Skip to main content
Seattle.gov
  • Services & Information
  • Departments
  • Elected Officials
  • Boards & Commissions
  • Media Contacts
  • News
  • Events
  • Visiting Seattle
    • Main Menu
    • SDCI
    • About Us
      • Message From the Director
      • Who We Are
        • Applicant Services Center
        • Code Compliance
        • Construction Codes Advisory Board
        • Design Review - Program
          • Design Review - Boards & Staff
          • Design Review - Design Guidelines
          • Design Review - Design Excellence
        • Emergency Management - Landslides & Earthquakes
        • Land Use
        • Noise Enforcement
        • Public Disclosure
        • Public Resource Center
        • Trade Licensing
      • Contact Us - Hours & Location
        • Contact Us - Phone Numbers
        • Contact Us - Director & Managers
      • Stay Connected
        • Public Meetings & Events
    • Codes
      • Changes to Code
        • Proposed Changes to Code
          • Code Corrections - What & Why
            • Code Corrections - Project Documents
          • Electric Vehicle Readiness - What & Why
            • Electric Vehicle Readiness - Project Documents
          • Incentive Zoning Update (links to Office of Planning and Community Development's page)
          • Leaf Blower Best Practices - What & Why
            • Leaf Blower Best Practices - Project Documents
          • Reducing Single-Occupant Vehicle Trips - What & Why
            • Reducing Single-Occupant Vehicle Trips - Project Documents
          • Sign Code Update (links to SDCI code page)
          • Shoreline Master Program (links to SDCI's code page)
          • Tree Protection - What & Why
            • Tree Protection - Background
          • Unreinforced Masonry Buildings - What & Why
            • Unreinforced Masonry Buildings - Get Involved
            • Unreinforced Masonry Buildings - Project Documents
            • Unreinforced Masonry Buildings - Background
            • Unreinforced Masonry Buildings - Timeline
        • Recent Changes to Code
          • Accessory Dwelling Unit (links to SDCI page)
          • Curb Ramps - What & Why
            • Curb Ramps - Project Documents
            • Curb Ramps - Background
          • Cross-Laminated Timber - What & Why
            • Cross-Laminated Timber - Background
          • Design Review Program Improvements - What & Why
            • Design Review Program Improvements - Project Documents
            • Design Review Program Improvements - Background
          • Environmentally Critical Areas Update - What & Why
            • Environmentally Critical Areas Update - Get Involved
            • Environmentally Critical Areas Update - Project Documents
            • Environmentally Critical Areas Update - Background
            • Environmentally Critical Areas Update - Timeline
          • Neighborhood Parking - What & Why
            • Neighborhood Parking - Project Documents
            • Neighborhood Parking - Background
          • Vacant Building Monitoring - What & Why
            • Vacant Buildings Code Updates - Project Documents
      • Construction Code Interpretations
      • Codes We Enforce (A-Z)
        • Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code
        • Building Code
        • Buildings Unfit for Human Habitation
        • Condominium Conversions
        • Cooperative Conversion
        • Design Review Guidelines
        • Electrical Code
        • Elevator Code
        • Energy Code - Overview
          • Energy Code - Documents
          • Energy Code - Forms
          • Energy Code - Resources
        • Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA) Code
        • Existing Building Code
        • Fees
        • Fire Code
        • Floodplain Development Code
        • Fuel Gas Code
        • Grading Code
        • Housing & Building Maintenance
        • Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
        • Land Use Code
        • Marijuana Code
        • Mechanical Code
        • Mobile Homes & Parks Code
        • Noise Code
        • Plumbing Code
        • Prohibited Acts
        • Refrigeration Code
        • Rent Bidding
        • Rental Agreement Regulation
        • Rental Registration & Inspection Code
        • Residential Code
        • Seattle Green Factor
        • Shoreline Master Program
        • Side Sewer Code
        • Sign Code
        • Small Efficiency Dwelling Units
        • State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Code
        • Stormwater Code
        • Street Use Code
        • Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance
        • Tree Protection Code
        • Vacant Building Standards
        • Weeds & Vegetation Code
        • Zoning
      • Common Code Questions
        • Animal Codes
        • Construction Without a Permit
        • Deposit Returns
        • Evictions
        • Fair Housing
        • Floating Residences
        • Home Business Rules
        • Housing Cost Increases
        • Illegal Business
        • Illegal Living Units
        • Junk (Inoperable) Car & Vehicle Rules
        • Junk Storage & Illegal Dumping Rules
        • Move-In Charges
        • Noise Codes
        • Notice to Enter a Rental Unit
        • Parking and Car Storage Rules
        • Pests
        • Pets
        • Problems With Your Rental Unit
        • Property Line Disputes
        • Rental Agreements
        • Short-Term Rentals
        • Tenant Relocation
        • Vacant Buildings
        • Weeds & Overgrown Vegetation
      • Licensing & Registration
        • Gas Pipe Licensing
        • Refrigeration Licensing
        • Rental Registration & Inspection Ordinance - About RRIO
          • Rental Registration & Inspection Ordinance - Owners & Managers
          • Rental Registration & Inspection Ordinance - Renters
          • Rental Registration & Inspection Ordinance - Inspectors
        • Side Sewer Contractor Registration
        • Steam Engineer & Boiler Fireman Licensing
      • What Should I Do if I'm Cited?
      • Make a Property or Building Complaint
