Do I need a permit to remodel my kitchen in Seattle?

It depends on the scope. SDCI usually doesn't require a permit for installing cabinets, or for minor alterations of $6,000 or less in six months, counting labor and parts. Electrical changes need an SDCI electrical permit, and plumbing or gas changes need one from Public Health. Work on load-bearing supports needs a permit at any cost.

Does a bathroom remodel require a permit?

Most full remodels do, because they change plumbing or wiring. Bellevue says showers and bathtubs require permits, while similar fixtures replaced in the same location don't. In Seattle, Public Health requires a permit to install, relocate or change plumbing, so ask them about your specific swap.

Do I need a permit to replace countertops?

Bellevue and Kirkland say no building permit for countertops alone, and Redmond lists counter tops as exempt finish work. Seattle's list doesn't name them, so the $6,000 test applies. Any of these can change if plumbing or electrical work is part of the job, such as moving a sink.

Who gets the permit, me or my contractor?

Usually whoever does the work. L&I says an electrical contractor you hire must buy their own permits, and Public Health says a plumbing contractor applies for its own. Homeowner permits exist for owners doing their own work.

Does removing a wall need a permit if it isn't load-bearing?

In Kirkland and Redmond, yes. Kirkland's list says "whether load-bearing or not," and Redmond treats it as an alteration. Bellevue requires one for creating new walls and doesn't state a rule for removing one. In Seattle, load-bearing work always needs one. SDCI's list doesn't name non-bearing walls, so we read them under the $6,000 test unless the work reduces light, ventilation, egress or fire resistance, and SDCI can confirm. Moving wiring or plumbing in that wall adds its own permit.

Kitchen & Bath Remodel Permits in Seattle

Often, yes, and it depends more on what moves than on how much you spend. New cabinets and counters in the same layout usually don't need a building permit in Bellevue, Kirkland or Redmond, and Kirkland and Redmond also list paint and tile. Seattle treats much of that work the same way when the job stays small. Moving plumbing, adding a circuit or changing a wall usually does need one. The details differ by city, and plumbing and electrical permits are separate from the building permit. This guide shows what each office says. It's a starting point rather than a ruling, so confirm your own job with the permit office before work starts.

The quick answer, job by job

Every row below assumes a house and no critical area, such as a steep slope. Each office has conditions, and the sections after the table link to them.

What each permit office says, by job
Job	Seattle	Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond
New cabinets, same layout	Usually no building permit	No building permit
New counters, same layout	Not named. We read it under the $6,000 test	No building permit
Sink or toilet swap, same spot	Ask Public Health	No permit in Bellevue or Kirkland. Ask in Redmond
Replacing a shower or tub	Ask Public Health	Permit in Bellevue. Ask in Kirkland or Redmond
Moving or adding plumbing or gas	Permit from Public Health	Permit from the city
New or moved circuit	Electrical permit from SDCI	Electrical permit from the city
Load-bearing wall	Permit, whatever the cost	Permit
Non-bearing wall	Not named. We read it under the $6,000 test	Permit in Kirkland and Redmond. In Bellevue, permit to add one, ask about removing

If a row says ask or not named, we didn't find a clear answer on that office's public pages, so don't read it as a no.

Seattle: three permits, two agencies

A Seattle remodel can involve up to three permits from two agencies. Our pages on how we run a kitchen remodel and how we run a bathroom remodel cover the rest of the job.

Building permit: SDCI. Seattle's Department of Construction & Inspections opens its guidance with "Most projects in Seattle require a permit." Its exceptions include minor repairs or alterations of $6,000 or less in any 6-month period, and the limit "is based on fair market value of labor and parts, even if you do the work yourself." That's a low bar for a kitchen or bathroom, so most full remodels cost more than that and need a permit. The same list names "Installing kitchen cabinets," painting, and paneling or other surface finishes over existing walls and ceilings as work that usually doesn't need a permit.

Those exceptions have limits. SDCI says you need a permit for "any work on load-bearing supports, changes to the building envelope, and work that reduces egress, light, ventilation, or fire resistance no matter how small the project." The whole list also opens with "Unless you're in an environmentally critical area," which can catch houses on Seattle's slopes.

Electrical permit: SDCI. You need one "any time electrical wiring is installed, altered, extended, or connected to any electrical equipment." SDCI says it issues many electrical permits the same day you apply online.

Plumbing and gas permit: Public Health. This one surprises people. Public Health, Seattle and King County issues plumbing and gas piping permits in Seattle, Clyde Hill and unincorporated King County. Its rule: "Whenever you are going to install, relocate, or change a plumbing or gas piping system, Seattle and King County codes require that you obtain a permit." We didn't find a same-spot exception on that page, so ask Public Health before you assume a swap is exempt.

For a modest remodel, SDCI's Subject-to-Field-Inspection permit may fit. SDCI lists "remodeling a portion of your house" among common examples, asks for fewer plans, and says the application and screening process "takes a few days." Its checklist decides whether your job qualifies.

Bellevue

Bellevue publishes one of the clearest lists around, on its work requiring permits page.

