SeaTac building permits

Requirements

• SMC 13.110.020 adopts “The most current edition of the International Residential Code” as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council and published in Chapter 51-51 WAC, “as now or hereafter amended”, together with Appendices F, Q and U. NO EDITION YEAR IS PRINTED ANYWHERE IN THE ADOPTING SECTION.
• THE AMENDED TABLE R301.2 IS THE PART TO READ BEFORE DESIGNING, AND SEATAC'S NUMBERS ARE NOT ITS NEIGHBOURS'. Ground and roof snow load is published as a CONDITIONAL value — “20 psf with drift calculations; 25 psf without drift calculations” — which is the only conditional snow load in this Washington set. Wind speed is 85 mph, seismic design category D2, frost line depth 18 inches, outside design temperatures 24F heating and 83F cooling, mean annual temperature 51.4, and air freezing index 50.
• Flood hazard is given as a community number rather than a date or a map panel: “FEMA # 530320”.
• SMC 13.110 amends R105.2(1) so that detached accessory structures up to 200 square feet are exempt from permit, and the exemption expressly names “tree supported play structures”.
• A local drainage amendment at R405.1.1 requires drains of “a minimum of four inches” and under-floor spaces kept free of running or standing water.
• CHECK WHO YOUR BUILDING OFFICIAL IS BEFORE YOU APPLY — ON PORT OF SEATTLE LAND IT MAY NOT BE THE CITY. SMC 13.100.010(C): “the City recognizes concurrent authority of the Port to administer, implement, and enforce the technical codes and standards adopted in this title and defers to the Port's exercise of such jurisdiction as to development projects on Port-owned property within the City which are for airport uses, as that term is defined in the February 17, 2018, interlocal agreement between the City and the Port.” The agreement is authorised by Resolution No. 17-021. The code does not reproduce the definition of “airport uses”, and that interlocal agreement was not read for this entry, so which projects fall inside the carve-out is NOT ASSERTED HERE.
• SEATAC HAS A SOUND TRANSMISSION CODE THAT MOST WASHINGTON CITIES DO NOT, AND IT CAN BLOCK A CHANGE OF USE. SMC Chapter 13.240 applies to buildings “in the vicinity of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as identified on the Noise Level Reduction Map” and to sites “included within the Port of Seattle Noise Remedy Program”. The interior standard is “a Day-Night Average Sound Level of 45 decibels or less”, with noise level reduction tiers of 25, 30 and 35 dB at SMC 13.240.100, .110 and .120. It covers dwellings, hotels and motels, offices, schools, churches, theatres and hospitals. THE SHARPEST PROVISION IS ABOUT USE, NOT CONSTRUCTION: a change of use to human occupancy, or to sleeping use, is not permitted unless the building complies. Field testing is done “under the supervision of a professional acoustician” reporting to the Building Official, against ASTM E90, E413, E497, C919 and E336. And “In the case of conflict between this chapter and any other applicable codes, the more restrictive requirements shall apply.”
• PERMIT LIFE, EXTENSION AND RENEWAL, ALL FROM SMC 13.100.060. Expiry (J): a permit for a new building or building addition expires two years from issuance; permits “not necessary to complete a new building or a building addition shall expire one (1) year for the date of issuance” (published wording, quoted as printed). Extension (K), one only: up to twelve months for a new building or addition, six months for mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits, twelve months for right-of-way and clearing and grading permits on subdivisions, each requested BEFORE expiry; plus a 30-day extension purely to take a final inspection and close out, available only if fewer than 180 days have passed since expiry, with one further 30 days if conditions outside the applicant's control are documented. Renewal (L), also once only and for a fee, “provided no changes have been made to the originally approved plans” — one year for a new building or addition if requested within a year of expiry, six months otherwise if requested within six months. A PERMIT THAT HAS BEEN RENEWED CANNOT THEN BE EXTENDED, and “No permit shall be renewed more than once.” Past those windows a new application, a new permit and new fees are required.
• THE APPLICATION HAS ITS OWN CLOCK, SEPARATE FROM THE PERMIT'S. SMC 13.100.060(H): an application for which no permit issues within eighteen months “shall expire by limitation”; separately it expires for inactivity if the applicant “fails to respond to the Department's written request for revisions, corrections, or additional information within ninety (90) days of the date of request”. The 90-day response period can be extended on an approved schedule, but the code is explicit that doing so “shall not extend the time limitation of the application” — the two clocks do not merge. Tolling is available for a cumulative maximum of 180 days: 90 days where a land use approval must come first, or 180 where issuance waits on a related construction permit, or on both. A separate one-time 30-day extension exists only “for the purpose of paying fees, submitting required paperwork, and posting financial sureties”.
• SMC 13.100.100: appeals from the Building Official go to the Hearing Examiner, and “All references in the technical codes to the Board of Appeals shall be deemed to refer to the Hearing Examiner system of Chapter 1.20 SMC.” The section further limits the Examiner's authority over code interpretation; Chapter 1.20 SMC was not opened for this entry, so the procedure and any deadline are not asserted.

