Cheney, Washington Building Permit Guide

The City of Cheney’s Building Department issues building, mechanical and plumbing permits and inspects the work inside the city, under the 2021 state codes adopted in Cheney Municipal Code (CMC) chapter 19.06. The City encourages applying through the Citizen Connect portal, uploading plans as PDFs, but paper forms may still be returned in person, by mail or by email. Electrical permits and inspections come from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I).

The department works from 112 Anderson Road (509-498-9237), and Brandon Minter is the Building Official. Planning, which handles zoning placement permits for fences and sheds, shares the address on 509-498-9240. Cheney had 12,650 residents in the Census estimate for 2025; land outside the city is permitted by Spokane County.

What requires a building permit in Cheney?

The City puts it plainly on its building page: plan on a permit for a fence, shed or patio, a lawn sprinkler system, a fire alarm or sprinkler system, a remodel or room addition, finishing a basement, new or replacement windows, or new shingles. The FAQ narrows that with the code’s exempt list, and a delivered, prebuilt shed is treated the same as one built on site.

Exempt does not mean unregulated. Fences and accessory buildings take a zoning placement permit from Planning, and zoning keeps fences at least 4 feet back from the curb line and no taller than 4 feet within 15 feet of a front curb. The City’s older fence handout still says every fence needs a building permit; the FAQ and the code exempt fences up to 7 feet from the building permit.

What the city decides and what the state holds

CMC 19.06.060, last amended by Ordinance Y-61 on March 12, 2024, adopts the 2021 building, residential, existing building, mechanical, fuel gas and plumbing codes and the energy code, together with selected appendices. Cheney’s own changes in CMC 19.06.070 are short: four added exemptions, an annual permit option for firms with in-house tradespeople, a 180-day life for applications with written extensions, the City’s certificate of occupancy contents, appeals under CMC Title 9, and design values of 39 pounds per square foot of ground snow, 110 mph wind, seismic category C and a 24-inch frost depth.

Washington has a mandatory statewide building code under chapter 19.27 RCW that every city and county enforces and may make stricter; electrical permits come from the Department of Labor and Industries unless the city runs its own program or Tacoma Power serves the site. Building codes in Washington

Cheney building department: who handles permitting

Building, Planning and the permit counter share the Utilities Building at 112 Anderson Road. Public Works issues civil permits for water, sewer and stormwater connections and for electrical service work by the owner, a contractor or the City Light Department, along with right-of-way, curb, sidewalk and access permits.

Permit types

Residential permits

Online, the portal takes building, plumbing, mechanical and combination permits. A complete application has a form signed by the owner or an authorized agent such as a licensed contractor or registered design professional, a site plan, and building plans. The City posts its own residential handouts, including a regional prescriptive footing calculator, deck connection details, egress window, railing and chimney flashing sheets, cold weather concrete guidelines, a whole-house ventilation fan worksheet and a residential HVAC code compliance certificate. Approved plans come back electronically, and one set of color prints must be on site for every inspection.

Sheds follow a multi-jurisdiction handout used across the region: a permit for anything over 200 sq ft, over one story or used for more than storage, energy code compliance if it is heated or cooled, and engineering for gambrel or barn roofs. A shed or fence still needs the zoning placement permit, and that permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles home building permits, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Major projects, meaning those needing zoning review or designed under the International Building Code, need a pre-development conference. Two 45-minute conferences are held each Thursday at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. in the Utilities Building, with planning, public works, traffic, solid waste, building, fire prevention, water and light staff at the table. Conferences are booked in person at the Permit Center at least a week ahead, and the notes become public records. The City notes that an architect is generally required where the area of work exceeds 4,000 sq ft.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit filing through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

Zoning review and the pre-development conference come first for larger jobs. Civil permits cover utility connections, an access connection permit is needed for a new driveway onto a City street, and right-of-way excavation, curb and sidewalk work each have their own permit under CMC chapter 12. The Fire Department’s development guidelines are posted with the building forms, demolition and asbestos questions go to the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, and flood hazard areas follow the FEMA flood map named in the design criteria. Lots on septic are permitted by the Spokane Regional Health District.

