Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska Building Permit Guide

In the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, the Borough’s Planning & Community Development Department issues zoning permits for new buildings, additions and changes of use everywhere in the borough, plus floodplain development permits in mapped flood zones; call 907-228-6610. The Borough has not adopted a building code, so a structural building permit is needed only inside the City of Ketchikan, where the City Building Division enforces the 2021 International Codes. City applications are filed at the Borough planning office together with the zoning permit, and the zoning official decides a zoning permit within 30 days.

Which projects need a Ketchikan Gateway Borough permit?

The Borough code (KGBC 18.90.020, adopted July 2023) requires a zoning land development permit before new construction or the placement of a structure, and before enlarging, moving or altering enclosed space or covering an open area of an existing structure. A zoning land use permit is required before a new or expanded use, and before site development or resource extraction.

The Borough’s older FAQ still lists 120 square feet as the shed limit; the 2023 code sets 200 square feet. A zoning exemption does not exempt the work from a City of Ketchikan building permit inside city limits, and the City’s own list of exempt work differs.

Who handles permitting in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough?

As a second-class borough, the Borough exercises planning, platting and land use regulation area-wide, including inside both cities. The Planning Department notes that it never sends invoices or payment requests by email. Building permits depend on where the lot is:

Borough applications and forms

Applications are decided in one of three ways: by staff (administrative review), by the Planning Commission after a public hearing, or by the Borough Assembly for legislative actions such as rezones. The Borough publishes these forms:

• Zoning Permit Application (2026), with a parcel number, a description of the project, the number of bedrooms, the water and septic systems, any new driveway and, in residential zones, a parking count
• Owner Authorization Signature Page, signed by the owner of record; an LLC or trust signs through its manager, and an agent must show written authority
• Floodplain Development Permit Application, with the Elevation Certificate, Floodproofing Certificate (commercial buildings) and V Zone Certificate and Checklist
• Conditional use, variance, permanent and temporary sign, platting, rezone and street renaming applications

Fees for zoning permits, variances, conditional uses, plats and rezones are set by resolution of the Borough Assembly (KGBC 2.105.030); the posted forms do not print the amounts, so ask the Planning Department for the fee when you apply.

What a zoning permit application needs

The code requires a to-scale site plan showing:

• All property lines, and existing and proposed structures
• Parking areas that meet the parking chapter, street frontages and access points
• Above-ground and below-ground utilities to be installed
• Building height and the method used to calculate it, with an elevation drawing
• An as-built survey for properties that already have buildings
• Applications for any sign permit, borough water permit and sewer permit, or the agency approval or certification for a private sewer system

A floodplain application adds site plans showing septic, drainfield, utilities and any fill or excavation, an elevation certificate for new construction or substantial improvements, and anchoring and lowest-floor details. Staff compare the project cost with the building’s market value; work costing 50% or more counts as a substantial improvement.

How to get permits in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Borough inspections and permit life

For new construction or an expanded footprint, the code requires an inspection of the footings or foundation forms by a professional land surveyor before concrete is poured. For work on an existing structure that already has a surveyor’s as-built survey, the code lets the applicant ask the zoning official to inspect instead, for a fee set by Assembly resolution. The Planning Department’s foundation inspection letter adds that staff can usually inspect when survey monuments are visible at each end of the boundary and the lot line is marked, for example with a string line; book at least three days ahead. If staff cannot confirm the lot lines, they can require a survey at the owner’s expense.

A zoning permit expires two years after issue unless construction starts and continues diligently; excavation alone does not count. Decisions of the zoning official can be appealed to the Planning Commission within 10 days, and violations of the zoning title carry fines of up to $500, with each day counted separately.

Building permit fees inside the City of Ketchikan

The City’s Building Permit Basics handout (revised October 9, 2026) explains how the City prices its building permits:

The City’s own example: a home project valued at $25,000 pays $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14 for each further $1,000, a permit fee of $391.25. New commercial valuations use the cost per square foot for the occupancy and construction type multiplied by a regional modifier of 1.3. Fees are paid at City Hall before the permit is issued.

