Spokane building department

The City of Spokane’s Development Services Center (DSC) issues building, trade, fence, demolition, and land-use permits for property inside Spokane city limits. It also runs inspections and the certificate of occupancy process. The DSC & Permit Center is on the third floor of City Hall, 808 W Spokane Falls Blvd. Walk-in hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday. A Spokane mailing address doesn’t mean a property is in the city. The city points residents to its GIS search tools and Spokane County’s SCOUT Property Dashboard to check. Unincorporated land goes to Spokane County.

What doesn’t need a building permit

The city’s General Residential Permit Application lists these exemptions under IRC R105.2:

Work	Exempt when
Detached accessory structure (shed, playhouse)	One story, 200 sq ft of floor area or less
Deck	200 sq ft or less, no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, not attached to the house, and not serving the required exit door
Retaining wall	4 feet or less from bottom of footing to top of wall, and not supporting a surcharge
Prefabricated pool	Less than 24 inches deep
Window awning	Wall-supported, projecting 54 inches or less, no added support
Other	Concrete flatwork within property lines; painting, tiling, carpet, cabinets, counters; swings and playground equipment

Exempt structures must still meet setbacks. The same application treats replacing an attached deck as an addition that needs a permit. Roofing, siding, and window replacement use their own application. Plumbing, mechanical, and electrical work need separate permits. See also do I need a permit for a shed.

Fences

Spokane requires a building permit for any new or replacement fence, whatever its height or material. Repairing an existing fence doesn’t need one. The 2026 fee is $20 per 100 linear feet or fraction of that. The residential fence handout (revised December 2025) sets these placement rules:

• A 6-foot fence can start at the end of the front yard setback. In residential zones, that’s 10 feet behind the front property line.
• Where your front property line adjoins a neighbor’s rear property line, the fence is limited to 42 inches, or it must be set on a diagonal of at least 7 feet.
• Fencing in a clear-view triangle at an intersection must be 36 inches or lower.
• A fence can never be closer than 12 feet to the curb of an arterial street. On a residential street, it may sit at the back edge of the sidewalk. With no sidewalk, set it 7 feet back from the curb.
• A fence in the public right-of-way needs a fence encroachment covenant signed when you apply.
• Barbed and razor wire aren’t allowed in residential zones, except up to three strands for agricultural use in the RA zone.

Water 18 inches or deeper, including pools, hot tubs, and ponds, needs a barrier at least 4 feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates.

Who can pull permits

A homeowner can act as owner and builder, hiring licensed contractors for carpentry, plumbing, and non-gas mechanical work, unless the work is being done with intent to sell. Gas mechanical work must be done by a licensed HVAC contractor, or by an owner who holds a current City of Spokane Gas Mechanical 1 or 2 license. Homeowners can take out electrical permits for remodeling or repair. A homeowner building their own residence can get one for new construction or an addition. Electrical work done for the sale of the building must be done by a licensed electrical contractor.

Online permitting through the city’s Accela Citizen Access system is available to licensed contractors. The General Residential Permit Application is a form you return to the DSC with plans and a site plan. Hand-drawn plans are accepted. If an LLC or trust owns the property, include documents showing your relationship to it.

Fees

Building permit fees are set in Spokane Municipal Code 08.02.031 and are based on the value of the work:

Value of work	Fee
$1 to $2,000	$73
$2,001 to $25,000	$73 plus $13 per $1,000 over $2,000
$25,001 to $50,000	$372 plus $10 per $1,000 over $25,000
$50,001 to $100,000	$622 plus $7 per $1,000 over $50,000
$100,001 to $500,000	$972 plus $5 per $1,000 over $100,000

For roofing, valuation is $250 per square for a re-cover and $350 per square for a tear-off. It’s $400 per square for a tear-off with new sheathing, or the contract amount if higher. The 2026 Development Fee Schedule adds a $65 processing fee, a 2.5% technology fee, and the state building code fee. A re-inspection costs $156. Work done without a permit is charged the greater of twice the inspection fees or $311. For commercial projects, plan review, processing, and state fees are due when you submit.

Inspections

Every permit needs at least one inspection. You’re responsible for requesting each one, including the final, and for leaving work exposed until it’s approved. Two ways to schedule:

• By phone: Call the inspector listed on your permit before 8:30 a.m. on the day you want the inspection and leave a message. Include the permit number, job address, a contact name, and a phone number for that day. Inspectors take call-in questions from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
• Online: Contractors with an online permit account can book in Accela Citizen Access within a seven-day window. Same-day inspections can’t be booked online.

Post the permit at the job site, along with approved plans if your project has them. The address must be visible from the street. An adult 18 or older must be on site for the inspector to enter a building. Otherwise you may be charged a re-inspection fee. A permit is treated as abandoned if work hasn’t started within six months of issue.

Certificate of occupancy

A Certificate of Occupancy is required before a building is used or occupied, and whenever an existing building’s occupancy changes. Contact the CO Coordinator at least 10 days before you need the CO, at (509) 625-6106 or [email protected]. Give the job address, the building permit number, and your contact details. Then schedule final inspections for each permit with the inspectors listed on it. Final approvals can come from building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, fire, water, wastewater, and other groups. If the site won’t be finished when you need to move in, you can apply for a temporary CO. The fee is $250 and non-refundable. See certificate of occupancy for general background.

Codes

Spokane enforces the 2021 editions of the International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Fire, and Swimming Pool and Spa codes. It also enforces the 2021 Washington State Energy Code, the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, and the 2023 National Electrical Code. Local amendments are in Spokane Municipal Code Title 17F. Zoning is in the Unified Development Code, SMC Title 17. The State Building Code Council says the 2024 state codes take effect May 3, 2027.