Cheney permit costs and fees

CMC 19.06.090 keeps the fees in the adopted codes unless the City Council changes them by resolution. The current schedule is Resolution F-438, the fees and charges for 2026 city services, which the Council approved as amended on December 9, 2025, effective January 1, 2026. The building page still links the 2019 schedule (Resolution E-693) and asks applicants to call 509-498-9237 for building permit fees; the valuation table is the same in both. Valuation for square-foot work is the current ICC Building Valuation Data times 85%; for other work it is the contract price, or materials times 200% if you do the work yourself, and the fee uses the greater of the declared and calculated value.

The bands chain, so each one starts where the previous band ends. The 2019 schedule still linked from the building page shows the old $4.50 state surcharge; the 2026 resolution carries the current amounts. Grading permits start at $24 for 100 cubic yards or less, and modular or L&I-approved manufactured structures are $200 for the first section plus $100 for each additional section.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Plumbing and mechanical permits are issued by the City, and many are handed out over the counter the same day. In an emergency, such as no heat in winter, mechanical or plumbing work may start first as long as the permit is applied for on the next working day. Cheney is not on L&I’s list of cities that run their own electrical inspections, so L&I sells and inspects electrical permits, while the City Light Department’s service connection runs through a Public Works civil permit.

How to apply for a Cheney building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The City recommends allowing at least two weeks for plan review on a new house, an addition or other major work, and says each round of corrections adds time. An application is treated as abandoned 180 days after filing unless pursued in good faith; the building official may extend it in steps of up to 180 days on a written request. The City warns that not every manufactured product meets the state code for every use, so check the reviewed plans and manufacturer instructions, or ask an inspector before buying windows, insulation or handrails.

Inspections in Cheney

Request inspections in Citizen Connect or by phone on 509-498-9237. The City aims to do inspections the same day they are asked for; to be sure of a slot or a set time, ask the day before. Work must be inspected before it is covered, and the typical stages are listed on the permit. Have the stamped plans on site, give inspectors access, and finish the work first, or the visit becomes a re-inspection; it helps if someone is there to answer questions.

The certificate of occupancy names the permit, the owner, the code edition and the occupancy, and it issues only once the building passes inspection and meets the other City ordinances tied to the project. Zoning placement permits for fences and sheds are inspected by Planning.

Cheney permit search and official resources

Citizen Connect shows plan review progress, inspection results and comments to registered users tied to a permit; if you gave no email address when applying, call 509-498-9237 to add one. Cheney is a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program, and FEMA lists July 6, 2010 as its current map date.

• Cheney Building Department: codes, forms and contacts
• Building permits online (Citizen Connect registration)
• Citizen Connect permit portal
• Building FAQs for homeowners
• Resolution F-438, 2026 fees and charges (PDF)
• CMC chapter 19.06: building code and local amendments
• Zoning placement permit for fences and sheds (PDF)
• Pre-built and site-built shed handout (PDF)
• Pre-development conference guidelines (PDF)
• Public Works permits: civil and right-of-way
• Spokane Regional Health District programs (septic)

Cheney building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Cheney?

The City’s Building Department at 112 Anderson Road (509-498-9237), where Brandon Minter is the Building Official. Electrical permits come from L&I.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Cheney?

Not a building permit for a fence up to 7 feet, but you need a zoning placement permit from Planning, and fences near the front curb are limited to 4 feet.

Do I need a permit for a prebuilt shed?

Only if it is over 200 sq ft, over one story, or used for more than storage; delivered and site-built sheds follow the same rule, and a zoning placement permit is still required.

How long does plan review take?

Allow at least two weeks for a new house or addition and about a week for a deck or interior change; many plumbing and mechanical permits are issued the same day.

Can I apply online?

Yes, through Citizen Connect for building, plumbing, mechanical and combination permits; the City emails a payment link after it checks the submittal.

How much is a permit?

Under Resolution F-438, in force since January 1, 2026, the permit fee comes from a valuation table starting at $24, with plan review at 65% and a $10 technology fee; the City also asks applicants to call for a figure.

Who handles the electrical service hookup?

The wiring permit comes from L&I, but connecting electrical service to the City’s system, like water, sewer and stormwater connections, needs a civil permit from Public Works, with three full-size plan sets where plans apply.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Through Citizen Connect or by calling 509-498-9237, ideally the day before; the best time to reach an inspector by phone is 8 to 9 a.m.

Simplify Cheney permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Washington. 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 Cheney permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.