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Building Permit in Burien, Washington

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.

Reviewed 2026-09-16 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Built to the 2021 IBC with Appendix Chapters E, H and J, and ICC A117.1 2017
  • IBC Chapter 1 is replaced by BMC Chapter 15.05, the Construction Administrative Code
  • If the site is in a Sea-Tac noise reduction area, BMC 15.12 envelope criteria apply
  • Construction noise is prohibited 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weekdays and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. weekends

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Permit fee (set in the Construction Administrative Code)
NO FEE AMOUNT IS STATED IN THIS ENTRY. Burien replaces IBC Chapter 1 with its own Construction Administrative Code at BMC Chapter 15.05 - "The Construction Administrative Code, as provided in Chapter… Show full citationNO FEE AMOUNT IS STATED IN THIS ENTRY. Burien replaces IBC Chapter 1 with its own Construction Administrative Code at BMC Chapter 15.05 - "The Construction Administrative Code, as provided in Chapter 15.05 BMC, shall be used in place of IBC Chapter 1, Administration." - and that chapter, which is where permits, inspections and fees live, was NOT opened for this entry. A figure is declined rather than invented, and the reader is pointed at the chapter that holds it. WHAT THIS ENTRY CAN TELL YOU ABOUT COST IS NOT A FEE AT ALL: if the site is inside a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport noise reduction area, the envelope requirements in BMC 15.12 drive materially more expensive wall, window, door and roof assemblies and force a mechanical ventilation system. That will dwarf the permit fee.
Not stated in this guide - see notes

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

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

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

Inspection process

    Tips

    • CHECK WHICH AIRCRAFT NOISE ZONE THE SITE IS IN BEFORE DESIGNING - 35, 30 and 25 dB areas have different envelope criteria
    • In a noise area the ventilation system must work without opening windows, so mechanical ventilation is effectively required
    • A sub-500-square-foot addition loses its noise-chapter exemption if it contains a sleeping room
    • Permits, inspections and fees are in BMC 15.05, not in the model code's Chapter 1

    Frequently asked questions

    Very likely. BMC Chapter 15.12 applies to all buildings or structures constructed or placed in use for human occupancy within the vicinity of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and sets exterior-envelope criteria in three zones - 35 dB, 30 dB and 25 dB reduction areas. In the 35 dB area exterior walls must reach at least STC-40, windows STC-38, doors STC-33 and the roof/ceiling assembly STC-49, and the ventilation system must supply fresh air without the need to open any windows or doors. Narrow exemptions exist for additions under 500 square feet that are not sleeping rooms, and for remodels below a valuation threshold stated as "$16,800 as of December 31, 2003".

    In Burien, the published Permit fee (set in the Construction Administrative Code) is: Not stated in this guide - see notes. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Burien does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Burien at (206) 241-4647 for current turnaround.

    You'll need: Permit application and plans. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of Burien at 400 SW 152nd St, Suite 300, Burien, WA 98166. Phone: (206) 241-4647. Official information: https://www.burienwa.gov/.

    The 2021 Edition of the International Building Code, as adopted by the State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-50 WAC, including Appendix Chapters E, H and J and ICC A117.1 2017. The edition is named and the chapter carries no clause taking future editions automatically. Model-code Chapter 1 is not adopted - BMC Chapter 15.05 stands in its place.

    Outside the prohibited window. BMC 15.10.030 prohibits sounds from construction sites between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekends. Written permission to work outside those hours may be granted by the director of community development or building official where mitigating or exigent circumstances exist.

    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 Burien building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

    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.

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