Skip to main content
PermitBase

Building Permit in Spokane, Washington

Required for construction in Spokane under SMC Title 17F. The city adopts the state building code at whatever edition is currently in force rather than naming a year.

Reviewed 2026-09-16 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Built to the IBC or IRC at the "current adopted Edition" - SMC 17F.040.010 names no year
  • The IRC is adopted WITHOUT Part IV Energy Efficiency, Part VII Plumbing and Part VIII Electrical; those come from separate adoptions
  • Filed through Accela Citizen Access; a registered account is required
  • Design to the criteria in SMC 17F.040.105, not to a neighbouring city's numbers

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet — 0 of 1 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our checklist will assemble all of them, free →

Fee schedule

Building permit fee
NO PERMIT AMOUNTS ARE PRINTED HERE FOR SPOKANE, AND THE CODE SECTION YOU WOULD GO TO IS EMPTY. Show full citationNO PERMIT AMOUNTS ARE PRINTED HERE FOR SPOKANE, AND THE CODE SECTION YOU WOULD GO TO IS EMPTY. SMC 17F.040.060 is titled "Fees" and its entire text is "Section 108 of the IBC is deleted." - it removes the model building code's fee provisions and puts nothing in their place. The city publishes a "Development Services Fee Schedule 2026", named on its Accela permit portal; THIS GUIDE HAS NOT OPENED THAT SCHEDULE and does not state what is in it. Ask the Development Services Center. AND BE CAREFUL WHO ASKS YOU FOR MONEY: the city's own portal carries a fraud alert stating that it "will never request payment through emailed wire transfer instructions."
Not stated in this guide - see notes

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Building Permit permit actually take in Spokane?

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

Inspection process

    Tips

    • The Permit Center opens at 11am on Wednesdays
    • The code section titled "Fees" has no amounts in it - ask for the Development Services Fee Schedule
    • Never pay a permit invoice that arrives by email asking for a wire transfer
    • Inspections are scheduled through the Accela Citizen Access portal by registered users

    Frequently asked questions

    Spokane requires a building permit for: Built to the IBC or IRC at the "current adopted Edition" - SMC 17F.040.010 names no year; The IRC is adopted WITHOUT Part IV Energy Efficiency, Part VII Plumbing and Part VIII Electrical; those come from separate adoptions; Filed through Accela Citizen Access; a registered account is required; Design to the criteria in SMC 17F.040.105, not to a neighbouring city's numbers. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Spokane - Development Services Center at (509) 755-2489 before starting work.

    In Spokane, the published Building permit fee is: Not stated in this guide - see notes. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Spokane does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Spokane - Development Services Center at (509) 755-2489 for current turnaround.

    You'll need: Permit application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of Spokane - Development Services Center at 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99201. Phone: (509) 755-2489. Office hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays: 8am to 5pm. Wednesdays: 11am to 5pm.. Official information: https://aca.spokanepermits.org/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx.

    Spokane, Washington has adopted: SPOKANE NAMES NO EDITION. SMC 17F.040.010 adopts "the Washington State Building Code (chapter 19.27 RCW and chapter 19.27A RCW) as modified by chapter 51-50 WAC", and lists the "International Building Code (IBC), current adopted Edition, as published by the International Code Council, including Washington State amendments, ICC/ANSI A117.1, and the current adopted Edition International Existing Building Code". The phrase "current adopted Edition" does the work of a year.; THE RESIDENTIAL CODE IS ADOPTED WITH THREE WHOLE PARTS CUT OUT. SMC 17F.040.010 adopts the "International Residential Code, current adopted Edition (except Part IV - Energy Efficiency, Part VII - Plumbing, and Part VIII - Electrical) as published by the International Code Council, and chapter 51-51 WAC; and Appendix Q: Dwelling Unit Fire Sprinkler Systems, WAC 51-51-60105". Energy, plumbing and electrical come from elsewhere.; The same section adopts the "International Energy Conservation Code, current adopted Edition, chapter 51-11C and 51-11R WAC."; Spokane splits construction law across eleven chapters of Title 17F: General Provisions (17F.010), Alternative Methods and Materials for Mixed-use Residential Buildings (17F.020), Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (17F.030), Building Code (17F.040), Electrical Code (17F.050), Elevator Code (17F.060), Existing Building and Conservation Code (17F.070) and Fire Code (17F.080) among them.; RCW 19.27 - the Washington State Building Code applies statewide.. Local amendments apply — see the Spokane overview page for the full list.

    SMC 17F.040.105 modifies IRC Table R301.2(1) for Spokane: Ground Snow Load 39 lbs/ft2 (with a minimum roof snow load of 30 lbs/ft2), Wind Speed (ult) 110 mph, Seismic Design Category C, Weathering Severe, Frostline Depth 24 inches, Winter Design Temp 10 degrees F, ice barrier underlayment required. Note the wind figure is an ULTIMATE speed - a neighbouring city quoting a gust speed is reporting a different quantity. The table was passed by ordinance in 2016; confirm it is current before you design to it.

    Not in the building code chapter. SMC 17F.040.060, titled "Fees", says only that "Section 108 of the IBC is deleted." The city publishes a Development Services Fee Schedule separately; ask the Development Services Center for the current one.

    Sources & verification

    Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-16.

    Online permit portal

    Codes & ordinances

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

    Property Access

    Spokane's permit history is searchable by address

    58,272 permits in our copy of Spokane'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 Spokane has issued.

    None of Spokane's records carry an issued date, so this history cannot be filtered or sorted by date. The permits are here and searchable by address — but “when” is not a question they can answer.

    Start your 7-day free trial7 days free for new customers, then $79/mo · the guide above stays free

    Other permits in Spokane

    Deck PermitVerify a Contractor Licence

    Building Permit in other cities

    Airway Heights, WashingtonAuburn, WashingtonBainbridge Island, WashingtonBellevue, WashingtonBellingham, WashingtonBothell, WashingtonBremerton, WashingtonBurien, Washington

    Compare building permit fees across Washington →

    Look up this fee in a different city →

    Embed this data card →

    Now live

    Build your Spokane project checklist

    Describe your project once and get every permit, document, and fee it triggers in Spokane — in one checklist. Free, for any city and any number of projects.

    Get started →