        • How We Respond
      • Why Can the City Regulate How I Use My Property?
    • Inspections
      • Boiler & Pressure Vessel Inspections
      • Construction Inspections
      • Electrical Inspections
      • Elevator & Escalator Inspections
      • Furnace Inspections
      • Mechanical Inspections
      • Side Sewer Inspections
      • Sign Inspections
      • Site Development Inspections
      • Special Inspections
    • Permits
      • Changes to Your Issued Permit
        • Building Permit Renewals
        • Building Permit Revisions
        • Master Use Permit (MUP) Revisions
        • Master Use Permit Renewals
        • Shoreline Substantial Development Permit Extensions
        • Sprinkler & Shop Drawings
      • Comment on a Project
      • Common Projects
        • Accessory Dwelling Unit
        • Decks
        • Demolition of Housing
        • Fences
        • Garages
        • House Additions & Remodels
        • New Businesses
        • Parking - Location, Size & Number of Spots
        • Paving
        • Property Line Changes
        • Property & Building Use
        • Retaining Walls & Rockeries
        • Sheds
        • Street Food Carts or Trucks
      • Do You Need a Permit?
      • Exemptions From Code Requirements
        • ECA Steep Slope Development Relief
        • Environmentally Critical Areas Exemptions
        • Grading Season Extensions
        • Noise Variances
        • Shoreline Exemptions
        • Small Project Waiver
        • Street Improvement Exceptions
      • Forms
      • Green Building
        • Innovation Advisory Committee
        • Living Building & 2030 Challenge Pilots
        • Priority Green Expedited
        • Priority Green Facilitated
      • How Do You Get a Permit?
      • How Much Will Your Permit Cost?
      • Permits We Issue (A-Z)
        • Boiler & Pressure Vessel Permit
        • Construction Permit - Addition or Alteration
        • Construction Permit - Establishing Use
        • Construction Permit - New Building, Multifamily, Commercial, Mixed Use, or Industrial
        • Construction Permit - New Building, Single-Family Residential or Duplex
        • Construction Permit - Subject-to-Field-Inspection
        • Construction Permit - Temporary Structures & Uses
        • Curb Cut Permit
        • Demolition Permit - Building
        • Design Review - Administrative
        • Design Review - Full
        • Design Review - Streamlined
        • Earthquake Home Retrofit Permit
        • Electrical Permit
        • Elevator & Escalator Permit
        • Emergency Repair Permit
        • Fire Alarm Permit
        • Grading Permit
        • Land Use / Master Use Permit - Overview of MUP
        • Land Use / Master Use Permit - Conditional Use
        • Land Use / Master Use Permit - Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA)
        • Land Use / Master Use Permit - Plat
        • Land Use / Master Use Permit - Rezone
        • Land Use / Master Use Permit - Shoreline
        • Land Use / Master Use Permit - State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
        • Land Use / Master Use Permit - Land Use Variance
        • Mechanical Permit
        • Phased Permit
        • Refrigeration Permit
        • Re-Roof Permit
        • Residential Deconstruction
        • Side Sewer Permit
        • Sign, Awning, & Billboard Permit
        • Tenant Improvement Permit (Blanket)
        • Tree & Vegetation Removal
      • Resolve a Permit Disagreement
    • Renting
      • Funding for Tenant Services
    • Resources
      • Boiler Refresher Training
      • Can't Find It?
      • Find Trade Licenses
      • Geotechnical (Soils) Reports
      • How to Appeal a Decision
      • How to Request a Code Interpretation
      • Issued Building Permit Stats
      • Make A Payment
      • Opinion Letters
      • Photo Galleries
      • Privately Owned Public Spaces
      • Property & Building Activity
      • Public Maps
      • Register / Renew My Property
      • Send Us A Question
      • Send Us Your Files
      • Translated Information
      • What's Happening in Your Neighborhood
      • Wind Load Factors
      • Zoning Map Books
      • Zoning Verification Letters
    • The Vault
      • 35th Avenue Business Districts - Accomplishments
        • 35th Avenue Business Districts - Documents
      • 2030 Challenge Pilot - Accomplishments
        • 2030 Challenge Pilot - Documents
      • Code Corrections - Accomplishments
        • Code Corrections - Documents
      • Construction & Demolition Waste - Accomplishments
        • Construction & Demolition Waste - Documents
      • Developing Small Single-Family Lots - Accomplishments
        • Developing Small Single-Family Lots - Documents
      • Living Building Project Update - Accomplishments
        • Living Building Project Update - Documents
      • Low Impact Development - Accomplishments
        • Low Impact Development - Documents
      • Lowrise Multifamily Code Corrections - Accomplishments
        • Lowrise Multifamily Code Corrections - Documents
      • Marijuana Zoning Restrictions - Accomplishments
        • Marijuana Zoning Restrictions - Documents
      • Micro-Housing - Accomplishments
        • Micro-Housing - Documents
      • Minimum Density - Accomplishments
        • Minimum Density - Documents
      • Seattle Green Factor - Accomplishments
        • Seattle Green Factor - Documents
      • Shoreline Master Program Code Update - Accomplishments
        • Shoreline Master Program Code Update - Documents
      • Stormwater Codes and Rules Update - Accomplishments
        • Stormwater Codes and Rules Update - Documents
      • Transitional Encampments - Accomplishments
        • Transitional Encampments - Documents
    • Services & Information
    • Departments
    • Elected Officials
    • Boards & Commissions
    • Media Contacts
    • News
    • Events
    • Visiting Seattle
I want to search within the following:
Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections Nathan Torgelson, Director
  • About Us
  • Permits
  • Codes
  • Renting
  • Inspections
  • Resources
Home Codes

