Lincoln County, Washington Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Lincoln County, building permits come from the Building Division of Lincoln County Building, Planning & Land Services, 27234 State Route 25 N, Davenport. The county moved to online permitting through its Accela portal, prefers PDF plans, and has one building official who also does every inspection, so call or text 509-721-0539 before driving in. A house permit needs a site address and an approved septic permit first, and electrical permits come from Labor & Industries.

What requires a building permit in Lincoln County?

The Lincoln County Code makes it unlawful to erect, enlarge, alter, repair, move, convert or demolish a regulated building without a separate permit for each building or structure from the building division (section 4-80). The same section carves out outbuildings that meet the 200-square-foot exception and the work listed in section 105.2 of the International Building Code. The county’s web pages add how it treats everyday jobs:

A remodel worth more than 60 percent of the existing building’s assessed value can trigger an inspection of the whole structure and upgrades to current code, and adding plumbing or bedrooms needs Public Health approval of the septic system.

What the county decides and what the state holds

Chapter 4 of the county code, as amended by Resolution 22-42 in October 2022, adopts the current state editions of the building, residential, mechanical and fire codes and the Uniform Plumbing Code, plus Appendix C for agricultural buildings, so the 2021 Washington codes apply today and the 2024 codes take effect statewide on May 3, 2027. The county’s “State & International Building Codes” web page still lists the 2015 and 2018 editions. What the county sets locally is a 40 psf minimum roof snow load (50 psf ground), a 30-inch frost depth (24 inches for detached Group U buildings), 85 mph design wind, exposure C and seismic design category C.

Lincoln County building department: who handles permitting

Building, Planning & Land Services handles land divisions, zoning, addressing, forestry, building permits, plan review and inspections for the unincorporated county. The department notes that one planner and one building official serve the whole county, so it asks people to call, email or text before visiting. The Building Division page names Ryan James as the county’s building inspector.

Cities and towns in Lincoln County

Two town rules differ from the county’s. Wilbur asks for a no-charge Maintenance Permit for re-roofing, re-siding, window replacement and fences, and requires a fence at least 4 feet high around private pools. Odessa’s 2026 resolution charges $28 for work valued up to $500 and $998 plus $6 per additional $1,000 between $100,001 and $500,000, with a $6.50 state surcharge added.

Lincoln County permit types and what comes first

Residential permits

For a site-built house the county wants a completed application with the site address (posted on the lot before work starts), a site plan, proof of potable water, the septic permit, a copy of the contractor’s state registration, and two sets of plans, one of which comes back stamped. Plans show all four elevations, window sizes, footing, foundation and wall sections, insulation R-values, floor joist sizes and spans, and each floor plan; the department cannot copy copyrighted plans for you.

Manufactured homes need the application, site plan, water and septic approvals, the certified installer form (unless the owner installs it) and, for a new home, the manufacturer’s footing and pier plans. The county asks buyers to order homes rated for its 40 psf roof snow load.

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

Commercial permits

Detached garages, shops, barns, storage buildings, carports and greenhouses need one plan set with footing, wall and roof sections, and a floor plan if rooms are divided. Any plumbing in them needs sewer and water approval from Public Health, and a building with cooking facilities may be treated as residential. Commercial buildings follow the International Building Code with the county fire marshal enforcing the fire code.

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

• Address: a physical address must be assigned before either a building permit or a septic permit can be applied for; utilities will not connect without one.
• Septic: Public Health issues onsite sewage permits, online for new systems; it needs a well log or a public water letter first.
• Road access: every approach onto a county road needs a Public Works access permit, and an existing farm approach is re-evaluated when it starts serving a home.
• Zoning, critical areas and shorelines: the Planning Division reviews projects under Title 17 zoning, the Growth Management Act critical areas rules and the Shoreline Management Act. Its 2016 fee list (adopted November 2, 2015) sets a critical areas permit at $300, a shoreline exemption or site analysis at $50 plus $50 for a site visit, and a substantial development permit at $750.
• Flood areas: the county posts its Title 15 flood damage prevention rules on the Building Division page.
• Garbage: the county reminds new home builders that rural pickup is not automatic; plan a storage spot on your own land, off the right of way, or a haul to a transfer station.

Lincoln County permit fees

The county code leaves building, residential, mechanical and plumbing permit fees to amounts “established by the county,” and the Building Division’s pages do not post a valuation table, so the permit fee is quoted when the application is reviewed. The remodel handout says the building permit fee is based on the value of the work. These are the figures the county does publish:

The land use figures come from the “2016 Land Use Fees” list adopted on November 2, 2015. Every Washington building permit also carries the state building code fee under RCW 19.27.085, $6.50 for a residential permit and $25 for a commercial one, plus $2 for each extra dwelling unit; the county publishes no wording of its own for it. Septic, approach and electrical permits are paid to Public Health, Public Works and L&I.

