Des Moines, Washington Building Permit Guide

In Des Moines, the Building Division of the Community Development Department reviews plans and issues building, mechanical, plumbing, re-roof, fire and electrical permits; Des Moines is one of the cities that run their own electrical program, so wiring permits come from the City rather than from Labor and Industries. Applications go through the City’s MyPermits portal. Under the fee schedule in force since January 1, 2026, plan review costs 65% of the building permit fee, and the City expects first comments in about 4 to 6 weeks.

The department is at 21630 11th Avenue South, Suite D, open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on 206-870-7576; a planner sits at the counter Tuesday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Mondays and Fridays by appointment. The Community Development Director is Rebecca Deming. Des Moines had 33,032 residents in the Census estimate for 2025, and its permits cover the city limits only.

What requires a building permit in Des Moines?

Title 14 of the Des Moines Municipal Code (DMMC) adopts the state’s building, residential, mechanical, fire, plumbing and energy codes by their WAC chapters, and it does not rewrite the residential code’s list of exempt work. That means the exemption list in the 2021 International Residential Code, as Washington amended it, is the legal starting point. The City’s own handouts are stricter in places and were written for older code editions, so the two are shown side by side below.

What the city decides and what the state holds

Fences show the gap most clearly: the adopted residential code exempts fences up to 7 feet, while the City’s fence memo still says a permit is needed above 6 feet, and the zoning rules in the same memo set the allowed height by where the fence stands on the lot. What Des Moines controls outright is its fee schedule (set by the City Manager under DMMC 14.01.090), its electrical program, the bond or cash deposit that DMMC 14.05.080 calls for before a permit is issued, in an amount the Building Official sets, and construction hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

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

Des Moines building department: who handles permitting

Three teams share each file. Planners check zoning, critical areas and shoreline rules before a project enters building review; permit coordinators confirm the application is complete, collect fees and issue permits and certificates of occupancy; and plans examiners and inspectors from the Building Division, the City’s engineering staff and South King Fire and Rescue review the plans and the work. South King Fire’s chief and fire marshal act as fire code officials under the Building Official’s direction.

The City warns of fake permit-payment emails; check bills in MyPermits.

Permit types

Residential permits

A new house or an addition over 500 sq ft uses the City’s new-construction checklist: the application, a site plan with drainage, driveway and building height, construction drawings with an average-height calculation, structural calculations, an erosion control (TESC) plan, the energy code worksheet, certificates of water and sewer availability, the fire apparatus access and fire flow worksheet, any recorded easements, and a contractor registration or owner affidavit. Smaller residential work that adds no bedrooms uses the minor-construction checklist, which drops the TESC plan and asks for water availability only when floor area is added.

Water and sewer letters come from the district that serves the lot, not from the City; the checklist names King County Water District 54, Highline Water District and Lakehaven Utility District for water, and Midway and Southwest Suburban sewer districts.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial projects follow the commercial submittal requirements and the minimum drawing standards, with separate checklists for tenant improvements, re-roofs and changes of occupancy. Engineering plan review adds 35% of the building permit fee on commercial work and South King Fire review adds 15%. A temporary certificate of occupancy for a new commercial or multifamily building costs $3,675, or $525 for a tenant improvement.

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

What comes before the building permit

DMMC 14.05.060 requires design review, a shoreline substantial development permit, a clearing or grading permit, critical areas review and SEPA review, where they apply, to be filed with the building application or before it. Planning fees come from a separate schedule effective June 1, 2026: critical areas review of a single-family house costs $4,317 (or the consultant’s cost plus 20%), a minor critical areas activity $1,298, SEPA review of a house lot $803, a shoreline exemption $550 and a shoreline substantial development permit $4,317. The first two pre-application meetings are free and each later one costs $440. Lots on septic need King County public health approval for a new house or a bedroom addition, because DMMC chapter 14.25 hands sewage system rules to the Seattle-King County Department of Public Health. Work in the street needs a right-of-way use permit under DMMC chapter 12.05.

Des Moines permit costs and fees

The Building Division’s consolidated fee schedule took effect on January 1, 2026, signed by the City Manager under DMMC 14.01.090, which gives the City Manager the power to set permit fees. Valuation follows the ICC building valuation data in the City’s permit valuation guidelines (the February 2026 table is posted). The valuation bands do not run on from one another, so each project is priced inside its own band.

