Pullman, Washington Building Permit Guide

Pullman issues its own building permits through the Protective Inspections division of Community Development, which reviews plans, inspects construction, supervises special inspections and keeps the permit records; electrical permits and inspections come from the state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). Applications go in through the City’s online portal or by email, plan review takes four to six weeks for projects that need it, and permits that involve earthmoving or hauling debris carry a refundable damage deposit equal to the building permit fee.

The division works from Building A, 190 SE Crestview Street, open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Community Development’s support line is 509-338-3220 and its email pwcd-admin@pullman-wa.gov. Jeromy Moore is the Building Official. The city had 33,756 residents in the Census estimate for 2025.

Pullman permits cover land inside the city limits; Whitman County permits its unincorporated land.

What requires a building permit in Pullman?

All new construction and additions need a building permit, and so do most alterations and remodels. Pullman City Code (PCC) 2.15.035 replaces the model codes’ exemption lists with one list for both the residential and building codes, and the City says these are “the only exceptions”. Its notable local addition is a small-job exemption for houses and duplexes.

Pullman’s own building rules

PCC 2.15.010 adopts the most current state editions of the building and residential codes, and the City lists the 2021 building, residential, mechanical, fuel gas, plumbing and energy codes as in effect since March 15, 2024. The City decides the exemption list, the damage deposit, its fee resolution, the zoning setbacks and lot coverage that still apply to exempt sheds, and an annual permit that lets a state university make interior alterations without a separate permit for each one.

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

Pullman building department: who handles permitting

Protective Inspections issues the permits; Planning applies the zoning code, subdivision ordinance, critical areas ordinance, SEPA, the shoreline master program and design standards, with the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission and a hearing examiner for the larger cases. Public Works handles engineering, stormwater and utility connections.

Permit types

Residential permits

Re-roofing, re-siding, replacement windows and similar work need no plans and can be issued online, over the counter or the next day. A new house or duplex should be assembled with the City’s “Complete IRC Submittal” document and permit checklist; other forms include a typical plot plan, a retaining wall handout, a solar permit checklist, tip sheets for decks, stairs, guards and handrails, and the contractor waiver form. Plans use Pullman’s design criteria: 30 psf ground snow load, a 30-inch frost depth, severe weathering, a winter design temperature of 2 degrees F, an air freezing index of 975, seismic design category B, 110 mph wind, climate zone 5B and ice barrier underlayment.

Resolution R-16-24 sets flat fees for many house jobs: $100 each for a re-roof, a deck, or a kitchen remodel, bath remodel or basement finish valued between $2,001 and $25,000; $75 for replacement windows in the same $2,001 to $25,000 value range (no permit up to $1,500, the valuation table between $1,500 and $2,000); $25 for re-siding; $125 for rooftop solar with the solar checklist; $50 for a shed under 200 sq ft that needs no plans; $75 to demolish a house; $250 to set a mobile home; $10 to set up a camp trailer on water and sewer; $250 to convert a house to an adult family home, change of occupancy included; and $50 for a sign fastened to a building, with monument and pole signs priced on valuation. Retaining walls are valued at $30 per sq ft of wall face, and the City reviews pre-approved IRC plans for $200.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial and multifamily projects come under the building code and use the City’s special inspection and testing agreement (May 2024). An early start or phased permit, limited to foundation, structural and non-structural submissions, costs 25% of the building permit fee on top of the full fee and needs the Building Official’s approval and the full damage deposit and plan review fee; a stand-alone foundation permit is 5%. Commercial demolition is $100 up to $100,000 of valuation, $250 to $500,000, $500 to $1 million and $750 above that, and a change of occupancy is $50. Appeals of the Building Official’s decisions go to the City’s hearing examiner. Plumbing and mechanical plans outside the residential code pay 65% plan review.

