Tacoma Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

Tacoma’s Planning and Development Services Department provides land-use planning, building permits, plan review, inspections, and development coordination inside the City of Tacoma. Pierce County Planning and Public Works handles permits and zoning for unincorporated Pierce County, so a Tacoma mailing address should not be used as a substitute for a jurisdiction check.

Tacoma building permits and Accela

Tacoma’s permit center supports residential, commercial, site-development, land-use, right-of-way, and specialized permits. The city recommends pre-application support for larger or more complex projects, including new commercial buildings, multifamily work, tenant improvements, change of occupancy, and major additions. Permit applications and review status are managed through Tacoma’s Accela account and permit-status tools.

Inspections, zoning, code compliance, and occupancy

Tacoma coordinates building inspections and land-use review as part of its development-services process. Applicants should schedule the inspections listed on the permit and keep approved plans and permit documents available at the site. The city also operates a separate annual fire building-inspection program for commercial, multifamily, and industrial buildings to check compliance with the adopted Fire Code.

Planning and Development Services handles zoning, land-use permits, site development, and code interpretations. For occupancy, coordinate final building and related department approvals before occupying a new or altered space; Tacoma’s development-services process is designed to coordinate the project through certificate of occupancy.

Official contact information

Tacoma lists Planning and Development Services at the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market Street, Tacoma, Washington 98402, with a main phone of (253) 591-5030. Use Tacoma Accela to apply, search permit records, review status, and request inspections when the permit workflow directs you there.