Building permits in Clark County, Washington
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Clark County, 5 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Clark County
Clark County Community Development, Building Safety
- Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver, WA 98660
- Phone: 564.397.2375
- Email: permitservices@clark.wa.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Clark County
Clark County 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 Clark County permit portal
What needs a permit in Clark County
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Clark County, 5 need a permit outright and 5 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 | Exempt only if the deck does not exceed 200 square feet, is not more than 30 inches above grade at any point, is not attached to a dwelling, does not serve a required exit door, and is not used for a hot tub or pool; all other decks require a permit. | Fees are established by county ordinance and calculated automatically during the... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Electrical work in Washington requires a permit and inspection, with a few exceptions listed in chapter 296-46B-901 WAC; in unincorporated Clark County electrical permits are issued by state Labor and Industries, not the county. | No county fee |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Fences seven feet or less in height do not require a permit; fences over 7 feet in height require a Fence/Retaining Wall (FRT) permit. | Fees are established by county ordinance and calculated automatically during the... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Mechanical permits cover installation of heating and cooling equipment such as furnaces, heat pumps, A/C units, ductless mini splits and gas piping; for additions and new construction this work is included in the ADS or NHC permit. | Application rev 1.30.23: $94 issuance plus per-appliance fees including furnace or heat... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Patio and concrete slabs on the ground grade are exempt from permit but may not be built on easements; adding a patio cover or enclosing a covered patio requires a building permit under the ADS permit type. | Fees are established by county ordinance and calculated automatically during the... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | A plumbing permit is required for installation of any plumbing fixtures, including water heaters, toilets and sinks. | Application rev 9.2.25: $94 issuance plus per-item fees including plumbing fixture/trap... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | A permit is required for any structure intended for swimming or recreational bathing that contains water over 24 inches deep, including in-ground, aboveground and on-ground pools, hot tubs and spas. | Fees are established by county ordinance and calculated automatically during the... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Re-roofing permits are required for all buildings in Clark County; a separate permit may be required if structural work such as replacing roof sheathing is necessary. | County handout rev 7.16.18: residential re-roofing permit $220 plus $94 issuance and... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | Sheds over 200 square feet require a building permit; sheds of 200 square feet or less are exempt if they meet setbacks and easements, but any size shed in a mobile home park or multi-family zone requires a permit. | Fees are established by county ordinance and calculated automatically during the... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Separate SOL permits are required for ground mounted units or panels mounted on existing buildings; in new construction the solar panels are included in the NHC or ADS permit. | Fees for separate SOL permits are based on construction value |
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Clark County permit fees compared with nearby Washington localities
| Washington locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | Fees are established by county ordinance and calculated... | Application rev 1.30.23: $94 issuance plus per-appliance... | No county fee |
| Bellevue | Building permit fee by valuation per Table 4 of Ordinance... | Flat single-family mechanical inspection fees per Table 8... | Electrical permit fee by valuation per Table 6 of... |
| King County | Most permit fees increased approximately 14% on January 1... | Mechanical installation-only permit is a flat $183... | Set by state L&I, not King County, under WAC 296-46B-906... |
| Pierce County | Building permit fee follows PCC Table 17C.10-1-B... | Issue each mechanical permit fee $58.00, plus unit fees... | No county fee |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Washington jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Clark County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Clark County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Clark County, 5 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 5 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Clark County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Clark County?
- Clark County 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 Clark County Community Development, Building Safety; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Clark County?
- Clark County Community Development, Building Safety issues permits in Clark County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 564.397.2375. The Clark County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Clark County pages were verified. 10 permit types, 10 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Clark County Community Development, Building Safety or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Clark County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.