How long it takes to get a project approved in Washington
Most projects in Washington start with the town. The city or county planning department and a hearing examiner must approve the land use, and the town building department issues the building permit.
Below are the five phases of a project in Washington, who approves it and how long the path to a building permit usually takes, worked out by ShovelCue from the review times it holds for Washington.
How long to a building permit
- New multifamily building13 to 21 months
- Retail tenant fit outAbout 4 months
- Addition to a single family home4 to 7 months
These are estimates from typical review times, not promises. They run from the start of due diligence to the building permit. Your town, your site and how complete your drawings are can move them.
A sample list for a new multifamily building in Washington
Due Diligence
- Boundary / ALTA SurveyThe property lines, the easements and what sits on the land.
- Geotechnical Investigation / ReportSoil borings that tell the engineers what the foundations need.
- Phase I Environmental Site AssessmentA look at past uses of the site for signs of contamination.
- Zoning Verification / Zoning DeterminationWord from the town on what the zoning allows.
- Topographic SurveyThe ground levels the site design starts from.
Entitlements
- Site Plan ApprovalThe board approves the layout of the building, the parking and the drainage.
- Public HearingThe meeting where the board hears the project and the neighbors speak.
- Resolution of ApprovalThe board puts its decision and its conditions in writing.
- Appeal PeriodThe window when the approval can still be challenged.
Pre-construction
- Civil Design PackageGrading, drainage, utilities and parking.
- Architectural Design PackageThe floor plans, the elevations and the code review.
- Structural Design PackageThe frame and the foundations.
- Mechanical Design PackageHeating, cooling and ventilation.
- Electrical Design PackagePower and lighting.
Construction
Inspections and insurance are tracked here once work starts.
Closeout
- Certificate of OccupancyThe town signs off that people can move in.
And 45 more for your site.
The five phases in Washington
- Due DiligenceBefore you commit to a site in Washington, you check the survey, the soil, the flood risk and what the zoning allows.
- EntitlementsThe city or county planning department and a hearing examiner must approve the site plan and any zoning relief. Larger projects also go through SEPA, the Washington environmental review.
- Pre-constructionThe drawings go to the town building department for the building permit and the trade permits, while the state environmental agency and the utility companies sign off on the parts of the site they control.
- ConstructionThe town building department inspects the work in stages, and each stage must pass before it is covered up.
- CloseoutThe last inspections lead to the certificate that lets people move in, and in Washington the state labor or safety office checks equipment such as elevators before it runs. Then the owner gets the warranties, the manuals and the record drawings.
Who approves a project in Washington
- The city or county planning department and a hearing examiner
- The town building department
- The state environmental agency, for stormwater
- The state transportation department, for driveways onto state roads
- The state coastal or waterways program, for the coast
- The state fish and wildlife agency, for wetlands, the coast and driveways onto state roads
- The state labor or safety office, for elevators
- The water, sewer, power and gas companies
Not every project needs all of them.
Questions
How long does it take to get a building permit in Washington?
ShovelCue estimates 13 to 21 months for a new multifamily building, from the start of due diligence to the building permit. A retail tenant fit out takes about 4 months, and an addition to a single family home takes 4 to 7 months. Your town and your site can change this.
Who approves a construction project in Washington?
Most approvals come from the town, through the city or county planning department and a hearing examiner, then the town building department. Depending on the site, 5 state agencies may also sign off, such as the state environmental agency and the state transportation department. The utility companies approve new service.
Why is the estimate a range?
The short end counts only what the rules require for every project of that type. The long end adds what is usual for that kind of project. In Washington the gap is widest for a new multifamily building, about 8 months.
Does Washington have its own environmental review?
Yes. Washington has SEPA. A lead agency, usually the town or the county, decides how much study a project needs before it can be approved, and that can add months.
How do I see what my own project needs?
Ask for a free first look. ShovelCue builds the list for your site and shows the date the project can start.
This is general information from public sources. It is not legal advice. Confirm every item with your town and the agencies named before you rely on it.