Building permits in Tacoma, Washington
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Tacoma, 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 Tacoma
City of Tacoma Planning and Development Services
- 747 Market Street Third Floor, Tacoma, WA 98402
- Phone: (253) 591-5030
- Email: Permits@tacoma.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Tacoma
Tacoma 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 Tacoma permit portal
What needs a permit in Tacoma
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Tacoma, 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 | freestanding decks not exceeding 200 sq ft and not more than 30 inches above grade are exempt; decks over 200 sq ft, over 30 inches above grade, or attached to the dwelling require a permit | Decks bill as an addition at 2.81 percent of ICC building valuation, with uncovered wood... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No Planning and Development Services fee |
| Fence Permit | It depends | fences 7 feet or under in height do not require a building permit; fences over 7 feet require a permit | Only fences over 7 feet or masonry walls over 4 feet need a building permit, priced from... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Standalone HVAC and mechanical permits run 2.81 percent of construction value with a... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | at-grade flatwork such as sidewalks and driveways is exempt from a building permit, though separate site-development permits can apply; covered patios require a building permit | Patio covers bill as an addition at 2.81 percent of ICC building valuation, per the PDS... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Standalone plumbing permits run 2.81 percent of construction value with a $180 minimum... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated above-ground pools less than 24 inches deep and not greater than 5000 gallons are exempt; all other pools require a building permit | Pools 24 inches deep or more need a permit priced from $55 for the first $500 of... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | removing and replacing existing roof coverings with the same type does not require a permit; adding a layer or changing roofing materials requires a permit and pre-roof inspection | Reroofs outside the tear-off exemption bill as a remodel at 2.81 percent of ICC building... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | one-story detached accessory structures with a floor area of 200 square feet or less do not require a building permit; structures over 200 square feet require a permit | Sheds 200 square feet or larger need a permit priced from $55 for the first $500 of... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Solar panel installation bills as a remodel at 2.81 percent of ICC building valuation... |
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Tacoma permit fees compared with nearby Washington localities
| Washington locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma | Decks bill as an addition at 2.81 percent of ICC building... | Standalone HVAC and mechanical permits run 2.81 percent of... | No Planning and Development Services 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... |
| Clark County | Fees are established by county ordinance and calculated... | Application rev 1.30.23: $94 issuance plus per-appliance... | No county fee |
| 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... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Washington jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Tacoma permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Tacoma?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Tacoma, 4 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 6 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Tacoma permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Tacoma?
- Tacoma 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 Tacoma Planning and Development Services; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Tacoma?
- City of Tacoma Planning and Development Services issues permits in Tacoma, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (253) 591-5030. The Tacoma official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Tacoma pages were verified. 10 permit types, 7 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of Tacoma Planning and Development Services or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Tacoma is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Tacoma
In 2024, Tacoma authorized permits for 402 new residential housing units (137 single-family, 265 in multi-family buildings), valued at $99M , down from 692 the year before. That works out to about 1.8 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, 2024 annual data · population 219,945.
About Tacoma
Tacoma has about 96,151 housing units. The median home is valued at $454,600, against a median household income of $83,857. About 56% of homes are owner-occupied, and the typical home was built around 1967. Older housing stock usually means more renovation, electrical, and plumbing permits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.