Required documents

• RequiredConstruction permit applicationSMC 13.100.060(F): the application must carry “an accurate description of the proposed scope of work” with construction documents, data, reports, plans, specifications and calculations. COMPLETENESS IS A HARD GATE AND IT INCLUDES MONEY: “The application will be deemed incomplete and no action will be taken or review performed by the City if the application information and/or required documents are incomplete, inaccurate, or missing”, and “Payment of fees required at the time of application are required for the City to determine an application is complete.” An unpaid application is not a slow application; it is not under review at all.
• RequiredApplicant's estimated project valueSMC 13.100.070(B): “The applicant for a permit shall provide an estimated project value at time of application”, including “total value of work, including materials and labor … such as electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing equipment and other permanent systems”. The applicant supplies it but does not control it — “The project valuation shall be set by the Building Official.”
• RequiredPermit and approved plans kept on siteSMC 13.100.060(C): “A copy of the permit shall be on site. Approved plans shall be available on the site of the work until the completion of the project.” Related, 13.100.060(B): an issued permit “has the effect of authorizing access to the property and inspection of the scope of work for which the permit was issued”, and refusing access “constitutes a violation of this code”.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• SMC 13.110.020: “The most current edition of the International Building Code, including Appendix E, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council and published in Chapter 51-50 WAC is hereby adopted by reference as now or hereafter amended.” Subsection A then states “Appendixes E and H are hereby adopted.” Appendix E is therefore named twice; both statements are recorded as published and neither is treated as an error here.
• The International Existing Building Code is adopted in the same delegated form (Chapter 51-50 WAC), as is the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (Chapter 51-55 WAC). No year is printed for any of them.
• SEATAC ADDS AN UPZONE THE MODEL CODE DOES NOT GIVE YOU, WITH SEVEN CONDITIONS ATTACHED. A new Section 504.2.1 lets Type VA buildings in occupancy groups B, M, R-1 and R-2 reach five stories, conditioned on: sprinklers throughout per Section 903.3.1.1; a complete approved fire alarm and detection system; annunciation by floor; a height limit of 70 feet; smokeproof vertical exit enclosures meeting Section 909; special inspection of lateral support elements; and compliance with all of Title 13. Read the conditions before relying on the fifth storey — they are cumulative.
• SMC 13.110.060 “Copies on file” is “Repealed by Ord. 23-1016”. The repeal removes the filing formality; it does not affect the adoptions in 13.110.020.
• CHECK WHO YOUR BUILDING OFFICIAL IS BEFORE YOU APPLY — ON PORT OF SEATTLE LAND IT MAY NOT BE THE CITY. SMC 13.100.010(C): “the City recognizes concurrent authority of the Port to administer, implement, and enforce the technical codes and standards adopted in this title and defers to the Port's exercise of such jurisdiction as to development projects on Port-owned property within the City which are for airport uses, as that term is defined in the February 17, 2018, interlocal agreement between the City and the Port.” The agreement is authorised by Resolution No. 17-021. The code does not reproduce the definition of “airport uses”, and that interlocal agreement was not read for this entry, so which projects fall inside the carve-out is NOT ASSERTED HERE.
