Building permits in Pierce County, Washington
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Pierce County, 4 need a permit outright and 6 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 Pierce County
Pierce County Planning and Public Works
- 2401 S 35th St, Tacoma, WA 98409
- Phone: (253) 798-3739
- Email: PCPermits@PierceCountyWa.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Pierce County
Pierce County permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history by address or parcel number online.
What needs a permit in Pierce County
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Pierce County, 4 need a permit outright and 6 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 not more than 30 inches above grade at any point, and not over any story or basement below, are exempt; Pierce County code sets no separate floor area cap for decks; taller decks, or decks over a story or basement, require a building permit. | Building permit fee follows PCC Table 17C.10-1-B (valuation based): $69.00 for... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Fences 6 feet or less in height, measured from grade, are exempt; taller fences require a building permit. | Building permit fee follows PCC Table 17C.10-1-B (valuation based): $69.00 for... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | Issue each mechanical permit fee $58.00, plus unit fees per equipment type (for example... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | At-grade patios, treated the same as exempt sidewalks and driveways, are exempt if not more than 30 inches above grade at any point and not over any story or basement below; an attached, roofed patio cover requires a building permit regardless of size. | ...building permit fee as other building permits (PCC Table 17C.10-1-B, from $69.00... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | Issue each plumbing permit fee $58.00, plus unit fees per fixture (for example $8.00 per... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a single family residence (Group R-3 occupancy) are exempt if less than 24 inches deep, with no separate gallon volume cap; in-ground pools and pools 24 inches deep or deeper require a building permit. Self-contained spas and hot tubs installed entirely above ground and not connected to the potable water system or a septic or sewer drain are separately exempt regardless of depth. | Where a permit is required: in-ground pool permit $230.00 |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Re-roofing of a Group R, Division 3 one or two family dwelling, or a Group U private garage, carport, or accessory structure, with a roof slope greater than 2:12, is exempt if the total load of all roof coverings does not exceed 7.5 lbs per sq ft; the exemption does not apply to vegetated roofs or to replacement of roof sheathing. | Building permit fee follows PCC Table 17C.10-1-B (valuation based): $69.00 for... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | One-story detached accessory structure used as an unheated tool or storage shed, playhouse, or similar use is exempt if its floor area is 200 sq ft or less and it is at least 3 feet from a property line; larger or closer structures require a building permit. | Building permit fee follows PCC Table 17C.10-1-B (valuation based): $69.00 for... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | Residential rooftop solar panel building permit base fee $173.00, plus $201.00 for... |
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Pierce County permit fees compared with nearby Washington localities
| Washington locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Washington jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Pierce County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Pierce County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Pierce County, 4 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 6 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Pierce County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Pierce County?
- Pierce 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 Pierce County Planning and Public Works; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Pierce County?
- Pierce County Planning and Public Works issues permits in Pierce County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (253) 798-3739. The Pierce County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Pierce County pages were verified. 10 permit types, 8 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Pierce County Planning and Public Works or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Pierce County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Pierce County
In 2025, Pierce County authorized permits for 3,782 new residential housing units (1,717 single-family, 2,065 in multi-family buildings), valued at $919M , up from 3,207 the year before. That works out to about 4 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 946,288.