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

What comes before the building permit

Planning reviews zoning, setbacks and lot coverage, critical areas, SEPA and any shoreline work under the City’s shoreline master program before the building permit is issued. Site work has its own threshold: under PCC 2.15.040 a cut or fill is exempt from a grading permit only if it totals 50 cubic yards or less and creates no cut or fill slope taller than 10 feet, or taller than 5 feet and steeper than 2 to 1; larger jobs pay $37 for the first 100 cubic yards plus $17.50 for each further 100, up to 1,000 cubic yards, and the faces of slopes must be kept from eroding under the City’s design standards. New buildings also pay water meter and service installation charges and water and sewer general facility charges, set by Resolutions R-01-26 and R-02-26, with surcharges in certain areas to repay the cost of mains.

Pullman permit costs and fees

Building, plumbing and mechanical fees come from Resolution R-16-24, adopted on March 12, 2024 and in force since April 1, 2024; the City’s Permit Fee Quick Guide, revised April 24, 2026, still points to it. Fees are calculated during plan review and collected when the permit is ready to issue, not at submittal, but plan review fees are owed even if the application is withdrawn.

Worked example. A new house valued at $300,000 falls in the $100,001 to $500,000 band: $993.75 plus 200 × $5.60 ($1,120) gives a building permit fee of $2,113.75, and plan review at 65% adds $1,373.94. Because a new house involves earthmoving, a $2,113.75 damage deposit is also collected, refundable once the street and sidewalk are left clean, before the state fee, plumbing and mechanical permits, utility charges and the L&I electrical permit.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Plumbing and mechanical permits are Pullman’s, each with a $50 base fee, and they are needed separately even for work the building code exempts. The City’s own permit page sends electrical work to L&I, whose Pullman office on Bishop Boulevard sells the permits and sends the inspector.

How to apply for a Pullman building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Plans that do not meet the codes come back with a plan-review letter. The City encourages applicants who do not understand a correction to call the reviewer, or to meet the reviewer in person to go over it. The damage deposit is forfeited if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after the last documented inspection, though the permit holder must still finish the work.

Inspections in Pullman

If you applied in person, call 509-338-3220 with the address, inspection type, a contact name and number, and whether you want a morning or an afternoon visit; if you applied online, request it in the portal. Morning inspections run from 9:30 a.m. to noon and afternoon inspections from 1:30 to 5 p.m.; the City does not give specific times, and inspections start a little later on Tuesdays because of a staff meeting. Requests made before 9 a.m. can be done the same day; later requests go to the next working day. A re-inspection costs $100.

Pullman permit search and official resources

Protective Inspections keeps the City’s permit records and posts building permit activity reports; permits filed online can be followed in the portal. Pullman takes part in the national flood insurance program. New FEMA flood maps for the city take effect on December 23, 2026, replacing the May 19, 1981 maps that PCC 2.15.015 still lists.

• Pullman Building & Protective Inspections
• Do I need a permit? (PCC 2.15.035 exemptions)
• Building forms, adopted codes and design criteria
• How to schedule an inspection
• Resolution R-16-24: building, plumbing and mechanical fees (PDF)
• Permit Fee Quick Guide, revised April 2026 (PDF)
• PCC chapter 2.15: building code
• Building permit activity
• Pullman online permit portal
• Pullman Planning
• L&I list of cities with their own electrical permits

Pullman building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Pullman?

The City’s Protective Inspections division, 190 SE Crestview Street, Bldg. A (509-338-3220). Electrical permits come from L&I’s Pullman office.

What is the damage deposit?

A cash deposit equal to the building permit fee, collected on permits that involve earthmoving or debris. It covers cleaning or repairing the street and sidewalk and is refunded when the project is complete.

Do I need a permit for a small remodel?

Not at a house or duplex if the work is worth $1,500 or less in 12 months and creates no bedroom, touches no structure and reduces no egress, light or ventilation. Plumbing, mechanical and electrical work still need their own permits.

How long does plan review take in Pullman?

Four to six weeks for projects that need plans; re-roofs, siding and replacement windows can be issued online, over the counter or the next day.

Can I build my own house?

Yes, if you do the work yourself and sign the City’s contractor waiver; otherwise the application must list a registered contractor.

How much is a re-roof permit?

$100 for a house under Resolution R-16-24, plus the state building code fee.

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