Resolve a Permit Disagreement

Use the list below to find the appropriate supervisor to help resolve your dispute. We prefer email and our responses are quicker than if you leave us a phone message.

The supervisor will respond within 24 hours. The supervisor will talk with you about your disagreement, review the issue with you and the assigned staff, and then provide a verbal answer. We try to provide an answer within a day after we respond to your initial request for help.

If you still disagree with our decision, you can request a review of the issue by writing to the appropriate manager. Please email the manager, or send your request to

Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections
700 5th Ave., Suite 2000
P.O. Box 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019

If you are still not satisfied after talking to the supervisor and the manager, please contact:

Darlene Edwards, Interim Land Use Director
(206) 684-5606
darlene.edwards@seattle.gov

Andy Higgins, Engineering Services Director
(206) 615-0568
andy.higgins@seattle.gov

The first step to resolving a interdepartmental disagreement is to contact the staff assigned to your project. Send an email to all staff and supervisors explaining the disagreement and ask that the City department staff discuss the conflict. You can also request a meeting with staff and supervisors to talk about the problem in person. After reviewing the circumstance of your disagreement, the supervisor will provide an answer. You will usually hear from the supervisor within 3 to 5 business days.

If your permit dispute is not resolved at the staff and supervisor level, you may request a review of the conflict by writing to the appropriate City managers. You should contact all management involved in your disagreement at the same time because conflicts that involve more than one department are often complicated by competing City policies or priorities. For best result, send your request by email and include:

• The development site address
• City permit numbers for any work that is disputed
• Names of City staff you've been working with to resolve the conflict
• Any unique circumstances you believe should influence the decision outcome
• Specific regulations, with code citations, that are in dispute

City management will discuss the problem with you and then decide who will be the lead contact for your dispute. You will get a written response by the lead City manager, usually within 2 weeks of your request. If we need additional time for research, the lead manager will let you know within a week of your request.

If you still disagree with our decision, please contact our department directors.