Port Angeles, Washington Building Permit Guide

The Building Division of Port Angeles’ Community and Economic Development department issues building, mechanical, plumbing, demolition and sign permits inside the city, and the City also runs its own electrical permits and inspections through the Electrical Inspector in Public Works and Utilities, so electrical permits here do not come from Labor and Industries (L&I). Applications are emailed to the City, and fees follow the Master Fee Schedule in effect since January 1, 2026, with residential plan review at 65% of the building permit fee.

The Building Division is at City Hall, 321 East 5th Street, phone 360-417-4817, and takes permit submissions and pick-ups weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Port Angeles had 20,146 residents in the Census estimate for 2025. Clallam County’s Building Division, also in Port Angeles, permits unincorporated land around the city, but not inside it.

What requires a building permit in Port Angeles?

Port Angeles Municipal Code (PAMC) 14.03.010 applies the state building code as amended by the City, and Ordinance 3764 of June 2, 2026 rewrote the local amendments in chapter 14.03. Two of them narrow the residential code’s exempt list.

The City’s FAQ words the shed rule slightly differently, saying any structure of 120 sq ft or more needs a permit, and it adds fences: it says a fence over 6 feet needs a permit and that retaining walls under 4 feet (under 2 feet with a surcharge) are exempt. The adopted text of PAMC 14.03.020(E) is worded as “restricting work exempt from a permit” to one-story detached accessory structures of up to 120 sq ft and says nothing about fences or retaining walls, so confirm any fence or wall with the Building Division before you build. One quirk of the fee table: the $500,001 band starts at $5,583.10, although the band below ends at $5,343.10.

What the city decides and what the state holds

The 2021 Washington codes apply with a substantial local layer. Ordinance 3764 sets one-year permits, bans type V-B construction in the Central Business District, requires sprinklers in any building over 6,250 sq ft and in adult family homes, boarding homes and group care facilities licensed for more than five people, and, in PAMC 14.26.030, requires sprinklers in new one-family dwellings and duplexes as PAMC 18.08.110 requires them, approved by the Fire Chief. The City also adopts the state electrical laws and enforces them itself under PAMC 14.05, with local wiring rules.

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

Port Angeles building department: who handles permitting

The Building Division reviews and inspects construction from large industrial buildings to residential decks. The Electrical Inspector, part of Public Works and Utilities, issues electrical permits and inspects electrical work. The Fire Department reviews building plans and inspects fire systems, and Public Works reviews siting, clearing and grading and work in the right-of-way.

Permit types

Residential permits

Most applications are fillable PDFs: the general building permit, demolition, mechanical, plumbing, roofing and siding, sign, stormwater checklist, house moving and revision forms, plus separate single-family and multifamily or commercial electrical applications. Simple residential jobs are treated as over-the-counter permits: HVAC and mini-split installs, kitchen hoods, water heaters, appliance water lines, water or sewer line replacement, abandoned tank removal, residential solar, roofing and siding, and propane tanks. Hand-drawn site and floor plans are accepted if they are to scale, and the counter has a computer kiosk and free Wi-Fi for applicants without a computer.

The City’s Building Permit Fee Waiver Program waives building permit, plan review, fire, planning and public works siting fees for eligible housing, including ADUs, duplexes to fourplexes, cottage housing, townhomes, multifamily buildings, projects built from the City’s permit-ready plans and some low-income homeownership programs. In return the owner signs a contract and a 10-year notice to title barring short-term rental or other lodging use.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial work uses the same general application with occupancy and construction type stated, and new businesses need a certificate of occupancy or, for an existing space, a business occupancy verification ($294 plus fire and life safety inspection fees). A commercial certificate of occupancy is $490 and a 30-day temporary one $882. Projects with outside plan review pay 65% of the permit fee plus actual consultant costs. The Fire Department charges 25% of the building permit fee for its building plan review, and Public Works 25% for siting review.

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

What comes before the building permit

Planning reviews building permits for zoning at 20% of the building permit fee and runs pre-application meetings ($980), land use permits and critical areas review. Clearing and grading permits go to Public Works, starting at $1,470 for less than 100 cubic yards; work in the street needs a right-of-way permit ($686 for curb, gutter or driveway work). Demolition debris needs a waste disposal approval form, and demolitions need ORCAA notification. On lots without sewer, septic permits come from Clallam County Environmental Health. A newly served residential lot also pays a transformer charge for its electric service: $2,490.43 for underground or $1,370.88 for overhead service.