Worked example. A $60,000 house remodel falls in the $50,001 to $100,000 band: $1,184 plus 10 × $13.56 ($135.60) gives a building permit fee of $1,319.60. Plan review at 65% adds $857.74, and the residential state surcharge adds $6.50, for $2,183.84. The automation fee then adds $65.98 if it is taken on the permit fee alone, or $108.87 if it is taken on the permit and plan review fees together, as the two pages of the schedule word it differently. Engineering review, City electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are extra.

New homes also pay impact fees. The citywide transportation impact fee from April 1, 2026 is $8,591.10 for a single-family house and $4,295.55 for an ADU, adjusted each spring by a construction cost index; the City’s program page says new residential development east of the Pacific Highway South corridor is currently not required to pay it. The two schedules differ on engineering review of a single-family house: the building schedule says 20% of the permit fee and the June 2026 planning and engineering schedule says 15%.

Trade permits and who may pull them

All trade permits are City permits here. Mechanical and plumbing permits each start with a $67.10 permit fee, plus items such as $8.53 per plumbing fixture, $11.55 per water heater and $19.75 for a heat pump. Electrical work follows the Washington Cities Electrical Code that DMMC 14.01.050 adopts: wiring a new house or addition costs $181.50 for the first 1,500 sq ft plus $48.40 for each further 500 sq ft, and a standard rooftop solar package is $488.48, made up of the electrical permit, electrical plan review, a South King Fire permit and the automation fee.

How to apply for a Des Moines building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The City’s process guide gives 4 to 6 weeks for first comments or approval, about 3 weeks for each revision, and up to 6 to 8 weeks for complex commercial projects. Two review rounds are included; further rounds of revisions or deferred submittals are billed at $138 an hour. An application with no permit issued within 180 days expires, and the Building Official may grant one extension of up to 180 days; after that you reapply and pay plan review again.

Inspections in Des Moines

Request inspections in MyPermits or on the City’s automated inspection line at 206-870-7576 with the permit number, address, contact and inspection type. The cut-off is 2 p.m. for an inspection the next day, requests left after 2 p.m. may not be picked up until 2 p.m. the following day, and there are no same-day inspections. Fire inspections are booked with South King Fire and Rescue at 253-946-7348. The permit and approved plans must be on site, and a re-roof usually gets a roof nailing inspection and a final.

A permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 180 days of issue or stops for 180 days; the Building Official can grant written extensions of up to 180 days each. When the work passes its final, the Building Division issues a certificate of occupancy for a new building or a change of occupancy, and a final approval for other work.

Des Moines permit search and official resources

MyPermits shows the status of active permits, the next day’s inspection schedule and a map of active permits. Plans and files for older projects are requested through the City’s public records request page. Des Moines is a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program, and FEMA’s status book lists August 19, 2020 as the date of its current flood map.

• Des Moines Permits page and MyPermits link
• MyPermits portal: apply, check status, book inspections
• Permit applications, checklists and handouts
• Building Division fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026 (PDF)
• Planning and engineering fee schedule, effective June 1, 2026 (PDF)
• Transportation impact fee program
• Understanding the building permit process (PDF)
• Schedule an inspection
• Electronic plan requirements
• Des Moines Municipal Code (Title 14, buildings)
• Public records request
• L&I list of cities that issue their own electrical permits

Des Moines building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Des Moines?

The Building Division of the Community Development Department, at 21630 11th Avenue South, Suite D (206-870-7576). It also issues electrical permits.

Do I get my electrical permit from L&I in Des Moines?

No. Des Moines runs its own electrical program, so electrical permits and inspections come from the City through MyPermits.

How much is a building permit in Des Moines?

A $60,000 remodel costs $1,319.60 for the permit, $857.74 for plan review and $6.50 in state surcharge, plus an automation fee of $65.98 to $108.87 depending on how it is calculated.

How long does plan review take?

About 4 to 6 weeks for first comments, around 3 weeks for each revision, and up to 6 to 8 weeks for complex commercial projects.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

The adopted residential code exempts fences up to 7 feet, but the City’s fence memo says fences over 6 feet need a building permit, so check with the Building Division; zoning height limits apply either way.

Can I book a same-day inspection?

No. Requests made by 2 p.m. are for the next day, and fire inspections go through South King Fire and Rescue.

Simplify Des Moines 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 Des Moines permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.