Burien building permits
Department contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Burien, Washington.
Last verified 2026-09-16 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 400 SW 152nd St, Suite 300, Burien, WA 98166
- Phone
- (206) 241-4647
- Website
- Official site
Codes adopted
The State Building Code is in effect in every county and city in Washington, and its minimum performance standards may not be diminished locally. A local amendment that affects single-family or multifamily residential buildings is not effective unless the State Building Code Council approves it; amendments to non-residential provisions carry no such approval requirement.
THE 2021 IBC, NAMED, WITH THREE APPENDICES AND THE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARD. Show full textShow less
THE 2021 IBC, NAMED, WITH THREE APPENDICES AND THE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARD. BMC 15.10.060: "The 2021 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC), as published by the International Code Council, Inc., and as adopted by the State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-50 WAC, and including Appendix Chapter E (Supplementary Accessibility Requirements), ICC A117.1 2017 (Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities), Appendix Chapter H (Signs), and Appendix Chapter J (Grading) excluding Chapter 1, Administration, is adopted by reference".
- ADMINISTRATION IS THE CITY'S OWN. "The Construction Administrative Code, as provided in Chapter 15.05 BMC, shall be used in place of IBC Chapter 1, Administration." So permits, inspections and fees are governed by a Burien chapter rather than by the model code.
- THE CHAPTER NAMES ITSELF. BMC 15.10.010: "This chapter is known as and may be referred to as the “city of Burien building and construction code” and may be cited as such."
GREENHOUSES ARE CARVED OUT, IN WORDS SHARED WITH ANOTHER CITY. Show full textShow less
GREENHOUSES ARE CARVED OUT, IN WORDS SHARED WITH ANOTHER CITY. "The provisions of this code do not apply to temporary growing structures used solely for the commercial production of horticultural plants", defined as covered with "polyethylene, polyvinyl, or similar flexible synthetic material". Sammamish carries the same carve-out in the same words; the two are not neighbours, so this is shared drafting rather than a local quirk. This entry does not claim to know its source.
- RCW 19.27 - the Washington State Building Code applies statewide.
Permit types & fees
Building Permit
Required for construction in Burien. The city adopts the 2021 IBC, runs administration through its own Construction Administrative Code, and imposes aircraft noise envelope requirements near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
See fee scheduleVerify a Contractor Licence
Washington contractors register with the Department of Labor & Industries. Registration is a STATE record; Burien does not issue it.
See fee schedule
Burien's permit history isn't searchable here yet
This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for Burien 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 Burien lands. Privacy.
Tips & gotchas
- BURIEN IS THE ONLY CITY IN THIS GUIDE WITH AN AIRCRAFT NOISE CHAPTER. Near Sea-Tac, the building envelope is regulated for sound as well as for structure and energy.
- Three zones, three different standards - 35 dB, 30 dB and 25 dB reduction areas.
- In the 35 dB area: walls STC-40, windows STC-38, doors STC-33, roof/ceiling STC-49.
- Mechanical ventilation is effectively mandatory in a noise area, because the system must work without opening windows.
- The remodel exemption is stated as "$16,800 as of December 31, 2003" - the DATE IS PART OF THE THRESHOLD. Ask the city how it is applied today.
- An addition under 500 square feet is exempt ONLY if it contains no sleeping room.
- New glazing in an exempt job still has to meet the Washington State Energy Code.
- Construction noise hours are given as a PROHIBITED window (7 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays), not as permitted hours - the inverse of how Sammamish states it.
- Permits, inspections and fees live in BMC Chapter 15.05, which replaces IBC Chapter 1.
- Five of Title 15's chapters are marked "Repealed" in the contents, so gaps in the numbering are expected.