• SEATAC HAS A SOUND TRANSMISSION CODE THAT MOST WASHINGTON CITIES DO NOT, AND IT CAN BLOCK A CHANGE OF USE. SMC Chapter 13.240 applies to buildings “in the vicinity of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as identified on the Noise Level Reduction Map” and to sites “included within the Port of Seattle Noise Remedy Program”. The interior standard is “a Day-Night Average Sound Level of 45 decibels or less”, with noise level reduction tiers of 25, 30 and 35 dB at SMC 13.240.100, .110 and .120. It covers dwellings, hotels and motels, offices, schools, churches, theatres and hospitals. THE SHARPEST PROVISION IS ABOUT USE, NOT CONSTRUCTION: a change of use to human occupancy, or to sleeping use, is not permitted unless the building complies. Field testing is done “under the supervision of a professional acoustician” reporting to the Building Official, against ASTM E90, E413, E497, C919 and E336. And “In the case of conflict between this chapter and any other applicable codes, the more restrictive requirements shall apply.”
• PERMIT LIFE, EXTENSION AND RENEWAL, ALL FROM SMC 13.100.060. Expiry (J): a permit for a new building or building addition expires two years from issuance; permits “not necessary to complete a new building or a building addition shall expire one (1) year for the date of issuance” (published wording, quoted as printed). Extension (K), one only: up to twelve months for a new building or addition, six months for mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits, twelve months for right-of-way and clearing and grading permits on subdivisions, each requested BEFORE expiry; plus a 30-day extension purely to take a final inspection and close out, available only if fewer than 180 days have passed since expiry, with one further 30 days if conditions outside the applicant's control are documented. Renewal (L), also once only and for a fee, “provided no changes have been made to the originally approved plans” — one year for a new building or addition if requested within a year of expiry, six months otherwise if requested within six months. A PERMIT THAT HAS BEEN RENEWED CANNOT THEN BE EXTENDED, and “No permit shall be renewed more than once.” Past those windows a new application, a new permit and new fees are required.
• THE APPLICATION HAS ITS OWN CLOCK, SEPARATE FROM THE PERMIT'S. SMC 13.100.060(H): an application for which no permit issues within eighteen months “shall expire by limitation”; separately it expires for inactivity if the applicant “fails to respond to the Department's written request for revisions, corrections, or additional information within ninety (90) days of the date of request”. The 90-day response period can be extended on an approved schedule, but the code is explicit that doing so “shall not extend the time limitation of the application” — the two clocks do not merge. Tolling is available for a cumulative maximum of 180 days: 90 days where a land use approval must come first, or 180 where issuance waits on a related construction permit, or on both. A separate one-time 30-day extension exists only “for the purpose of paying fees, submitting required paperwork, and posting financial sureties”.
• SMC 13.100.100: appeals from the Building Official go to the Hearing Examiner, and “All references in the technical codes to the Board of Appeals shall be deemed to refer to the Hearing Examiner system of Chapter 1.20 SMC.” The section further limits the Examiner's authority over code interpretation; Chapter 1.20 SMC was not opened for this entry, so the procedure and any deadline are not asserted.

