan if trails, sidewalk, or access is impacted by work. This includes areas needed for staging,
5. Traffic Control Plan if traffic flow will be disrupted, rerouting of vehicles is needed, and/or parking spaces will be needed to complete the work. This includes areas needed for staging (sample TCP),
6. Other permits or permit numbers from City, State, or federal agencies if required,
7. Insurance CGL.

Insurance

Listed insurance coverage information is for reference only and is based on basic coverage amounts typically required for simple projects. Additional coverage types or higher insurance coverage amounts may be required at SPR's sole discretion based on SPR's analysis of the complexity and/or risk of the project.

Permittee shall, at no cost to the City, maintain at all times during the Permit Period Commercial General Liability (CGL) and Automobile Liability insurance

The minimum limits are $1,000,000 each occurrence combined single limit bodily injury and property damage. CGL and Automobile liability insurance shall include "The City of Seattle" as an additional insured for primary and non-contributory limits of liability. The CGL insurance policy must include an ISO CG 20 12 additional insured endorsement or its equivalent designated or blanket additional insured policy provision that includes the language “Permit for Park name” or Permit number if known.

Certification of Insurance, including an attached actual copy of the CGL additional insured policy provision, shall be issued to "The City of Seattle, RUP # (“Permit for Park name”, Seattle Parks and Recreation, 300 Elliott Ave W, Suite 100, Seattle, WA   98119" and approved by the City prior to the issuance of the Permit.

See sample Certificate of Insurance

Only complete applications will be processed. Please allow a minimum of 8-12 weeks for review. Payment in full is required before permit issuance

Revocable Use Permit Fees

Fees are summarize below. The complete Current Fee Schedule was adopted by Ordinance 127347. All fees effective January 1, 2026.

Application Fee - $500
(non-refundable; includes one (1) on-site inspection and two (2) hours of staff time for reviewing and processing application)

Issuance Fee: 90 Days or Less (Limited Term Permit): $500 per day

Issuance Fee: 91 Days or More (Continuing Use Permit)

Determined by formula OR $650 minimum, whichever is greater. Refer to Fee Schedule.Please note that SPR is not able to issue RUPs for periods of more than 365 days, however permits may be renewed for an additional fee and are subject to additional approvals on a case-by-case basis

Processing/Review Fees: minimum $175 per hour

costs of staff time in excess of two (2) hours to review and process permit applications; payable prior to permit issuance.) Complex projects may be required to go through SPR’s Proview process and incur additional fees.

Inspection and/or Monitoring Fees - $250 per hour
Application fee includes one on-site inspection. Additional on-site charges at $200.00 per hour may be assessed, for on-site inspections and/or monitoring, if specified in the Permit or if necessary in the Department's judgment, due to Applicant's or Permittee's action(s), or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit.)   *Exceptional permit conditions requiring staff monitoring will be billed to permittee. Full staff time expenses will be billed.

All permit fees are payable in full prior to permit issuance. Continuing use permit fees for permit periods anticipated to continue for twelve (12) months or more may be pro-rated and annualized and payable in advance for such annualized date as the Department shall establish. If the permit period is shorter than anticipated, the permit fees paid in advance shall be prorated for the time used and over-payment shall be refunded, except in the case of revocation due to Permittee’s failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit, in which case no refund shall be given.

Permits for utility installations, such as electrical, natural gas, or telephone service, shall be charged as Limited Term permits, based on the permit period necessary for installation and SPR review.

Permits for Driveway/Access across Boulevards and Changes to Boulevard planting strips shall be charged as Limited Term permits based on the permit period necessary for installation and for SPR review.

No Continuing Use Fee is charged for certain non-park uses of park land that may be allowed as a property right. These include things like driveway access from the roadway portion of a park boulevard (when no other right-of-way access is available) or a pedestrian walkway from a boulevard sidewalk to an adjacent private property if such uses comply with SPR design guidelines or reasonable standards intended to preserve the public park-like character of park lands. Privatization of Park property is not allowed.

Permits for Encroachment Removal 

There is no Permit Issuance Fee charged for Limited Term permits of ninety (90) days or less issued expressly to allow the removal or elimination of an encroachment onto park land.