Port Angeles permit costs and fees

The City Council adopted the Master Fee Schedule on December 2, 2025, effective January 1, 2026. Valuation must include materials and labor at market value and cannot be lower than the current ICC building valuation data; owners doing their own work are told to double the cost of materials. Base rates assume set review hours at $98 an hour, and a third or incomplete submittal is billed at 1.5 times that rate.

On a new house, plumbing and mechanical fees are included in the building permit fee. The schedule adds the Fire Department (25%), Public Works siting (25%) and planning (20%) review percentages only where those departments review the permit. A residential certificate of occupancy is $196, a 30-day temporary one $98, and a manufactured home placement costs $784 for all reviews and inspections.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Port Angeles is on L&I’s list of cities with their own electrical programs, so inside city limits you buy the electrical permit from the City. PAMC 14.05.040 requires a City electrical permit before any electrical work except minor repairs; the permit lapses if work does not start within 60 days or stops for six months. The single-family form (EL1-2) charges new construction $196 for the first 1,300 sq ft and $49 for each additional 500 sq ft, $98 for each outbuilding or detached garage and $196 for each pool or hot tub, and the signer certifies as the owner under RCW 19.28.261 or as a licensed electrical contractor. Projects larger than a duplex need a one-line diagram and load calculations. Power for construction needs its own temporary service permit from the Electrical Inspector, allowed for up to 180 days under PAMC 14.05.100. Electricians’ and plumbers’ state certificates and contractor registration are still L&I matters, outlined in our Washington licensing notes.

How to apply for a Port Angeles building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Under PAMC 14.03.020 as rewritten in 2026, a building or fire permit expires one year after it is issued. If the work is not finished, you can renew it for one more year by a written request made before the expiry date, and once more for a final year, paying the renewal fees each time ($294 for the first renewal, half the original fee for the second); after that, or if you miss a deadline, the remaining work needs a new application with new fees.

Inspections in Port Angeles

Inspections are booked online, at any hour, through the City’s request form for building, electrical, engineering, planning and fire inspections. Appointments must be booked before 8 p.m. on the business day before, and the number of appointments each day is limited, so the system shows the next open day. Fire inspections happen only on Tuesdays, from requests received by noon on the Friday before. A residential sprinkler system must be tested and approved by the Fire Chief before a new house or duplex may be occupied.

The certificate of occupancy follows the approved final inspection. The City’s guide says fire alarms, sprinklers, mechanical systems and accessibility features must all be finished and approved first, and any Fire Department or Public Works and Utilities conditions, such as water supply, backflow prevention and electrical approvals, must be met. The owner must post the certificate in a conspicuous place in the building. Demolitions, foundation-only work, some mechanical or plumbing permits, manufactured homes and work outside the structure generally need no certificate. Electrical wiring may not be covered until the Electrical Inspector approves it and the Building Official allows it to be concealed, so book the City electrical rough-in before insulation and drywall.

Port Angeles permit search and official resources

Previous building permits for an address are requested through the City’s public records page, and monthly building activity reports list recent permits. Port Angeles (community 530023) participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, and its flood map is a recent one: FEMA dates the current edition April 23, 2025.

• Port Angeles Building Division
• Certificates of occupancy: a guide (PDF)
• Building permit applications and submission addresses
• Building and permitting FAQ
• Inspection requests
• Master Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026 (PDF)
• Single-family electrical permit application (PDF)
• Building Permit Fee Waiver Program
• Port Angeles Municipal Code, Title 14

Port Angeles building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Port Angeles?

The City’s Building Division at 321 East 5th Street (360-417-4817), for land inside the city limits.

Do I get my electrical permit from L&I?

No. Inside the city, electrical permits and inspections come from the City’s Electrical Inspector in Public Works and Utilities.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Yes, if it is over 120 sq ft under PAMC 14.03.020; the City’s FAQ draws the line at 120 sq ft or more.

Do I need a permit for a deck?

Not for a deck less than 30 inches above grade that is not part of a larger permitted project.

How long is a permit good for?

One year, with up to two one-year renewals requested in writing before it expires.

Do new houses need fire sprinklers?

PAMC 14.26.030 requires automatic sprinklers in new one-family dwellings and duplexes as required by PAMC 18.08.110, approved by the Fire Chief.

Can permit fees be waived for an ADU?

Yes, if the ADU qualifies under the Building Permit Fee Waiver Program; the owner signs a contract and a 10-year notice to title that rules out short-term rental and other lodging use.

What does a re-roof permit cost?

$392 for a residential re-roof under the 2026 schedule; roofing and siding are among the City’s over-the-counter permits.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Online, before 8 p.m. on the business day before; fire inspections are on Tuesdays only.

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