Tacoma building permits
Department contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Tacoma, Washington.
Last verified 2026-09-16 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Phone
- 253-591-5030
- Office hours
- In-person services 9 AM to 1 PM, Monday through Thursday
- 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.
- TACOMA NAMES NO EDITION, AND THE ADOPTION POINTS AT A DEFINITION. TMC 2.02.010 provides that "The International Building Code, International Residential Code, and International Existing Building Code, as adopted and amended by the Washington State Building Code Council under the State Building Code, as defined in TMC SS 2.02.100, are hereby adopted as the official Building Code of the City of Tacoma."
AND THE DEFINITION NAMES NO YEAR EITHER. TMC 2.02.100 lists "The International Building Code ("IBC"), including Appendix E and G"; "The International Residential Code ("IRC"), including IRC Appendices F, Q, and Appendix U ... Show full textShow less
AND THE DEFINITION NAMES NO YEAR EITHER. TMC 2.02.100 lists "The International Building Code ("IBC"), including Appendix E and G"; "The International Residential Code ("IRC"), including IRC Appendices F, Q, and Appendix U ... provided that IRC Chapters 11 and 25 through 43 are not adopted"; "The International Existing Building Code ("IEBC") including Appendix A"; and the Uniform Plumbing Code "including Appendices A, B, and I ... provided that UPC Chapters 12 and 14 are not adopted". No edition year is attached to any of them.
THE ROLLING CLAUSE EVEN HANDLES RENUMBERING. TMC 2.02.100: "All amendments to the State Building Codes adopted by the Washington State Building Council from time to time are hereby, upon the effective date of such… Show full textShow less
THE ROLLING CLAUSE EVEN HANDLES RENUMBERING. TMC 2.02.100: "All amendments to the State Building Codes adopted by the Washington State Building Council from time to time are hereby, upon the effective date of such amendments, incorporated in this Chapter as though fully set forth herein. In the event that any provisions of the State Building Codes are renumbered, any reference in this chapter to such provision shall refer to such provision as renumbered."
- TMC 2.02.010 also adds appendices beyond the state adoption: "the adoption of IBC Appendix Chapter G, the adoption of IEBC Appendix A, and a new Appendix J added to the IEBC."
- RCW 19.27 - the Washington State Building Code applies statewide.
Permit types & fees
Building Permit
Required for construction in Tacoma under TMC Title 2. The city adopts the state building code as amended from time to time, without naming an edition.
See fee schedulePermit Fee Exemption or Adjustment
Tacoma publishes a table of projects eligible for permit fee exemptions or adjustments, including repairs to homes owned and occupied by qualifying low-income seniors and permanently disabled owners.
See fee scheduleVerify a Contractor Licence
Washington contractors register with the Department of Labor & Industries. Registration is a STATE record; Tacoma does not issue it.
See fee schedule
Property Access
Tacoma's permit history is searchable by address
83,280 permits in our copy of Tacoma's register — searchable by street address, with permit type, status, issued date and valuation where the city publishes them. This is what we hold, not a statement of everything Tacoma has issued.
70,092 of these 83,280 permits — 84.2% — carry an issued date, and those run from 2016 to 2026. The remaining 13,188 have no date at all.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-07)
- 33units
10 buildings · $2.6M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 1,272units
12 of 12 months reported · #4 in Washington coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-07)
- 816units
122 buildings · $122.5M valuation
7 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 742units
137 buildings · $88.6M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-07 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Washington building activity
Tips & gotchas
- IN-PERSON SERVICE IS A FOUR-HOUR WINDOW ON FOUR DAYS: currently 9 AM to 1 PM, Monday through Thursday. The city offers appointments - book one rather than turning up.
- The chapter called "Fee Code" has no prices in it. Use the Fee Estimator on tacomapermits.org.
- CHECK THE EXEMPTION TABLE FIRST. Low-income seniors aged 62+ and permanently disabled owners who occupy their home can be exempt from permit fees on alterations and repairs.
- Tacoma names no code edition and takes state amendments automatically - including renumbering.
- IRC Chapters 11 and 25 through 43 are not adopted, so the residential code alone does not cover energy, plumbing, mechanical or electrical work.
- Where a repair could fall under two chapters, TMC 2.02.010 says the Tacoma Building Code beats the Minimum Buildings and Structures Code unless the Building Official says otherwise.
- Tacoma's index marks repealed chapters as "(Repealed)" - trust it, and be aware that not every Washington city's index does this.
- Waterfront work, tower cranes and temporary shelters each have their own chapter in Title 2.