Bonney Lake building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Bonney Lake, Washington.
Last verified 2026-09-16 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 9002 Main St E, Bonney Lake, WA 98391
- Phone
- (253) 862-8602
- 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 ADOPTION NAMES NO EDITION YEAR FOR ANY CODE. BLMC 15.04.020 adopts every code “by this reference as if fully set forth”, “Pursuant to RCW 35A.12.140”, and none of the nine lettered items states a year.
- AND IT DELEGATES FUTURE EDITIONS TO A NAMED OFFICER, EXPRESSLY BYPASSING THE COUNCIL: “provided, that the community development director or building official at any time may adopt any subsequent or amended versions of the following codes without further action by the city council, such that the most current version of the regulations remains in effect”.
- IBC — BLMC 15.04.020(A): “The International Building Code, published by the International Code Council, is hereby adopted by reference with the exceptions noted in Chapter 51-50 WAC.”
- IRC — BLMC 15.04.020(B), adopted with the Chapter 51-51 WAC exceptions, “provided, that Chapters 11 and 25 through 43 of this code are not adopted”. Appendix F (Radon Control Methods), Appendix G (Swimming Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs), Appendix R (Dwelling Unit Fire Sprinkler Systems) and Appendix S (Fire Sprinklers) ARE included.
- IFC — BLMC 15.04.020(C), adopted with Appendix B (Fire-Flow Requirements for Buildings) and Appendix D (Fire Apparatus Access Roads) only, per Chapter 51-54A WAC.
- IECC — BLMC 15.04.020(D): “The International Energy Conservation Code, as amended by Chapters 51-11C and 51-11R WAC, is hereby adopted by reference.”
- IMC — BLMC 15.04.020(E), adopted by reference with the exceptions noted in Chapter 51-52 WAC.
- UPC — BLMC 15.04.020(F), adopted by reference. Washington is a Uniform Plumbing Code state.
- IEBC — BLMC 15.04.020(H), adopted by reference with no year.
- IFGC — BLMC 15.04.020(I), adopted by reference with the exceptions noted in Chapter 51-52 WAC.
- NO ELECTRICAL CODE IS ADOPTED. Chapter 15.04's nineteen sections were enumerated and none adopts the NEC or the Washington Cities Electrical Code, and the IRC's own electrical chapters (25 through 43) are among those expressly NOT adopted. No electrical route is asserted for this city.
Permit types & fees
Residential building permit
Permit to build, alter or add to a house in Bonney Lake, under the International Residential Code adopted at BLMC 15.04.020(B).
See fee scheduleCommercial building permit
Permit for commercial and multifamily construction and alteration in Bonney Lake, under the International Building Code adopted at BLMC 15.04.020(A).
See fee scheduleMechanical permit
Permit for mechanical work in Bonney Lake, under the International Mechanical Code adopted at BLMC 15.04.020(E).
See fee schedulePlumbing permit
Permit for plumbing work in Bonney Lake, under the Uniform Plumbing Code adopted at BLMC 15.04.020(F).
See fee scheduleFuel gas permit
Permit for fuel gas piping and appliance work in Bonney Lake, under the International Fuel Gas Code adopted at BLMC 15.04.020(I).
See fee schedule
Bonney Lake's permit history isn't searchable here yet
This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for Bonney Lake 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 Bonney Lake lands. Privacy.
Tips & gotchas
- This code names no edition year for any building code, and BLMC 15.04.020 lets the community development director or building official adopt newer versions at any time without a council vote. Confirm the operative edition with the city before you design; the code itself cannot tell you.
- Do not read Chapter 15.04's section list as a summary. The sections headed for permit fees, plan review fees and permit expiration all read only “Repealed”. Fees are in Chapter 3.68 and expiration is in BLMC 14.10.100, in two different titles.
- Letting a construction permit expire here can void more than the permit. BLMC 14.10.100 ties the underlying project permit to the construction permit, and provides that if the construction permit expires the project permit approval “shall become null and void”.
- A permit expires two years after issuance if the use has not commenced or the construction permits have not been issued. Getting the construction permit issued is what converts the clock from the two-year rule to the construction permit's own life.
- Any review time you are quoted is a stopped clock. BLMC 14.10.070 excludes the period while the city waits on information it asked for in writing, so a single request for more information pauses the count until you satisfy it.
- The IRC is adopted without Chapter 11 and Chapters 25 through 43, so the energy, plumbing, mechanical and electrical rules for houses come from the IECC, UPC and IMC instead of the IRC's own chapters. Design to the standalone codes.
- Adding homes inside an existing building may avoid a full energy upgrade. Under BLMC 15.04.098, if the building got its certificate of occupancy at least three years before your complete application, unchanged residential or conditioned portions need not meet current energy code just because units are added.
- Refunds top out at 80 percent and are discretionary. BLMC 3.68.020 caps a refund at 80 percent where no work has been done, and a withdrawal refund is calculated on the effort the city had already spent, so withdrawing late returns less.
- Bonney Lake adopts no electrical code at all, and the IRC's electrical chapters are among those expressly not adopted. Confirm with the city and with Labor and Industries who permits and inspects electrical work before planning around it.