Required documents

• RequiredConstruction permit applicationSMC 13.100.060(F): the application must carry “an accurate description of the proposed scope of work” with construction documents, data, reports, plans, specifications and calculations. COMPLETENESS IS A HARD GATE AND IT INCLUDES MONEY: “The application will be deemed incomplete and no action will be taken or review performed by the City if the application information and/or required documents are incomplete, inaccurate, or missing”, and “Payment of fees required at the time of application are required for the City to determine an application is complete.” An unpaid application is not a slow application; it is not under review at all.
• RequiredApplicant's estimated project valueSMC 13.100.070(B): “The applicant for a permit shall provide an estimated project value at time of application”, including “total value of work, including materials and labor … such as electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing equipment and other permanent systems”. The applicant supplies it but does not control it — “The project valuation shall be set by the Building Official.”
• RequiredPermit and approved plans kept on siteSMC 13.100.060(C): “A copy of the permit shall be on site. Approved plans shall be available on the site of the work until the completion of the project.” Related, 13.100.060(B): an issued permit “has the effect of authorizing access to the property and inspection of the scope of work for which the permit was issued”, and refusing access “constitutes a violation of this code”.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• SMC 13.160.010: “The most current edition of the International Mechanical Code as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council and published in Chapter 51-52 WAC is hereby adopted by reference, as now or hereafter amended.” No edition year is printed.
• SMC 13.160.020 “Copy on file” is “Repealed by Ord. 23-1016.” Chapter 13.160 therefore consists of a single operative section; the repeal is of the filing formality only and the adoption at 13.160.010 stands.
• Mechanical work started without a permit draws the investigation fee at SMC 13.100.070(C), which names mechanical work expressly.
• A mechanical permit is one of the permits “not necessary to complete a new building or a building addition”, so it expires one year from issuance and may be extended once by a maximum of six months — a shorter extension than a building permit's twelve.
• CHECK WHO YOUR BUILDING OFFICIAL IS BEFORE YOU APPLY — ON PORT OF SEATTLE LAND IT MAY NOT BE THE CITY. SMC 13.100.010(C): “the City recognizes concurrent authority of the Port to administer, implement, and enforce the technical codes and standards adopted in this title and defers to the Port's exercise of such jurisdiction as to development projects on Port-owned property within the City which are for airport uses, as that term is defined in the February 17, 2018, interlocal agreement between the City and the Port.” The agreement is authorised by Resolution No. 17-021. The code does not reproduce the definition of “airport uses”, and that interlocal agreement was not read for this entry, so which projects fall inside the carve-out is NOT ASSERTED HERE.
• THE APPLICATION HAS ITS OWN CLOCK, SEPARATE FROM THE PERMIT'S. SMC 13.100.060(H): an application for which no permit issues within eighteen months “shall expire by limitation”; separately it expires for inactivity if the applicant “fails to respond to the Department's written request for revisions, corrections, or additional information within ninety (90) days of the date of request”. The 90-day response period can be extended on an approved schedule, but the code is explicit that doing so “shall not extend the time limitation of the application” — the two clocks do not merge. Tolling is available for a cumulative maximum of 180 days: 90 days where a land use approval must come first, or 180 where issuance waits on a related construction permit, or on both. A separate one-time 30-day extension exists only “for the purpose of paying fees, submitting required paperwork, and posting financial sureties”.
• SMC 13.100.100: appeals from the Building Official go to the Hearing Examiner, and “All references in the technical codes to the Board of Appeals shall be deemed to refer to the Hearing Examiner system of Chapter 1.20 SMC.” The section further limits the Examiner's authority over code interpretation; Chapter 1.20 SMC was not opened for this entry, so the procedure and any deadline are not asserted.

