Do you need a permit for a deck in Seattle?
It depends on the project. Seattle exempts some decks from a building permit and requires one for the rest1.
On this page
Depends on size or scope
Seattle's rule“You need a permit to build a deck if it is: More than 18 inches above the ground…”1
City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections, What Permits Do You Need?
Which permits you need
| Permit | Required when | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | Most decks: subject-to-field-inspection construction permit | Most decks require only a subject-to-field-inspection construction permit [...]…1 |
| Building permit | Addition/alteration construction permit if the deck will be more than 8 ft above the ground | You need an addition or alteration construction permit if your deck meets any of these criteria: It will be more than 8 feet above the ground.1 |
Limits and conditions in Seattle's rule
Each limit sits next to the sentence it comes from; the conditions in that sentence are part of the rule.
| Rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt up to this height above grade (the wording covers platforms) | 18 inches | Platforms, walks and driveways not more than 18 inches above grade and not over any basement or story below.2 |
| Field-inspection (STFI) permit: up to this area | 750 square feet | It will be over 750 square feet in size.1 |
| Field-inspection (STFI) permit: up to this height | 8 feet | It will be more than 8 feet above the ground.1 |
| Full permit needed for beams this long or longer | 14 feet | It includes beams 14 feet or longer.1 |
Zoning rules: separate from the building permit
A project can be exempt from one and still need the other (zoning vs building permits).
| Zoning rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Lot coverage | Decks more than 36 in above the ground count toward lot coverage (zoning) | If your deck is more than 36 inches above the ground: your deck counts toward the percentage of your property on which you can build (called lot coverage).1 |
| Side and rear setback | Decks more than 18 in above the ground: not within 10-15 ft of the front property line or 3-5 ft of either side property line in NR zones (zoning) | If your deck is more than 18 inches above the ground: you can’t build your deck within 10-15 feet of the front property line, or within three to five feet of either side property line in neighborhood residential zones.1 |
What to submit
- Professional stamp rarely required1
Who can apply
- Anyone with drafting skills may prepare drawings1
Deck permit fees in Seattle
Fee lines as Seattle's schedule states them. A minimum or base fee is not the whole price when the line says the fee grows with project value.
| Fee | Type | As the schedule states it |
|---|---|---|
| STFI permit fee / plan review fee | Based on project valuation | Permit fee 100% of DFI; plan review fee 40% of DFI3 |
| Building permit fee / plan review fee | Based on project valuation | Permit fee 100% of DFI; plan review fee 100% of DFI3 |
All of Seattle's fee lines are on the Seattle permit page.
Special areas and extra reviews
- ECA sites need a pre-application site visit before any construction permit1
Who to ask
Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)4
Building permits
- Website
- seattle.gov4
- Apply online
- services.seattle.gov5
- Phone
- (206) 684-86004
- Address
- 700 5th Ave, Suite 2000, Seattle, WA 98104 (mailing: P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019)4
- Hours
- Most staff 8 AM - 4 PM (phone or email)6
- Inspections
- Online, or 24-hour line (206) 684-89007
Deck permit rules in other cities
Rules differ from city to city. Compare Seattle with 18 other cities on the national deck permit guide, or go straight to one:
- New York City, NY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Houston, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- Dallas, TX
- Jacksonville, FL
- Fort Worth, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbus, OH
- Indianapolis, IN
- San Francisco, CA
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Philadelphia, PA
- Austin, TX
Sources
- Decks - Construction and InspectionsCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026
- 2021 Seattle Residential Code, Chapter 1 AdministrationCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026
- 2026 Fee Subtitle and related documents (SMC Chapter 22.900)City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsEffective January 1, 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Fences - Construction and InspectionsCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026
- How Do You Get a Permit? - Construction and InspectionsCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026
- Contact Us - Hours & LocationCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 6, 2026
- Construction Inspections - Construction and InspectionsCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026