Building permits in Bellevue, Washington
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Bellevue, 2 need a permit outright and 7 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 1 official source
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Bellevue
One thing Bellevue does not make you permit
Worth knowing before you call anyone. Most jurisdictions we cover require all of these.
- Patio Permit
On-grade patio installation and repair does not require a permit in Bellevue
City of Bellevue Development Services
- 450 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
- Phone: (425) 452-4898
- Email: permits@bellevuewa.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Bellevue
Bellevue runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
Search the Bellevue permit portal
What needs a permit in Bellevue
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Bellevue, 2 need a permit outright and 7 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | decks where the highest walking surface is 30 inches or less above grade do not require a permit; decks over 30 inches above grade require a permit with plan review | Building permit fee by valuation per Table 4 of Ordinance 6879, $44 inspection fee... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | Electrical permit fee by valuation per Table 6 of Ordinance 6879, $79 inspection fee... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | fences over 8 feet in height require a building permit; fences 8 feet or under do not require a permit | ...a permit is a building permit by valuation per Table 4 of Ordinance 6879, $44... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...inspection fees per Table 8 of Ordinance 6879: furnace up to 100,000 BTU $59... |
| Patio Permit | No permit needed | Exempt | ...a permit is a building permit by valuation per Table 4 of Ordinance 6879, $44... |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | permit required for new plumbing, concealed piping, and fixture additions; replacing a sink toilet or faucet not concealed in a wall does not require a permit | Plumbing permit fee per Table 11 of Ordinance 6879, $50 for the first fixture plus... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | swimming pools over 24 inches deep require a permit with plan review; above-ground pools 24 inches or less may be exempt | Pool equipment electrical inspection fee of $94 without plan review per Table 7 of... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | permit required when modifying or replacing the roof sheathing or making structural changes; simple shingle replacement may not require a permit | Flat Re-roof Permit inspection fee of $290 due at issuance per Table 5 of Ordinance... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | detached storage sheds playhouses or gazebos with a floor area of 200 square feet or less do not require a building permit; structures over 200 square feet require a permit | ...a permit is a building permit by valuation per Table 4 of Ordinance 6879, $44... |
| Solar Permit | It depends | electrical permit required for all solar systems; building permit not required for rooftop single-family systems with dead load under 3.5 lbs per sq ft and panels no more than 18 inches above roof surface | ...are electrical permits with fee by valuation per Table 6 of Ordinance 6879, $79... |
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Bellevue permit fees compared with nearby Washington localities
| Washington locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue | ...fee by valuation per Table 4 of Ordinance 6879, $44... | ...8 of Ordinance 6879: furnace up to 100,000 BTU $59... | ...fee by valuation per Table 6 of Ordinance 6879, $79... |
| Clark County | See schedule | Application rev 1.30.23: $94 issuance plus per-appliance... | See schedule |
| King County | ...approximately 14% on January 1 2026 plus a $126... | Mechanical installation-only permit is a flat $183... | ...single or two family home wiring starts at $119.90... |
| Pierce County | ...PCC Table 17C.10-1-B (valuation based): $69.00 for... | Issue each mechanical permit fee $58.00, plus unit fees... | See schedule |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Washington jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Bellevue permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Bellevue?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Bellevue, 2 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 7 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance), and 1 needs no permit at all in Bellevue. Each Bellevue permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Bellevue?
- Bellevue publishes a fee for 10 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by City of Bellevue Development Services; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Bellevue?
- City of Bellevue Development Services issues permits in Bellevue, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (425) 452-4898. The Bellevue official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Bellevue pages were verified. 10 permit types, 8 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of Bellevue Development Services or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Bellevue is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Bellevue
In 2025, Bellevue authorized permits for 566 new residential housing units (273 single-family, 293 in multi-family buildings), valued at $302M , down from 589 the year before. That works out to about 3.8 permits per 1,000 residents. It is a useful gauge of how busy the local permit office is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 148,073.
About Bellevue
Bellevue has about 65,536 housing units. The median home is valued at $1,203,100, against a median household income of $161,300. About 52% of homes are owner-occupied, and the typical home was built around 1981. Older housing stock usually means more renovation, electrical, and plumbing permits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.