Shed Permit in Thurston County, Washington
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Sheds over the exempt size, or with plumbing, electricity, or more than one story
Issued byCommunity Planning and Economic Development - Building Development Center
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Thurston County exempts one-story detached accessory buildings with no plumbing or electricity if under 200 square feet inside a county urban growth area or under 400 square feet outside a UGA. Larger sheds or sheds with utilities need a residential building permit. Applications use the county Residential Building Permit Application through the Building Development Center.
Typical threshold: One-story detached accessory buildings with no plumbing or electricity are exempt if under 200 square feet inside a county urban growth area or under 400 square feet outside a UGA.
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When a permit is usually needed
Sheds over the exempt size, or with plumbing, electricity, or more than one story
What a shed permit costs in Thurston County
How Thurston County compares in Washington
Across the Washington jurisdictions we have verified, the same threshold runs from 120 to 200, so a project that is exempt here may still need a permit one county over.
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Bellevue | 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 |
| Clark County | 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. |
| King County | It depends | storage sheds 200 sq ft or less as accessory to a residential house do not require a building permit in unincorporated King County; sheds over 200 sq ft require a permit |
| Pierce County | 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. |
| Seattle | It depends | one-story detached storage sheds with a roof footprint of 120 square feet or less on a slab foundation and not in an environmentally critical area do not require a permit |
| Snohomish County | It depends | one-story detached accessory structure not used for human habitation (tool/storage shed, playhouse) exempt if floor area is 200 sq ft or less and sidewalls 9 ft or less inside the Urban Growth Area (UGA), or 400 sq ft or less and sidewalls 11 ft or less outside the UGA; larger structures require a building permit |
| Thurston Countythis page | It depends | One-story detached accessory buildings with no plumbing or electricity are exempt if under 200 square feet inside a county urban growth area or under 400 square feet outside a UGA. |
Closest shed permit thresholds outside Washington
Jurisdictions we cover whose limit sits nearest Thurston County's 200 sq ft.
- Austin, Texas, one-story detached accessory structures used as tool or storage sheds with floor area no greater than 200 sq ft and no more than 15 ft in height and no plumbing and not in a floodplain are exempt
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana, floor area of a detached accessory structure
- Clark County, Nevada, sheds over 200 sq ft require a building permit; storage sheds 200 sq ft or under may be exempt under Building Administrative Code Section 22.02.190
- Columbus, Ohio, shed under 200 sq ft does not require a permit; shed 200 sq ft or larger requires a permit and plan review
How to apply in Thurston County
In Thurston County, a residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing.
What most shed permit applications include:
- For Thurston County, a written permit application identifying the proposed work and describing the property by its address or legal description, filed with the building department before construction begins (IRC R105.3).
- For Thurston County, a scaled site plan showing the shed's size and location and its dimensioned distances to all property lines so required setbacks can be verified before the permit is issued (IRC R106.2).
- Construction documents showing the shed's foundation: freestanding accessory structures at or under the code's small-structure size and eave-height limits (600 square feet and a 10 foot eave height in the model code) are exempt from continuous footings but must still be shown supported on undisturbed soil or engineered fill and anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1).
- Where the shed does sit on a continuous foundation with a wood sill plate, anchor bolt or approved strap details tying the sill plate to the foundation (IRC R403.1.6).
- Roof framing details showing the rafter-to-wall or truss-to-wall connections, since even a shed exempt from continuous footings must be anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1; R802.11).
General submittal guidance from IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC. Source. Community Planning and Economic Development - Building Development Center sets the exact checklist for Thurston County.
Where to apply in Thurston County:
Community Planning and Economic Development - Building Development Center
- 3000 Pacific Ave SE, Suite 100, Olympia, WA 98501
- Phone: 360-786-5490
- Email: permit@co.thurston.wa.us
Shed Permit in Thurston County compared with nearby Washington localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each Washington schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County | It depends | One-story detached accessory buildings with no plumbing or electricity are exempt if under 200 square feet inside a county urban growth area or under 400 square feet outside a UGA. | Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based | |
| Bellevue | 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 | No separate shed line item | |
| Clark County | 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... | |
| King County | It depends | storage sheds 200 sq ft or less as accessory to a residential house do not require a building permit in unincorporated King County; sheds over 200 sq ft require a permit | Most permit fees increased approximately 14% on January 1 2026 plus a $126 application... | |
| Pierce County | 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... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Thurston County, a permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
- Foundation or anchor inspection in Thurston County: called after any required footings, piers, or ground anchors are set and any forms or reinforcing steel are in place, but before concrete is placed, so the foundation or anchoring system can be verified before it is covered (IRC R109.1.1).
