Bellevue, WA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- Building official
- Exemptions
- ~20 categories, BCC 23.05.090(B)
- Shed exemption
- One-story, under 200 sq ft
- Fee basis
- City fee ordinance, BCC 23.05.120
- Appeal body
- Hearing examiner, BCC 23.05.160
- Penalty
- Civil fine or misdemeanor
Summary
Bellevue requires a permit before anyone constructs, enlarges, alters, repairs, moves, demolishes or changes the occupancy of a building, or installs, alters or replaces an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, under BCC 23.05.090(A). About twenty categories of minor work are exempt under subsection B, but an exemption from one technical code never waives the others.
A. Technical Codes Other Than the Electrical Code – Required. Any person who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this chapter and the technical codes, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 6929, passed July 14, 2026).
Full Breakdown
090(A). Subsection B lists roughly twenty specific exemptions: one-story detached accessory sheds, playhouses and similar structures under 200 square feet; light-frame fences up to 8 feet; retaining walls up to 4 feet; sidewalks, decks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade; painting, papering, tiling and cabinet work; residential and commercial roof replacement; in-kind window replacement with no structural alteration; and rooftop photovoltaic modules that meet all thirteen listed criteria, including a 4 pounds-per-square-foot dead load limit and compliance with IRC Section R324. Emergency repairs are exempt from advance application only if the permit request is filed the next business day.
090(B) is explicit that none of these exemptions authorize work done in violation of this chapter or any other city ordinance, and an exemption from one technical code's permit requirement does not exempt the same work from another technical code's permit requirement. 160.
Violations & Fines
Building or altering a structure without the required permit is unlawful under BCC 23.05.170(A). The city can pursue it as a civil violation under Chapter 1.18 BCC, carrying a monetary penalty, or prosecute it as a misdemeanor punishable under BCC Title 10's Criminal Code, and the two tracks are not mutually exclusive. Each day the unpermitted condition continues is a separate offense under BCC 23.05.170(D).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a shed in Bellevue?
What happens if I build without a permit in Bellevue?
Can I replace my roof in Bellevue without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bellevue
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Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle building permits.