Trade permits and who may pull them

The Building Division states plainly that it does not issue or inspect electrical permits; L&I does, everywhere in the county, since no Lincoln County city is on L&I’s list of local electrical programs. Plumbing, gas piping and mechanical work are inspected by the county with the building permit: drain and vent lines are tested with water or air, water lines at working pressure, and gas piping before units are connected. Alterations to a manufactured home go to L&I (509-324-2568).

• Contractors: a copy of the contractor’s state registration goes in with the application; registration, electrician and plumber records can be checked on L&I’s website.
• Sales tax coding: contractors and subcontractors on unincorporated jobs report the county’s sales and use tax location code, 2200, on their excise tax returns.
• Manufactured home installers: the county’s Certified Installer Form records the certification name and number of anyone other than the homeowner who sets the home; a relocated home follows the maker’s instructions or, without them, the county’s standards or a Washington-licensed engineer’s design.
• Propane: the Building Division posts an LP gas container location sheet; house gas lines are tested before appliances are connected, and tank gas is checked once installed and operating.

Doing your own wiring or plumbing is governed by state licensing law rather than county rules; the Washington licensing summary explains when an owner needs an L&I license or a registered contractor.

How to apply for a Lincoln County building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Staffing is the main constraint: one building official handles plan review and every inspection, so a visit without an appointment may find nobody at the counter. The county will not issue a house permit without proof of the septic permit, and Public Health will not issue a septic permit without the address and water proof, so those two steps set the pace. Once issued, work must start within 180 days; the permit runs 18 months and can be renewed for 6 months if substantial progress is shown.

Inspections in Lincoln County

Call 509-725-7911 with at least two days’ notice and leave a call-back number if you reach voicemail. The county tries to fit an inspection in within two business days, first come first served, but warns that with a single inspector the wait can be more than a week. A house is inspected at footings, foundation, slab or under-floor, sub-floor, framing (after rough plumbing, heating and electrical are approved), insulation, gas piping and final, once grading is finished and the building is ready to occupy. Pole buildings need the poles in their holes before the first visit.

Electrical rough-in and final inspections are requested from L&I, and the county frame inspection follows the L&I electrical approval.

Code editions and flood maps

Lincoln County enforces the current state editions adopted by the State Building Code Council, now the 2021 codes. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Lincoln County, Almira, Creston, Harrington, Odessa, Sprague and Wilbur as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, while Davenport and Reardan are in its list of communities not in the program.

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

Lincoln County building permit FAQ

Does Lincoln County issue building permits inside Davenport?

No. Davenport handles its own permits through a contract with Northwest Code Professionals; call City Hall on 509-725-4352.

How long is a Lincoln County building permit good for?

Work must begin within 180 days of issue. The permit is valid for 18 months and can be renewed for 6 months if substantial progress is shown.

Do I need a permit for a new roof or siding?

Re-roofs and siding go through the $50 consistency and compliance review. Non-structural work needs no inspection; if the review turns up structural work, a permit priced on the value of the work follows.

Can I put an older mobile home on my land?

Not one built in 1976 or earlier: the county does not permit them. Newer homes need a placement permit, and alterations to the home go to L&I.

Why is my inspection taking so long?

The county has one inspector; it aims for two business days but says waits can exceed a week, so book at least two days ahead.

Who issues septic permits?

Lincoln County Public Health in Davenport (509-725-1001). From February 1, 2027, selling a property with a septic system will also require a property transfer inspection, arranged by the seller.

Who handles electrical permits?

Washington L&I, not the county; the nearest L&I office is in Spokane (509-324-2600).

Permit search and official resources

The Accela Citizen Access portal has a search for building, planning and public health applications, so past county permits and septic applications can be looked up online. For older paper files, ask Building, Planning & Land Services; electrical permit history is held by L&I.

• Lincoln County Building Division
• Building, Planning & Land Services
• Lincoln County Accela Citizen Access portal
• Site-built residences: requirements and inspections
• Non-residential buildings: garages, shops and barns
• Factory-built residences and manufactured homes
• Lincoln County design guidelines
• Remodels and additions handout
• 2016 land use fees
• Lincoln County Code
• Title 15 flood damage prevention
• Lincoln County Public Health septic permits
• Public Works right-of-way permit forms
• City of Davenport building services
• Town of Wilbur building information
• Town of Reardan forms and land use
• L&I electrical permits and inspections
• FEMA Community Status Book, Washington

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