Bellevue building department

Bellevue Development Services reviews and issues building, trade, land-use, clearing and grading, fire, utilities, and right-of-way permits inside Bellevue city limits, and it administers electrical permits itself under the Washington Cities Electrical Code rather than through state L&I. Unincorporated King County parcels go to King County Permitting, and neighboring cities such as Redmond, Kirkland, and Issaquah have their own departments.

Applying through MyBuildingPermit

Bellevue states that all permit applications must be submitted online at MyBuildingPermit.com; paper applications are not accepted. Applications fall into two tracks:

• No plan review: the city says it issues the permit the same day you apply and pay, with no drawings required. Non-structural residential remodels typically fall here.
• Plan review: new construction, land-use approvals, and complex projects. Plans are uploaded as PDFs at application and a partial (submittal) fee is due then. Staff review for code compliance, you upload revisions if requested, and the issued permit and approved plans are downloaded from the dashboard.

Before a construction permit is issued, the contractor must hold a Washington State contractor license and a Bellevue business license. Required plan types depend on scope; Bellevue’s plan submittal resources page lists more than 50 document types (site plans, structural, geotechnical, arborist reports, and so on) along with an electrical plan review submittal guide. Status can be checked at permitsearch.mybuildingpermit.com.

Residential permit categories

Code	Permit type	Plan review
BS	New one- or two-family dwelling, or addition over 3,000 gross sq ft	Yes
BR	Addition under 3,000 sq ft, or adding a deck	Yes
BU	Remodel with structural work (including roof sheathing changes)	Yes
BT	Remodel without structural work (no added area or height)	Usually same-day
BE	Demolition of a house, garage, or shed	Yes

What needs a permit in Bellevue

Bellevue’s “Work Requiring Permits” FAQ sets these thresholds:

Project	Bellevue rule
Deck	Permit with plan review if the walking surface is more than 30 inches above ground; none below that
Fence	No permit unless over 8 feet tall
Shed, playhouse, gazebo	No permit if detached and 200 sq ft or less (zoning setbacks and coverage still apply)
Retaining wall	Permit if over 4 feet, measured from bottom of footing to top of wall
Roofing	Permit if the sheathing is modified or replaced
Windows and doors	No permit for same-size replacement in the same location; permit to add, move, or widen
Water heater	Permit to replace or move
Furnace or heat pump	Permit to install, move, or replace, or to extend or replace ductwork
Siding	No permit, except stucco and brick or stone veneer more than 4 feet above grade
Landscaping	No permit unless excavation or fill exceeds 50 cubic yards or disturbance exceeds 1,000 sq ft
Cabinets and countertops	No building permit

Adding or moving circuits and changing the service panel require an electrical permit, and new or relocated plumbing fixtures (including any shower or tub) require a plumbing permit. For more on decks, see do I need a permit for a deck.

Fence zoning is stricter than the building threshold. In the front-yard setback, fences are generally limited to 4 feet 6 inches. A residential fence also needs a permit if it sits in a critical area or buffer or is built of concrete block. Height is measured from finished grade on the exterior side of the fence.

Adopted codes

Bellevue’s current construction codes took effect March 15, 2024: the 2021 IBC, IRC, IEBC, IMC, IFGC, International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, and the 2021 International Fire Code, each with Washington State and Bellevue amendments (Bellevue City Code Title 23). The 2023 NEC and 2023 Washington Cities Electrical Code took effect April 1, 2024.

Fees

Bellevue’s 2026 fees are set by ordinance (Ord. 6879, posted on bellevue.municipal.codes), and the city offers an online Permit Fee Estimator for rough figures. Fees come in two stages: submittal fees for plan review and issuance fees for inspection, plus any impact fees. Some fees are flat; others are deposits that the city draws down at its hourly rate, with monthly invoices once the deposit is used up. Invoices more than 60 days past due get a late charge of 1% (minimum $25), and returned checks cost $15. You can pay online (Visa, Mastercard, e-check), at City Hall, or by phone at (425) 452-6875.

Inspections and occupancy

You can request inspections at inspection.mybuildingpermit.com or by calling (425) 452-6875. Between 7 and 8 a.m. on inspection day, check “Today’s Inspections” on MyBuildingPermit for an estimated arrival window. Inspection Support is at (425) 452-4570 (7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays), and utilities inspections are at (425) 452-6977. Final building inspection approval authorizes occupancy unless a Certificate of Occupancy is required, which is the case for new commercial and multifamily buildings and some additions and tenant improvements. The CO coordinator is at (425) 452-4206.

Office hours and contacts

Development Services is at City Hall, 450 110th Ave NE (mailing: P.O. Box 90012, Bellevue, WA 98009). Business hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. The Permit Center is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with remote service on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Function	Phone
General	(425) 452-6800
Permit processing	(425) 452-4898
Building plan review	(425) 452-4121
Land use review	(425) 452-4188
Fire review	(425) 452-4122
Clearing and grading	(425) 452-2019
Right-of-way use	(425) 452-4189
Billing	(425) 452-6860
Public records	(425) 452-7914