Skip to main content
PermitBase

Building Permit in Richland, Washington

Required for construction in Richland. The city adopts whatever the state adopts under RCW 19.27.031, prices permits from a 1997 table, and ties permanent utilities to the certificate of occupancy.

Reviewed 2026-09-16 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Built to the codes the state of Washington adopts under RCW 19.27.031, latest published editions as amended by the State Building Code Council
  • Additions and deletions are in RMC Title 21 AND RMC Title 20
  • All contractors and subcontractors must hold a City of Richland business licence
  • Cedar shakes and shingles are prohibited on new construction
  • No permanent utility service until a certificate of occupancy issues

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet — 0 of 2 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our checklist will assemble all of them, free →

Fee schedule

Building permit fee (1997 UBC Table 1-A)
RICHLAND'S BUILDING PERMIT FEE COMES OUT OF A 1997 CODE, AND THIS ENTRY DOES NOT STATE A DOLLAR FIGURE FOR IT. Show full citationRICHLAND'S BUILDING PERMIT FEE COMES OUT OF A 1997 CODE, AND THIS ENTRY DOES NOT STATE A DOLLAR FIGURE FOR IT. RMC 21.01.020: "Fees for building permits and related inspections shall be as set forth in Table 1-A from the 1997 Uniform Building Code as previously published by the International Code Council, Inc." That table is not reproduced in the municipal code, so no amount is quoted here rather than invented - ask the city for the current schedule. THE PART YOU CAN ACT ON IS THE VALUATION RULE: the fee is computed on "the greater of either the valuation noted in Supplemental Table 1-B or the declared valuation of construction from the applicant for the permit", so declaring a low valuation does not lower the fee. The declared valuation must include "the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued, as well as all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems, and any other permanent equipment." Valuations absent from Supplemental Table 1-B fall back to the "Building Valuation Data" published in the Building Safety Journal, or to the building official's determination. SEPARATELY, THE NREC FEE IS PUBLISHED IN FULL IN THE CODE and is reproduced in feeSchedule - it runs from $100 up to a $1,550 maximum.
1997 UBC Table 1-A, greater-of rule

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Building Permit permit actually take in Richland?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

    Tips

    • The permit fee is computed on the GREATER of the city's Table 1-B valuation or your declared valuation - under-declaring does not reduce it
    • Your declared valuation must include finish work, painting, roofing, MEP, elevators and fire-extinguishing systems
    • The certificate of occupancy waits on every city department AND state AND federal agencies with jurisdiction - start external approvals early
    • Construction power is available provisionally, but the building may not be occupied on it

    Frequently asked questions

    Richland requires a building permit for: Built to the codes the state of Washington adopts under RCW 19.27.031, latest published editions as amended by the State Building Code Council; Additions and deletions are in RMC Title 21 AND RMC Title 20; All contractors and subcontractors must hold a City of Richland business licence; Cedar shakes and shingles are prohibited on new construction; No permanent utility service until a certificate of occupancy issues. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Richland at (509) 942-7390 before starting work.

    The code does not print the amount. RMC 21.01.020 sets fees by "Table 1-A from the 1997 Uniform Building Code", which is not reproduced in the municipal code, so ask the city for the current schedule. What the code does fix is how your valuation is determined: the fee is computed on the greater of the valuation in the city's Supplemental Table 1-B or the valuation you declare, and the declared figure must include all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems and other permanent equipment. Neighbouring Kennewick uses the same 1997 table.

    Richland does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Richland at (509) 942-7390 for current turnaround.

    You'll need: Building permit application with declared valuation; Contractor and subcontractor business licences. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of Richland at 625 Swift Blvd, Richland, WA 99352. Phone: (509) 942-7390. Official information: https://www.ci.richland.wa.us/.

    Richland names no edition. RMC 21.01.010 adopts all building and building-related codes "as currently adopted, or as shall be adopted in future enactments by the state of Washington pursuant to RCW 19.27.031", and the list that follows takes "the latest published editions" as amended by the State Building Code Council. One exception is pinned: the accessibility standard is ICC/ANSI A117.1-09.

    Only provisionally, for construction. RMC 21.01.020 directs the finance director to deny requests for utility services - electrical, solid waste removal, water and sewer - on a permanent-user basis unless the building has been issued a certificate of occupancy or a temporary certificate of occupancy. Provisional service may be provided as necessary to construct the building, so long as it is not occupied.

    Not on new construction. RMC 21.01.040 prohibits cedar shakes, cedar shingles and wood roofing with similar flame spread characteristics on all new construction. If a building already has them you may repair, replace or add on, provided replacement and new roofing areas use Class C or higher fire-retardant treated shakes or shingles. Wood siding is not prohibited.

    Sources & verification

    Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-16.

    Codes & ordinances

    Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Richland building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

    Richland's permit history isn't searchable here yet

    This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for Richland yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.

    Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when Richland lands. Privacy.

    Other permits in Richland

    Verify a Contractor Licence

    Building Permit in other cities

    Airway Heights, WashingtonAuburn, WashingtonBainbridge Island, WashingtonBellevue, WashingtonBellingham, WashingtonBothell, WashingtonBremerton, WashingtonBurien, Washington

    Compare building permit fees across Washington →

    Look up this fee in a different city →

    Embed this data card →

    Now live

    Build your Richland project checklist

    Describe your project once and get every permit, document, and fee it triggers in Richland — in one checklist. Free, for any city and any number of projects.

    Get started →