Required documents

• RequiredConstruction permit applicationSMC 13.100.060(F): the application must carry “an accurate description of the proposed scope of work” with construction documents, data, reports, plans, specifications and calculations. COMPLETENESS IS A HARD GATE AND IT INCLUDES MONEY: “The application will be deemed incomplete and no action will be taken or review performed by the City if the application information and/or required documents are incomplete, inaccurate, or missing”, and “Payment of fees required at the time of application are required for the City to determine an application is complete.” An unpaid application is not a slow application; it is not under review at all.
• RequiredApplicant's estimated project valueSMC 13.100.070(B): “The applicant for a permit shall provide an estimated project value at time of application”, including “total value of work, including materials and labor … such as electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing equipment and other permanent systems”. The applicant supplies it but does not control it — “The project valuation shall be set by the Building Official.”
• RequiredPermit and approved plans kept on siteSMC 13.100.060(C): “A copy of the permit shall be on site. Approved plans shall be available on the site of the work until the completion of the project.” Related, 13.100.060(B): an issued permit “has the effect of authorizing access to the property and inspection of the scope of work for which the permit was issued”, and refusing access “constitutes a violation of this code”.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• SMC 13.170.010 adopts “The most current edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council and published in Chapter 51-56 WAC … as now or hereafter amended”. No edition year is printed.
• YOU MAY CHOOSE A DIFFERENT PLUMBING CODE, AND THE CHOICE IS ALL OR NOTHING. SMC 13.170.010(A) lets “The most current edition of the International Plumbing Code, as published by the International Code Council” be “used as an approved alternate to the Uniform Plumbing Code per SMC 13.100.040 as an alternate material, design and method of construction.” Subsection B then closes off mixing the two: “When the approved alternate plumbing code is utilized, the entire plumbing installation shall be installed and governed under provisions of the alternate code and the permit documents shall clearly state which code is used.”
• SMC 13.170.020 is titled “Repealed.” The chapter's live content is 13.170.010.
• A plumbing permit expires one year from issuance and may be extended once by a maximum of six months under SMC 13.100.060(K)(2).
• CHECK WHO YOUR BUILDING OFFICIAL IS BEFORE YOU APPLY — ON PORT OF SEATTLE LAND IT MAY NOT BE THE CITY. SMC 13.100.010(C): “the City recognizes concurrent authority of the Port to administer, implement, and enforce the technical codes and standards adopted in this title and defers to the Port's exercise of such jurisdiction as to development projects on Port-owned property within the City which are for airport uses, as that term is defined in the February 17, 2018, interlocal agreement between the City and the Port.” The agreement is authorised by Resolution No. 17-021. The code does not reproduce the definition of “airport uses”, and that interlocal agreement was not read for this entry, so which projects fall inside the carve-out is NOT ASSERTED HERE.
• THE APPLICATION HAS ITS OWN CLOCK, SEPARATE FROM THE PERMIT'S. SMC 13.100.060(H): an application for which no permit issues within eighteen months “shall expire by limitation”; separately it expires for inactivity if the applicant “fails to respond to the Department's written request for revisions, corrections, or additional information within ninety (90) days of the date of request”. The 90-day response period can be extended on an approved schedule, but the code is explicit that doing so “shall not extend the time limitation of the application” — the two clocks do not merge. Tolling is available for a cumulative maximum of 180 days: 90 days where a land use approval must come first, or 180 where issuance waits on a related construction permit, or on both. A separate one-time 30-day extension exists only “for the purpose of paying fees, submitting required paperwork, and posting financial sureties”.
• SMC 13.100.100: appeals from the Building Official go to the Hearing Examiner, and “All references in the technical codes to the Board of Appeals shall be deemed to refer to the Hearing Examiner system of Chapter 1.20 SMC.” The section further limits the Examiner's authority over code interpretation; Chapter 1.20 SMC was not opened for this entry, so the procedure and any deadline are not asserted.