- Frame inspection in Thurston County: after the shed is framed, sheathed, and braced, the inspector checks the framing, bracing, fasteners, and the roof connections that resist wind uplift, before those elements are covered (IRC R109.1.4 frame inspection; R403.1 anchorage).
- Final inspection in Thurston County: made after the permitted work is complete and before the shed is used; work may not proceed past any inspection stage without the building official's approval (IRC R109.1.6 final inspection; R109.4 approval required).
- In Thurston County: for a pre-fabricated or kit shed, the manufacturer's installation instructions must be on site at the time of inspection so the inspector can confirm the anchoring and assembly match the design (IRC R106.1.2).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Thurston County permit portal or by phone at 360-786-5490.
Inspection sequence from IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Shed Permit checklist for Thurston County
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: One-story detached accessory buildings with no plumbing or electricity are exempt if under 200 square feet inside a county urban growth area or under 400 square feet outside a UGA. Usually needed: Sheds over the exempt size, or with plumbing, electricity, or more than one story.
- Budget the fee. Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based; see the county 2026 Residential Building Fee Guide. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Thurston County, a residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing. Start at the Thurston County permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Community Planning and Economic Development - Building Development Center. Phone: 360-786-5490. Address: 3000 Pacific Ave SE, Suite 100, Olympia, WA 98501.
- Plan for inspections. In Thurston County, a permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a shed permit in Thurston County?
- Thurston County exempts one-story detached accessory buildings with no plumbing or electricity if under 200 square feet inside a county urban growth area or under 400 square feet outside a UGA. Larger sheds or sheds with utilities need a residential building permit. Applications use the county Residential Building Permit Application through the Building Development Center. One-story detached accessory buildings with no plumbing or electricity are exempt if under 200 square feet inside a county urban growth area or under 400 square feet outside a UGA. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a shed permit cost in Thurston County?
- Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based; see the county 2026 Residential Building Fee Guide. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a shed permit in Thurston County?
- You can apply through the Thurston County permit portal or contact the Community Planning and Economic Development - Building Development Center directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a shed permit themselves in Thurston County?
- Under Washington law (RCW 18.27.090(11), (12); RCW 19.28.261(1); RCW 18.106.150(1)): Washington lets homeowners do their own construction work, including the licensed trades, on property they own. RCW 18.27.090(12) exempts any person working on his or her own property from contractor registration, but the exemption does not apply if you do contractor type work for the purpose of selling, demolishing, or leasing the property, and the separate owner exemption in RCW 18.27.090(11) is lost if you sell or lease improved property owned less than 12 months. For electrical work, RCW 19.28.261 lets you wire your own residence, farm, or place of business without an electrician license, unless the work is on construction of a new building intended for rent, sale, or lease, or on property offered for sale within 12 months after you obtained it. RCW 18.106.150(1) gives the same kind of exemption for plumbing work at your own residence, farm, or place of business. These exemptions waive the license, not the permit: an owner doing electrical work still buys an L&I electrical work permit and passes inspection (WAC 296-46B-901), and building and plumbing permits still come from your local building department. Confirm how Thurston County applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Thurston County
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | Decks are exempt if the surface is 30 inches or less from the ground to the top of the deck. | Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Electrical work in unincorporated Thurston County requires a state electrical permit from L&I; the county itself does not issue electrical permits, with limited work exceptions under WAC 296-46B-901. | L&I sets electrical permit fees |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Fences 8 feet tall or shorter are exempt from a county building permit. | Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Heating and cooling equipment and gas piping require a Minor Permit, but replacement of electric forced-air heating units and water heaters is exempt. | Minor Permit fees apply |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Patios and porches are exempt if 30 inches or less from the ground to the top of the surface. | Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | No permit is needed only to clear a blockage or to repair or stop a leak in a drain, water, soil, or vent pipe. | Minor Permit fees apply |
| Pool Permit | It depends | Pools are exempt only if prefabricated, entirely above ground, less than 24 inches deep, and under 5,000 gallons capacity. | Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Roof repair and replacement is exempt unless the work adds skylights or changes, repairs, or replaces structural elements or the roof pitch or slope. | Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based |
| Solar Permit | It depends | Residential rooftop solar PV systems need no county permit; ground-mounted and commercial systems require county permits, and every solar project needs a state L&I electrical permit. | Building permit and plan review fees are valuation based |
Shed Permit in other Washington localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Thurston County documents; the office above sets the local rules.
- IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC
- IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC
How this shed permit page for Thurston County was verified. 3 official sources: thurstoncountywa.gov, thurstoncountywa.gov, thurstoncountywa.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Community Planning and Economic Development - Building Development Center. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Shed Permit requirements across Washington localities
Permit office
Community Planning and Economic Development - Building Development Center
360-786-5490Permit portalWashington rule changes