Fire review and trade permits

The State Fire Marshal lists Ketchikan as a deferred jurisdiction under the City Building Division’s number, so inside the city, plan review for commercial and multifamily buildings, and permits for electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire protection work, come from the City; the City’s Fire Marshal answers fire-protection questions (907-225-9616). Saxman and the rest of the borough are not on the deferred list, so commercial buildings and housing of four or more units there go to the State Fire Marshal for plan review. The Borough issues no trade permits.

Local rules in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Flood zones: under KGBC 16.55 (updated February 2024), a development permit is required before any construction or fill in a special flood hazard area. New and substantially improved homes must have the lowest floor, including any basement, at or above the base flood elevation, and buildings in coastal VE zones must sit landward of mean high tide on anchored pilings or columns designed or reviewed by a registered engineer or architect.

Water and sewer hookups: connecting to a Borough water or sewer system needs a utility hookup permit from Borough Public Works, with fees paid before work starts. Lines must be inspected before backfilling, with 24 hours’ notice (907-228-6670); burying them first can mean re-excavation and fines of up to $500 a day.

Historic district: in the HD zone, building, altering, moving or demolishing a structure, or changing exterior features, needs a certificate of approval from the zoning official, who takes recommendations from the architectural design review board.

Driveways on state roads: a driveway onto a state highway needs a State of Alaska driveway permit, which can be applied for online.

Alaska building code

Alaska's state codes exempt homes of three units or fewer, so residential permits exist only where a city or borough has adopted a code. Contractor licensing applies statewide, and the Fire Marshal reviews larger buildings outside deferred jurisdictions. Alaska rules

Official Ketchikan Gateway Borough permit resources

• Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning & Community Development
• KGB permits and applications
• KGB zoning permits
• KGB zoning permit application (2026)
• KGB owner authorization signature page
• KGB floodplain development permits
• KGB floodplain development permit application
• KGB foundation inspection letter
• KGB planning forms
• KGB Code chapter 18.90, zoning permits and procedures
• KGB Code chapter 16.55, flood program
• KGB utility hookup permit
• City of Ketchikan Building Inspections
• City of Ketchikan Building Permit Basics (October 2026)
• City of Ketchikan building codes adopted in 2025
• City of Saxman
• Saxman Municipal Code
• Alaska State Fire Marshal plan review and deferred jurisdictions

Ketchikan Gateway Borough permit FAQs

Does the Ketchikan Gateway Borough issue building permits?

No. The Borough has no building code; it issues zoning and floodplain permits. Building permits are issued only by the City of Ketchikan for work inside city limits.

Do I need a zoning permit to build a house outside Ketchikan city limits?

Yes. A new house, an addition or any placed structure needs a Borough zoning permit, and a floodplain development permit as well if the lot is in a mapped flood zone.

Do I need a permit for a shed in the borough?

One one-story shed or playhouse of up to 200 square feet, with eaves of no more than 12 inches, is exempt from the zoning permit. Inside the City of Ketchikan, the City’s building permit exemption covers detached one-story sheds of up to 200 square feet at one- and two-family homes, and 120 square feet for commercial use.

Where do I file a City of Ketchikan building permit?

At the Borough Planning & Community Development office, 1900 First Avenue, Suite 126, together with the zoning permit application. Planning passes it to the City Building Division after zoning review.

How long does a Ketchikan permit take?

The Borough zoning official decides a zoning permit within 30 days of filing. After that, the City says an average residential building permit is complete in 6 to 10 working days and a commercial one can take up to 16.

Which permits apply in Saxman?

Borough zoning and floodplain permits apply in Saxman. The City of Saxman has no building code but issues permits for individual water and sewage systems; call City Hall at 907-225-4166.

How long is a Borough zoning permit valid?

Two years from issue, unless construction starts and continues diligently. Excavation alone does not count as starting construction.

Simplify Ketchikan Gateway Borough permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Alaska. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Ketchikan Gateway Borough permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.