Spokane County, WA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- SCC 3.02.020, permit required
- Application standard
- IBC Section 105.3
- Permit expiration
- 3 years from issuance
- Extension available
- one 180-day extension
- Non-building permits expire
- 18 months from issuance
- Enforcement agency
- Building & Planning director, sheriff citations
- Appeal path
- SCC Chapter 1.46 hearing examiner
Summary
Spokane County Code 3.02.020 makes it unlawful to erect, alter, repair, move, or demolish any building, structure, mechanical, or plumbing system in the unincorporated county without a separate permit from the building official first. Applications must meet IBC Section 105.3, pay processing, land-use, and plan-review fees, and permits expire three years after issuance.
(a)General. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, install, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish, replace, use or occupy any building, structure, mechanical system or plumbing system regulated by this title, unless exempted by the codes adopted by this title, or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate permit for each building, structure or system installation from the building official.(b)Application. For the purpose of this title, and the provisions of RCW 19.27.095(2) the requirements for a fully completed application for a building permit are delineated in Section 105.3 of the IBC and shall require payment of all processing, land use, and plan review fees. Building permits shall automatically expire and become invalid by limitation of time three years from the date of permit issuance. The director is authorized within his/her discretion to grant one extension of time, for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty days.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
010). 020(a) makes it unlawful to erect, construct, install, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish, replace, use or occupy any building, structure, mechanical system or plumbing system regulated by the title without first obtaining a separate permit for each building, structure or system installation from the building official. 020(b)). 020(c)). Operational fire permits under the International Fire Code are exempt from those expiration limits. 020(d)). 040).
Violations & Fines
Building without a required permit is a code violation the building director enforces directly: Section 3.02.010(b) lets the director call on the Spokane County Sheriff to issue criminal citations for violations of Title 3, and the director can record a notice of noncompliance against the property with the county auditor when an owner will not bring unpermitted work into conformance. Appeals of any building official decision, order, or determination go through the Chapter 1.46 hearing examiner process, not district court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remodel a house in unincorporated Spokane County?
How long is a Spokane County building permit good for?
What happens if my permit expires before I finish construction?
Who enforces Spokane County's building permit requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane County
Compare Spokane County to another location·View the Washington building safety overview
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