Groundtip Permit Cost Guide

Seattle building permit fee calculator

Updated November 11, 2026 · Built from official fee schedules and city permit records

Enter your project details to estimate the Seattle building permit fee under the current official fee schedule.

How the calculator works

Seattle prices building permits from the project's value. SDCI turns the value into a development fee index using Table D-1 of the 2026 Fee Subtitle (for example, $325 for the first $1,000, then $1.60 per extra $100 up to $25,000). You pay that amount once as the permit fee and once more as the plan review fee. Projects that qualify as subject to field inspection (smaller work reviewed in the field instead of in full plan review) pay only 40% of the index for plan review. Fees went up about 18% on January 1, 2026.

The calculator reproduces SDCI's own 2026 examples exactly (a $308,307 house: $6,853). It does not include land use, energy code, drainage or trade permits.

More Seattle permit guides

Sources

This is an independent guide built from public records. It is not affiliated with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). Fees change, and the city calculates your final fee when you apply; confirm the amount with the city before you budget.

Common questions

How do I calculate my Seattle permit fee?

Find the development fee index for your project value in Table D-1 of the 2026 Fee Subtitle, then add it twice (permit fee plus plan review), or 1.4 times for subject-to-field-inspection permits.