Common Code Questions

See Also: Common Projects

View common code questions about:

  • Animal Codes
  • Construction Without a Permit
  • Deposit Returns
  • Evictions
  • Fair Housing
  • Floating Residences
  • Home Business Rules
  • Housing Cost Increases
  • Illegal Business
  • Illegal Living Units
  • Junk (Inoperable) Car & Vehicle Rules
  • Junk Storage & Illegal Dumping Rules
  • Move-In Charges
  • Noise Codes
  • Notice to Enter a Rental Unit
  • Parking and Car Storage Rules
  • Pests
  • Pets
  • Problems With Your Rental Unit
  • Property Line Disputes
  • Rental Agreements
  • Short-Term Rentals
  • Tenant Relocation
  • Vacant Buildings
  • Weeds & Overgrown Vegetation

Construction and Inspections

Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 2000, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA, 98124-4019
Phone: 206-684-8600
Phone Alt: Violation Complaint Line: 206-615-0808

City-Wide Information

  • Departments & Agencies List
  • Elected Officials
  • Open Data Portal
  • Public Information Requests
  • Services & Information

Top Requests

  1. Apply for a Permit
  2. Make a Complaint
  3. Learn About Rental Rules
  4. Schedule an Inspection
  5. Proposed Changes to Code

The Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections issues land use, construction, and trade permits, conducts construction- and housing-related inspections, ensures compliance with our codes, and regulates rental rules.

© Copyright 1995-2019 City of Seattle

Policies

About Our Digital Properties Privacy Policy Notice of Nondiscrimination ADA Notice