Required documents

• RequiredConstruction permit application naming the plumbing code usedSMC 13.170.010(B) requires that “the permit documents shall clearly state which code is used” when the IPC alternate is taken. Unlike the Uniform-Plumbing-Code default, the alternate is something the record has to show on its face, and it binds the whole installation rather than individual fixtures.
• RequiredApplicant's estimated project valueSMC 13.100.070(B): “The applicant for a permit shall provide an estimated project value at time of application”, including “total value of work, including materials and labor … such as electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing equipment and other permanent systems”. The applicant supplies it but does not control it — “The project valuation shall be set by the Building Official.”
• RequiredPermit and approved plans kept on siteSMC 13.100.060(C): “A copy of the permit shall be on site. Approved plans shall be available on the site of the work until the completion of the project.” Related, 13.100.060(B): an issued permit “has the effect of authorizing access to the property and inspection of the scope of work for which the permit was issued”, and refusing access “constitutes a violation of this code”.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• SMC 13.180.010(A): “The most current edition of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) approved by the Washington State Building Code Council, including Annexes A, B, and C, is hereby adopted by reference, as now or hereafter amended.” No edition year is printed.
• SeaTac also adopts the Washington Cities Electrical Code at SMC 13.180.030 — “as now in effect and as may subsequently be amended, updated, or issued as new editions” — which no other city in this Washington set has named so far.
• SMC 13.180.020 adopts Chapter 19.28 RCW for electricians and electrical installations, with a local substitution: “Department” means the City Department of Community and Economic Development and “Director” its Director.
• ON PORT-OWNED AIRPORT PROPERTY THE CITY DOES NOT MERELY DEFER, IT GIVES THE JURISDICTION UP. SMC 13.180.010(B), under an interlocal agreement authorised by Resolution No. 00-022 and Port Resolution No. 3445 effective January 1, 2000, says the City “recognizes concurrent authority of the Port … and relinquishes any and all jurisdiction, including but not limited to that set forth in RCW 19.28.070, over development projects on Port-owned property within the City which are for airport uses”. Compare the building-code carve-out at SMC 13.100.010(C), where the verb is “defers to” rather than “relinquishes”. BOTH ARE RECORDED AS PUBLISHED AND THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT RESOLVED HERE.
• THE TWO CARVE-OUTS ALSO TAKE THEIR DEFINITION OF “AIRPORT USES” FROM DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS: the electrical one cites “the September 4, 1997, interlocal agreement”, while the building-code one at SMC 13.100.010(C) cites the February 17, 2018 agreement. Neither agreement was read for this entry, so the scope of either carve-out is not asserted.
• IF THE PORT'S AUTHORITY IS NOT RECOGNISED, IT DOES NOT REVERT TO THE CITY. SMC 13.180.010(B): where the State or the Director of Labor and Industries “does not grant power to, or acknowledge power of, the Port of Seattle” to enforce Chapter 19.28 RCW or inspect under it, “the City defers to the inspection authority of the Director of Labor and Industries” for those Port projects.
• An electrical permit expires one year from issuance and may be extended once by a maximum of six months under SMC 13.100.060(K)(2).
• THE APPLICATION HAS ITS OWN CLOCK, SEPARATE FROM THE PERMIT'S. SMC 13.100.060(H): an application for which no permit issues within eighteen months “shall expire by limitation”; separately it expires for inactivity if the applicant “fails to respond to the Department's written request for revisions, corrections, or additional information within ninety (90) days of the date of request”. The 90-day response period can be extended on an approved schedule, but the code is explicit that doing so “shall not extend the time limitation of the application” — the two clocks do not merge. Tolling is available for a cumulative maximum of 180 days: 90 days where a land use approval must come first, or 180 where issuance waits on a related construction permit, or on both. A separate one-time 30-day extension exists only “for the purpose of paying fees, submitting required paperwork, and posting financial sureties”.
• SMC 13.100.100: appeals from the Building Official go to the Hearing Examiner, and “All references in the technical codes to the Board of Appeals shall be deemed to refer to the Hearing Examiner system of Chapter 1.20 SMC.” The section further limits the Examiner's authority over code interpretation; Chapter 1.20 SMC was not opened for this entry, so the procedure and any deadline are not asserted.

