Mountlake Terrace building permits

Requirements

• MTMC 15.05.030(B) adopts the “International Residential Code, 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, with state of Washington amendments”, and MTMC 15.05.060 adopts the same year.
• MTMC 15.05.210 requires a permit before you “construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure”, and makes all such work “subject to inspection by the City”.
• The IRC keeps its own exemption list here; MTMC 15.05.070(B) changes only item 5, to “Sidewalks and driveways, except for required civil permits.”
• One-family dwellings of 3,000 square feet or greater must meet IRC Appendix S for residential fire sprinklers, inserted by MTMC 15.05.070(D) via WAC 51-51-60107.
• In the TC zoning districts, additions, improvements, alterations or repairs exceeding 50 percent of assessed value IN ANY FIVE-YEAR PERIOD bring the whole building up to IRC new-building safety requirements (MTMC 15.05.070(C)).
• Design criteria are fixed locally by the Table R301.2(1) inserted at MTMC 15.05.070(A): 25 lbs./sq. foot ground snow load, 85 mph wind, seismic D2, 12-inch frost line depth, 27° F winter design temperature, no ice shield underlayment required.

Required documents

• RequiredPermit applicationMTMC 15.05.210 requires application to the Building Official before any regulated work. The city runs an online permit portal; property owners register with “Setup an Account” and contractors with “Contractor Application”.
• OptionalPlans prepared by a licensed professional where requiredMTMC 15.05.230 governs professional preparation of plans. Confirm with the Building Official whether your project crosses the threshold before drawing.
• OptionalPerformance guarantee where improvements are requiredMTMC 15.05.290 and Chapter 15.35. A performance guarantee is “for 150 percent of a written estimate of the cost of construction of the required improvements associated with any development project”, except erosion control and street invasion control, which 15.35.010(B) treats separately. THIS IS SECURITY, NOT A PERMIT FEE, and it is returned or drawn on rather than spent.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• MTMC 15.05.030(A) adopts the “International Building Code, 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, with state of Washington amendments”; MTMC 15.05.040 adopts the same year.
• THE EXEMPTION LIST IS ONE ITEM LONG. MTMC 15.05.050(B) sets out IBC Section 105.2 in full and lists a single exemption: one-story detached accessory structures not exceeding 80 square feet with no side wall over 6 feet.
• Sprinklers are required in all new buildings with a fire area of 5,000 square feet or greater “regardless of type or use”, and in existing buildings whose addition brings the new total fire area to 5,000 square feet or greater (MTMC 15.05.050(C)).
• Additions and alterations must meet the IEBC for new construction and must not put the existing building into violation; an existing building plus additions must satisfy IBC Chapter 5 height and area limits (MTMC 15.05.050(A), amending Section [A]101.4.7).
• CONFLICTS RESOLVE IN THREE TIERS AND THE TIE-BREAKER IS A NAMED OFFICER'S OPINION. Between the IBC, IRC, IMC and IFC “the first named code shall govern over those following”; between those four and other codes in the chapter, whichever “in the opinion of the Building Official, is more restrictive or more protective of public safety” prevails; and against other City development codes the same test is applied “in the opinion of the Community Development Director” (MTMC 15.05.200).

Required documents

• RequiredPermit applicationMTMC 15.05.210 requires application to the Building Official before any regulated work. The city runs an online permit portal; property owners register with “Setup an Account” and contractors with “Contractor Application”.
• OptionalPlans prepared by a licensed professional where requiredMTMC 15.05.230 governs professional preparation of plans. Confirm with the Building Official whether your project crosses the threshold before drawing.
• OptionalPerformance guarantee where improvements are requiredMTMC 15.05.290 and Chapter 15.35. A performance guarantee is “for 150 percent of a written estimate of the cost of construction of the required improvements associated with any development project”, except erosion control and street invasion control, which 15.35.010(B) treats separately. THIS IS SECURITY, NOT A PERMIT FEE, and it is returned or drawn on rather than spent.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• MTMC 15.05.030(C) adopts the “International Mechanical Code, 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, with state of Washington amendments”, and MTMC 15.05.080 adopts the same year.
• MTMC 15.05.210 names mechanical systems expressly: no person may “erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, convert, or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system” regulated by the chapter without first applying to the Building Official and obtaining the permit.
• Mechanical permit and plan check fees are adjusted annually on building valuation data under MTMC 3.150.090(D), separately from the CPI adjustment that applies to fees generally.

