Yakima County, WA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Construct, alter, repair, move or demolish
- Plan review fee
- 65% of the building permit fee
- Small-shed exemption
- 200 sq ft or less, 10 ft wall height, max 2
- Unpermitted work penalty
- Investigation fee plus standard permit fee
- Permit expiration
- 180 days to start, 6 years to final
Summary
Yakima County requires a permit from the Building Official before anyone builds, alters, repairs, moves or demolishes a building, or installs an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, under its amended International Building Code. A short list of small structures, like sheds under 200 square feet and 4-foot retaining walls, is exempt.
105.1 Required. Any owner or authorized agent 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 code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application with the building official and obtain the required permit. Where a bridge or an elevated surface has been identified as part of a fire apparatus access road under Section 503.2.6 of the International Fire Code as adopted and amended by Yakima County in YCC § 13, the owner or authorized agent shall first make application with the building official and obtain the required permit. Plans, calculations, and other documentation necessary to show that the bridge or elevated surface complies with the requirements of Section 503.2.6 of the International Fire Code shall be submitted and shall be prepared by a registered design professional.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4871853; v6 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
020. 1 and, if approved, are stamped "Approved," with one set kept by the county and one returned to the applicant to stay on site during construction. 020, with plan review billed separately at 65 percent of the building permit fee. A limited set of small structures does not need a permit, including detached accessory buildings under 200 square feet with a 10-foot maximum wall height (capped at two per lot), fences up to 7 feet, retaining walls of 4 feet or less, water tanks under 5,000 gallons, and above-ground pools under 24 inches deep and 5,000 gallons.
Anyone who starts regulated work before obtaining a permit is billed an investigation fee equal to the county's cost of enforcement, in addition to the permit fee itself, whether or not the permit is later issued. Permits expire if work is not started within 180 days of issuance or is not finaled within 6 years.
Violations & Fines
Working without a required permit, or in violation of approved plans, is enforced under IBC Section 114 as adopted by YCC Section 13.05.065. The Building Official can serve a written notice of violation ordering the work stopped and the condition corrected; noncompliance exposes the owner to a misdemeanor citation or civil infraction under YCC Chapter 13.25, with each day the violation continues after notice a separate offense, and the county can pursue legal action to compel compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers a building permit requirement in unincorporated Yakima County?
Are any small structures exempt from a Yakima County building permit?
What happens if I start construction before getting a Yakima County permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima County
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