Required documents

• RequiredConstruction permit applicationSMC 13.100.060(F): the application must carry “an accurate description of the proposed scope of work” with construction documents, data, reports, plans, specifications and calculations. COMPLETENESS IS A HARD GATE AND IT INCLUDES MONEY: “The application will be deemed incomplete and no action will be taken or review performed by the City if the application information and/or required documents are incomplete, inaccurate, or missing”, and “Payment of fees required at the time of application are required for the City to determine an application is complete.” An unpaid application is not a slow application; it is not under review at all.
• RequiredApplicant's estimated project valueSMC 13.100.070(B): “The applicant for a permit shall provide an estimated project value at time of application”, including “total value of work, including materials and labor … such as electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing equipment and other permanent systems”. The applicant supplies it but does not control it — “The project valuation shall be set by the Building Official.”
• RequiredPermit and approved plans kept on siteSMC 13.100.060(C): “A copy of the permit shall be on site. Approved plans shall be available on the site of the work until the completion of the project.” Related, 13.100.060(B): an issued permit “has the effect of authorizing access to the property and inspection of the scope of work for which the permit was issued”, and refusing access “constitutes a violation of this code”.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• SMC 13.190.040: “No person shall do any clearing or grading without first having obtained a clearing and grading permit from the Director, unless it meets one (1) of the exception criteria identified in SMC 13.190.045 and meets all of the conditions identified below”.
• THE EXEMPTION IS CONJUNCTIVE AND IS EASY TO READ BACKWARDS. You are outside the permit only if you meet one of the 13.190.045 criteria AND all three conditions: the project “includes less than seven thousand (7,000) square feet of land disturbing activity”; the chapter's performance and restoration requirements are met with best management practices protecting water quality; and “The activity does not occur in a sensitive area or its buffer regulated under SMC Title 15.” Failing any one of the three puts you back inside the permit.
• LIABILITY INSURANCE IS A CONDITION OF THE PERMIT, NOT A FEE, AND THE CITY MUST BE NAMED ON IT. SMC 13.190.080: the permittee “shall maintain a liability policy in an amount not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) per individual, five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) per occurrence, and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) property damage, and shall name City of SeaTac as an additional insured.” The requirement “may be waived for projects involving less than ten thousand (10,000) cubic yards”, and does not apply to City departments. These are coverage limits payable by an insurer, not sums payable to the city.
• SMC 13.190.150 authorises the Director to require performance and maintenance bonds on work under a permit covered by this title, and allows separate bonds to be combined into one — “at no time shall the amount thus bonded be less than the total amount which would have been required in the form of separate bonds”. No bond amount is published in the chapter. A bond is security, not a fee.
• Erosion and sediment control is required of any site-disturbing activity “whether requiring a clearing or grading permit or not” under SMC 13.190.090.
• Clearing and grading permits tied to a subdivision, and other projects that are not new buildings or additions, may be extended once for up to twelve months under SMC 13.100.060(K)(3).
• Land clearing including grubbing started without a permit draws the investigation fee at SMC 13.100.070(C).
• THE APPLICATION HAS ITS OWN CLOCK, SEPARATE FROM THE PERMIT'S. SMC 13.100.060(H): an application for which no permit issues within eighteen months “shall expire by limitation”; separately it expires for inactivity if the applicant “fails to respond to the Department's written request for revisions, corrections, or additional information within ninety (90) days of the date of request”. The 90-day response period can be extended on an approved schedule, but the code is explicit that doing so “shall not extend the time limitation of the application” — the two clocks do not merge. Tolling is available for a cumulative maximum of 180 days: 90 days where a land use approval must come first, or 180 where issuance waits on a related construction permit, or on both. A separate one-time 30-day extension exists only “for the purpose of paying fees, submitting required paperwork, and posting financial sureties”.

Required documents

• RequiredClearing and grading permit applicationFiled with the Director under SMC 13.190.060 (Applications – Complete applications), which was listed in the chapter's section index but not opened for this entry; the specific submittal list is therefore not asserted here.
• RequiredCertificate of liability insurance naming the City as additional insuredSMC 13.190.080 requires a policy of at least $500,000 per individual, $500,000 per occurrence and $100,000 property damage, with City of SeaTac named as an additional insured. It may be waived below 10,000 cubic yards and is not required of City departments. This is a precondition of the permit, not a charge by the city.
• RequiredPermit and approved plans kept on siteSMC 13.100.060(C): “A copy of the permit shall be on site. Approved plans shall be available on the site of the work until the completion of the project.” Related, 13.100.060(B): an issued permit “has the effect of authorizing access to the property and inspection of the scope of work for which the permit was issued”, and refusing access “constitutes a violation of this code”.

Fee schedule