What's Required in Seattle
- No building permit for surface finishes or minor alterations worth $6,000 or less in six months with no load-bearing changes; systems work still needs trade permits.
- Plumbing permits are issued by Public Health Seattle and King County ($137 plus $27 per fixture in 2026), including replacement water heaters from July 1, 2026; homeowners may permit their own plumbing.
- New or altered circuits need an SDCI electrical permit pulled by a licensed electrical contractor or the owner-occupant doing the work ($105.12 minimum plus $55.48 administrative fee online).
- Layout or wall changes need an SDCI construction permit; non-structural work and bearing-wall openings with beams up to 14 ft qualify for STFI, attic conversions do not.
- STFI fees are value-based: Table D-1 index plus 40 percent plan review, 5 percent technology fee and the $6.50 state surcharge.
- Submit scaled existing and proposed plans with the Building and Land Use Pre-Application; a professional stamp is rarely required.
- Unremodeled parts of the house need not be upgraded to current code.
- Construction permits are valid for 18 months; reinspections cost half the $292 base fee.
Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Bathroom in Seattle?
Only when you go past the surfaces. Seattle Residential Code R105.2 exempts surface finishes over existing walls and ceilings and any minor repair or alteration worth $6,000 or less in a six-month period that leaves load-bearing support alone, so tile, paint, a new vanity top or a light fixture swap needs no SDCI building permit. The permits start with the systems. Plumbing in Seattle is permitted by Public Health Seattle & King County, not SDCI, and the county requires a permit whenever a plumbing system is installed, relocated or changed; moving a toilet, sink or shower drain, adding a fixture, or (since July 1, 2026) replacing a water heater needs one. Electrical circuits for a fan, GFCI outlets or lighting need an SDCI electrical permit. And a layout change over $6,000 or any wall work needs an SDCI construction permit, normally a subject-to-field-inspection (STFI) permit for a non-structural bathroom.
Seattle Bathroom Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Tile, paint, vanity cabinet, mirror, accessories; fixtures stay where they are | None (building); ask Public Health whether an in-place fixture swap needs a plumbing permit | SRC R105.2 items 1-2; PHSKC |
| Moving a toilet, sink or shower drain, or adding a fixture | Public Health plumbing permit: $137 plus $27 per fixture | PHSKC fee schedule (2026) |
| New exhaust fan circuit, GFCI outlets, lighting on new or altered wiring | SDCI electrical permit (online; $26.28 per circuit up to 25 A, $105.12 minimum plus $55.48 admin) | Seattle Electrical Code 80.50; Table D-15 |
| Replacing a water heater | Public Health over-the-counter plumbing permit (required from July 1, 2026) | PHSKC notice |
| Non-structural layout change over $6,000 (new partitions, enlarging the room) | STFI construction permit, value-based | Tip 316; Table D-2 |
| Converting attic storage into a bathroom or bedroom | Addition or alteration permit with full plan review | Tip 316 |
| Opening a bearing wall, beam span up to 14 ft | STFI construction permit with structural detail; longer spans need plan review | Tip 316 |
How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Permit Cost in Seattle?
SDCI construction permit: value-based through Table D-1 of the 2026 Fee Subtitle. A $20,000 bathroom has a Development Fee Index of $325 for the first $1,000 plus 190 x $1.60 = $304, so $629; the STFI permit fee is 100 percent ($629) and plan review 40 percent ($251.60), total $880.60, plus a $44.03 technology fee and the $6.50 state surcharge = $931.13. A $40,000 bathroom: index $709 + 150 x $1.55 = $941.50, total $1,390.51. Plumbing: Public Health charges $137 plus $27 per fixture, so a toilet, lavatory and shower relocated together are $218. Electrical: two new 20 amp circuits are $26.28 each, below the $105.12 minimum, plus the $55.48 administrative fee and 5 percent technology fee: $168.63. All in, a permitted $20,000 bathroom carries about $1,320 in fees and a $40,000 bathroom about $1,780. A same-layout refresh with one moved fixture might need only the plumbing permit at $164. Construction permit fees rose 18 percent in 2026, so older quotes will be low.
Who Pulls Which Permit
The SDCI construction permit is applied for by the owner or the owner's agent in the Seattle Services Portal; house plans rarely need an architect's or engineer's stamp. Electrical permits are issued online, often the same day, to a contractor with a Washington electrical contractor license and a Seattle business license, or to an owner-occupant doing the work personally. Plumbing permits come from Public Health's Permit Center: a registered plumbing contractor applies, or the homeowner takes a homeowner permit under RCW 18.106.150 for work done personally. Public Health warns that inspection slots take several business days, so request the rough-in inspection early.
What the STFI Process Looks Like
Start a Building & Land Use Pre-Application with a site plan and legal description, upload scaled existing and proposed floor plans, and answer yes to the subject-to-field-inspection question. Tip 316 says non-structural interior alterations in single-family and duplex homes typically qualify, as do bearing-wall openings with beams of 14 ft or less (30 ft with a manufactured truss); converting uninhabited attic storage to living space does not. SDCI screens the application in a few days, you pay the fee, and the permit and stamped plans appear in the portal for the field inspections, where the inspector checks framing, ventilation and the code items that plan review would otherwise cover. Parts of the house you are not remodeling need not be brought to current code. The permit is valid for 18 months.
How to Get a Bathroom Remodel Permit in Seattle
Decide whether fixtures move
Same-place surface work needs no SDCI permit; relocated or added fixtures need a Public Health plumbing permit, new circuits an SDCI electrical permit, and layout changes over $6,000 an SDCI construction permit.
Draw the plans
Prepare scaled existing and proposed floor plans showing fixtures, the exhaust fan, lighting and any wall changes; keep any bearing-wall beam at 14 ft or less to stay in STFI.
Apply to SDCI online
Start a Building and Land Use Pre-Application in the Seattle Services Portal with a site plan and legal description, upload the plans, answer yes to the STFI question, and pay the value-based fee when the permit issues after screening.
Get the trade permits
The plumber or homeowner applies in Public Health's Permit Center; the electrician or owner-occupant buys the SDCI electrical permit online, usually issued the same day.
Inspect rough-in, then final
Request the Public Health rough plumbing inspection and the SDCI electrical cover and framing inspections before closing walls, then the finals; allow several business days for the plumbing inspector.