Required documents

• RequiredPermit applicationMTMC 15.05.210 requires application to the Building Official before any regulated work. The city runs an online permit portal; property owners register with “Setup an Account” and contractors with “Contractor Application”.
• OptionalPlans prepared by a licensed professional where requiredMTMC 15.05.230 governs professional preparation of plans. Confirm with the Building Official whether your project crosses the threshold before drawing.
• OptionalPerformance guarantee where improvements are requiredMTMC 15.05.290 and Chapter 15.35. A performance guarantee is “for 150 percent of a written estimate of the cost of construction of the required improvements associated with any development project”, except erosion control and street invasion control, which 15.35.010(B) treats separately. THIS IS SECURITY, NOT A PERMIT FEE, and it is returned or drawn on rather than spent.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• MTMC 15.05.030(E) adopts the “Uniform Plumbing Code, 2021 Edition, with state of Washington amendments, and Uniform Plumbing Code Standards, published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials”; MTMC 15.05.090 adopts the same year.
• Washington is a Uniform Plumbing Code state rather than an International Plumbing Code state, and Mountlake Terrace adopts the UPC together with the separately published UPC Standards.
• MTMC 15.05.210 requires a permit before any plumbing system is erected, installed, enlarged, altered, repaired, converted or replaced.
• Plumbing permit and plan check fees are adjusted annually on building valuation data under MTMC 3.150.090(D).

Required documents

• RequiredPermit applicationMTMC 15.05.210 requires application to the Building Official before any regulated work. The city runs an online permit portal; property owners register with “Setup an Account” and contractors with “Contractor Application”.
• OptionalPlans prepared by a licensed professional where requiredMTMC 15.05.230 governs professional preparation of plans. Confirm with the Building Official whether your project crosses the threshold before drawing.
• OptionalPerformance guarantee where improvements are requiredMTMC 15.05.290 and Chapter 15.35. A performance guarantee is “for 150 percent of a written estimate of the cost of construction of the required improvements associated with any development project”, except erosion control and street invasion control, which 15.35.010(B) treats separately. THIS IS SECURITY, NOT A PERMIT FEE, and it is returned or drawn on rather than spent.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• THREE INSTRUMENTS ARE ADOPTED TOGETHER. MTMC 15.05.130 adopts “the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), published by the National Fire Protection Association”, and also adopts the state “Department of Labor and Industries, Electrical Inspection Section, Rules and Regulations for Installing Electric Wiring and Equipment, and the Washington Cities Electrical Code, 2020 Edition” as part of the city's electrical code.
• THE TWO ELECTRICAL CODES CARRY DIFFERENT YEARS, AND THE CODE SAYS SO IN ONE SENTENCE: MTMC 15.05.030(I) lists the “National Electrical Code, 2023 Edition” and “the Washington Cities Electrical Code, 2020 Edition” side by side.
• City amendments to the NEC are set out separately at MTMC 15.05.140, and MTMC 15.05.130 adopts the NEC “provided, that certain sections of the NEC are amended as set forth in MTMC § 15.05.140”.
• MTMC 15.05.210 requires a permit before any electrical system is erected, installed, enlarged, altered, repaired, converted or replaced.

Required documents

• RequiredPermit applicationMTMC 15.05.210 requires application to the Building Official before any regulated work. The city runs an online permit portal; property owners register with “Setup an Account” and contractors with “Contractor Application”.
• OptionalPlans prepared by a licensed professional where requiredMTMC 15.05.230 governs professional preparation of plans. Confirm with the Building Official whether your project crosses the threshold before drawing.
• OptionalPerformance guarantee where improvements are requiredMTMC 15.05.290 and Chapter 15.35. A performance guarantee is “for 150 percent of a written estimate of the cost of construction of the required improvements associated with any development project”, except erosion control and street invasion control, which 15.35.010(B) treats separately. THIS IS SECURITY, NOT A PERMIT FEE, and it is returned or drawn on rather than spent.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• MTMC 15.05.030(H) adopts the “International Fuel Gas Code, 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, with state of Washington amendments”, and MTMC 15.05.120 adopts the same year.
• MTMC 15.05.210 names gas systems expressly among the systems that may not be erected, installed, enlarged, altered, repaired, converted or replaced without a permit.
• NO NFPA EDITION YEAR IS ADOPTED FOR FUEL GAS HERE. Chapter 15.10 brings in the fire code “specifically including reference standards of the National Fire Protection Association” but names no NFPA edition, so unlike several cities in this series Mountlake Terrace states no NFPA 54 or NFPA 58 year.

Required documents

• RequiredPermit applicationMTMC 15.05.210 requires application to the Building Official before any regulated work. The city runs an online permit portal; property owners register with “Setup an Account” and contractors with “Contractor Application”.
• OptionalPlans prepared by a licensed professional where requiredMTMC 15.05.230 governs professional preparation of plans. Confirm with the Building Official whether your project crosses the threshold before drawing.
• OptionalPerformance guarantee where improvements are requiredMTMC 15.05.290 and Chapter 15.35. A performance guarantee is “for 150 percent of a written estimate of the cost of construction of the required improvements associated with any development project”, except erosion control and street invasion control, which 15.35.010(B) treats separately. THIS IS SECURITY, NOT A PERMIT FEE, and it is returned or drawn on rather than spent.

Fee schedule