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Commercial Building Permit in Lake Stevens, Washington

Required for commercial construction, alterations, additions and changes of occupancy in Lake Stevens, under the 2021 International Building Code as adopted and amended by the State Building Code Council.

Verified 2026-09-16 · Source

When you need this permit

  • “The 2021 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC) including Appendix E, and the adoption of ICC/ANSI A117.1-2017 … in Chapter 51-50 WAC” (LSMC 14.80.010)
  • The 2021 IEBC comes in with it via IBC Section 101.4.7
  • Address identification must comply with LSMC 14.84.190, except for Group R-3 occupancies, townhomes and one- and two-family dwellings
  • Automatic sprinkler systems must also comply with LSMC 14.84.150 (IBC Section 903 addition)
  • A certificate of occupancy requires acceptance by the Planning AND Public Works Departments (LSMC 14.80.110)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Permit fee
LSMC 14.80.040: “The City shall collect fees for all services rendered and activities performed in reviewing and issuing building permits. Show full citationLSMC 14.80.040: “The City shall collect fees for all services rendered and activities performed in reviewing and issuing building permits. Said fees shall be set by resolution.” No dollar amount appears in the code and none is asserted here. Across this Washington set the INSTRUMENT varies and is worth knowing: Edmonds and Lake Stevens use a council RESOLUTION, Lynnwood a fee ORDINANCE, and Puyallup an EXECUTIVE ORDER of the city manager. Ask the city for the current resolution.
Set by city council resolution
Appeal feeLSMC 14.80.030(e)(3): “The written appeal and the appeal fee, if any, must be received by the Department of Planning and Community Development no later than 4:00 p.m. on the fourteenth day following the date of the notice of decision.” The code says “if any” and states no amount.
Set by resolution; due with the appeal

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Building Permit permit actually take in Lake Stevens?

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

Inspection process

    Tips

    • Budget time for two departments at the end, not one. LSMC 14.80.110 bars occupancy until the Building Official issues a certificate, and requires that “all completed projects shall be accepted by the Planning and Public Works Departments” first — so a building-side sign-off alone will not get you occupied.
    • Damage to neighbouring improvements will hold your final inspection. LSMC 14.80.120 has the Building Official inspect all improvements on or adjacent to the site, and “any improvements found to be damaged by the builder shall be repaired prior to receiving final inspection”.
    • If you need to appeal, the clock is unusually tight and literal: the written appeal and any fee must arrive “no later than 4:00 p.m. on the fourteenth day” after the notice of decision, and the Hearing Examiner must give the Building Official's decision “substantial weight”.

    Frequently asked questions

    Lake Stevens requires a commercial building permit for: “The 2021 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC) including Appendix E, and the adoption of ICC/ANSI A117.1-2017 … in Chapter 51-50 WAC” (LSMC 14.80.010); The 2021 IEBC comes in with it via IBC Section 101.4.7; Address identification must comply with LSMC 14.84.190, except for Group R-3 occupancies, townhomes and one- and two-family dwellings; Automatic sprinkler systems must also comply with LSMC 14.84.150 (IBC Section 903 addition); A certificate of occupancy requires acceptance by the Planning AND Public Works Departments (LSMC 14.80.110). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Lake Stevens – Department of Planning and Community Development at (425) 334-1012 before starting work.

    In Lake Stevens, the published Permit fee is: Set by city council resolution. Additional published fees: Appeal fee — Set by resolution; due with the appeal. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Lake Stevens does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Lake Stevens – Department of Planning and Community Development at (425) 334-1012 for current turnaround.

    You'll need: Building Permit Application with Scaled Plans; Sewage Disposal Permit. Depending on your project, Lake Stevens may also ask for: Accessibility Documentation. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of Lake Stevens – Department of Planning and Community Development at 1812 Main St, Lake Stevens, WA 98258. Phone: (425) 334-1012. Official information: https://www.lakestevenswa.gov/.

    The 2021 International Building Code, adopted at LSMC 14.80.010 “including Appendix E, and the adoption of ICC/ANSI A117.1-2017, Requirements for Accessible and Useable Buildings and Facilities, as adopted and amended by the State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-50 WAC”. The 2021 International Existing Building Code is included with it by way of IBC Section 101.4.7, and the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code comes in through IBC Section 3109.1.

    Not on its own. LSMC 14.80.110 provides that “No building or structure shall be used or occupied until the Building Official has issued a certificate of occupancy except for accessory structures”, and adds that “Prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy all completed projects shall be accepted by the Planning and Public Works Departments.” So planning and public works acceptance are prerequisites to the certificate rather than parallel matters.

    Sources & verification

    Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-16.

    Codes & ordinances

    Department & other records

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

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