Cabinets and counters: "A building permit is not required for replacing kitchen cabinets or countertops." A plumbing or electrical permit may still apply if that work is part of the job.
Fixtures: No permit for "replacing a fixture with a similar fixture in the same location," such as basins and toilets. Then one line that matters for bathrooms: "Showers and bathtubs require permits."
Appliances: No permit to replace one with a similar one in the same spot, but a permit if moving it means changing gas lines, water lines, drains, vents or circuits.
Electrical: A permit "for adding or moving electrical circuits and for changes to the service panel."
Interior work: A permit for a remodel that changes the interior without disturbing structure, "such as creating new walls."

Bellevue says a remodel without structural work usually doesn't need plan review and can be issued the same day. Plumbing permits without plan review can be too, though they still need inspections.

Kirkland and Redmond

Kirkland's Do you need a permit? page is stricter on walls than many homeowners expect. Its permit list includes "Addition, removal or relocation of walls, whether load-bearing or not," along with "Interior remodels" and "Sheetrock (drywall) removal or installation." So planning a kitchen there starts with whether any wall or drywall is changing.

Kirkland's no-permit list covers "Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work, provided the existing accessibility features are not altered." It also covers like-for-like appliance and fixture replacement, such as dishwashers, ovens, toilets and sinks, in the same location, if gas lines, plumbing lines and circuits aren't modified. Those exemptions don't apply in flood hazard, wetland, steep slope, shoreline or other critical areas.

Redmond's work-exempt handout lists similar finish work: "Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work." On walls, its FAQ is direct. Asked about constructing or removing a wall, it answers: "Yes, minor remodeling projects such as this are considered to be alterations and therefore a permit is required."

Elsewhere on the Eastside, ask your own city. Public Health says that if a property is in another King County city, you get plumbing and gas permits from that city's building department.

Who issues the electrical permit outside Seattle

It depends on the city, and the state keeps the list. Washington's Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) says electrical work in the state requires a permit and inspection, with a few exceptions. Its list of cities that run their own program includes Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish and Mercer Island. If your city isn't listed, as Bothell and Issaquah weren't when we checked in October 2026, the permit comes from L&I.

Who actually pulls the permit

If you hire the work out, this matters as much as whether a permit exists.

Electrical. L&I says permits "must be purchased by the electrical contractor or the property owner or homeowner who will actually be doing the work," and an electrical contractor you hire "must purchase their own permits." Seattle adds that any professional applying must have a Washington electrical contractor's license and a Seattle business license.

Plumbing. Public Health's permit types say that if a plumbing contractor does the work, the contractor applies, not the homeowner.

Doing it yourself. Owners can often pull their own. SDCI lets owners do their own electrical work when they own and occupy the property. Public Health issues homeowner plumbing permits, while saying plainly: "Plumbing can be difficult. Public Health - Seattle & King County recommends you hire a professional plumber."

So be careful if a contractor asks you to pull a trade permit in your own name. Under the rules above, a homeowner permit is for the homeowner doing the work. Before you hire anyone, look up the contractor's registration with L&I. Our guide explains why contractor registration matters.

Asbestos is a separate rule

A building permit isn't the only thing to check. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, which covers King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties, says in a 2023 notice that renovation projects, "including residential structures," need an asbestos survey before work starts, "regardless of age of structure," unless one already exists. A survey is normally done by an AHERA-certified building inspector. Homeowners of single-family, owner-occupied homes may survey their own, but it must be accurate and meet the regulations. The agency lists flooring, thermal insulation, and sealants and mastics among suspect materials. The notice also requires posting the survey summary on site, notifying the agency and paying a fee before any asbestos material is removed, and using a certified asbestos contractor for abatement. Under the agency's Regulation I, civil penalties can reach more than $26,000 a day for each violation. Ask about this before any demolition, even on a job that needs no permit.

What skipping a permit can cost

Skipping a permit the job needed can cost more than the permit would have. Bellevue's FAQ gives the most direct list:

"More and more, property insurers aren't covering damages caused by work done without permits and inspections."
"Disclosure of any improvements or repairs is required at sale, whether or not permits and inspections were obtained."
"Many financial institutions won't finance a purchase without proof of a final inspection."
"Without a permit, work may be subject to removal or other costly remedies."

SDCI makes the same case from the other side, citing resale value, insurance coverage and avoiding complaints about unpermitted work. It also notes that "Even if you don't need a permit, your project must meet all code requirements and development standards."

What permits cost and how long they take

We don't quote a typical fee, because it depends on the job. SDCI says its fees depend on "the value of the work you are doing," along with size and complexity. Bellevue says its building, electrical and some mechanical permit fees are based on the fair market value of the work. Our cost guides show how permits fit into a Seattle kitchen budget and a Seattle bathroom budget.

On timing, simple trade permits can be same-day, as noted above. Plans that need review take longer, so ask the office for its current timeline before you set a start date or order materials.

Before you call the permit office

You'll get a better answer with these ready. This list is our own advice, not from any one office:

When we estimate a remodel, permit work gets its own line, so you can see what it adds. Tell us what you're planning, and we'll send a free estimate with every cost listed. Call (206) 860-6901 or request an estimate online.

Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Kitchen or Bathroom in Seattle or on the Eastside?