Get a Permit

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Below is a step-by-step process of how to get a permit from the City of Shoreline. If you are having trouble understanding the process or need further assistance, feel free to contact us or book an appointment with a staff member. We’re here to help!

Step 1 - Establish the need for a permit

If you are doing work on your home or property or removing trees on your property, there is a good chance you will need a permit. The most common permit types are for tree removal and for residential new builds, interior remodels, additions, and demolitions. However, the City issues many other different permit types.

Some projects may qualify for a permit exemption and do not need a permit to begin work. Here are some common exemptions that you may be allowed for construction projects or tree projects around your house.

Exemptions do not apply to properties with environmentally sensitive or critical areas. In that case, you would likely need a permit. These areas can be steep slopes, wetlands, streams, beaches, or lakes. Check our Critical Areas Map to see if your property might have a known sensitive area. If you do have one of these areas on your property, please book an appointment with a planner so we can provide you with more information.

Step 2 - Apply for a permit

If your project requires a permit, your next step is to submit your application and application submittal checklist to the City.

When you have gathered all required items listed on the application submittal checklist, you are ready to turn in your application. The City will then charge an intake fee for reviewing your permit application. Please note that depending on your permit type you may need to pay additional fees before your permit is issued. Once your permit application has been verified as complete it will then move to permit review.

Step 3 - Permit review

Step 4 - Permit issued

Once your plans have been approved, we will issue your permit. At this point, you may need to pay extra fees for additional time spent reviewing your permit and/or provide any missing information or paperwork. Once your permit has been issued, you will receive a list of inspections and your approved plans. These approved plans will tell you what work you are authorized to do, and you may begin work.

Step 5 - Work is inspected

2024 Permit Review Timelines

In early 2025, the City adopted permit review timelines into the Development Code that align with new standards amended by the State Legislature. Permit review targets are as follows:

65 calendar days: Administrative decisions (building permits, tree removals)
100 calendar days: Administrative decisions requiring public notice (subdivisions 9 lots or fewer, conditional use permits, projects requiring environmental review)
170 calendar days: Decisions requiring a public hearing (subdivisions 10 lots or more)

It’s important to note the review times start after an application is determined complete and includes only those days the City is reviewing the application. The clock pauses when additional information or corrections to plans are requested. The clock resumes once the requested information is provided to the City.

Below is a summary of the review times for applications approved in 2024. 73% of applications approved during 2024 are within the target timeline.

2024 Review Times Approved Applications

PERMIT TYPE	AVERAGE DAYS	MEDIAN DAYS	TARGET DAYS	APPROVED WITHIN TARGET
Single-Family Complex	109	82	65	43%
Single-Family Simple	32	22	65	83%
Clearing & Grading	45	31	65	67%
Commercial	72	60	65	57%
Commercial Mech & Plumbing	45	31	65	82%
Demolition	174	92	65	31%
Mech & Plumbing Online	2	2	65	100%
Misc Structure	70	64	65	50%
Mixed Use	232	232	65	0%
Multifamily	120	47	65	57%
Residential Foundation (online)	8	8	65	100%
Residential Remodel (online)	37	34	65	92%
Residential Reroof (online)	6	3	65	100%
ROW Franchise Utility	17	15	65	99%
ROW Site	21	21	65	100%
ROW Use	68	4	65	86%
Side Sewer Repair	2	1	65	100%
Signs	126	61	65	53%
Site Development	216	240	65	13%
Townhouse	271	280	65	0%
Tree Removal	30	25	65	89%
Wastewater	268	160	65	41%
Wireless Telecommunication Facility	37	26	65	100%
Administrative Design Review	110	52	65	71%
Engineering Deviation	44	29	65	86%
Preliminary Short Subdivision	200	155	100	43%
Final Short Subdivision	36	27	65	100%
Preliminary Formal Subdivision	341	341	170	0%
Final Formal Subdivision	0	0	65	n/a
Lot Line Adjustment	20	20	65	100%
Lot Merger	199	64	65	50%
Code Interpretation	86	69	65	50%
Noise Variance	20	25	65	100%
Shoreline Exemption	7	8	65	100%
Temporary Use Permit	26	6	65	100%
Zoning Verification Letter	26	28	65	100%

Annual Report to State Department of Commerce

In 2023, the State Legislature amended the timelines for permit review for many cities and counties (adopted in SB 5290). The amendments require annual reporting of permit review timelines for certain types of housing developments. For Shoreline, these are typically housing developments in the form of townhomes and apartments. The summary below is a small subset of the total 2024 permit review timelines above:

Summary Report Table

Permit Type	Total number of decisions	Number of permits reviewed under a consolidated process	Number of permits reviewed separately	Average calendar days to process (with pauses)	Average calendar days of review (without pauses)	Number of decisions exceeding the deadline
Preliminary Subdivision	2	0	2	625	339	2
Final Subdivision	0	0	0	0	0	0
Binding Site Plan	0	0	0	0	0	0
Multifamily Housing Permit	27	8	19	659	279	19
Construction Permit	39	35	4	542	258	0
Total	68	43	25	637	280	21

Permits issued in 2024 exceeded the new state timeframes. While not ideal, this initial reporting period for 2024 was not required to meet the new timelines. Regardless, as part of our Modern Permitting initiative the City is committed to streamlining and improving the permit review process, including review timelines. We are focusing on an improved permit structure, improved staff permitting process, improved customer permitting experience, and clear customer communication. Thank you for your continued feedback as we continue to work toward improving our processes.