Kitsap County, WA Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

860, part of the Dangerous Buildings Code enforcement article, gives the building official, fire marshal, and health officer shared authority to inspect and enforce the code in the interest of public health, safety, and general welfare; the building official or fire marshal may also adopt rules and procedures to interpret and implement the code, provided those rules never waive structural or fire-performance requirements. Subsection B specifically makes all buildings within the scope of the code, and all construction work for which a permit is required, subject to inspection by all three officials, in accordance with the code itself, the Kitsap County building and fire code, and any other applicable county laws or ordinances.

Subsection C sets the mechanics of entry: when an inspection is necessary to enforce the code, or when the building official has reasonable cause to believe a condition on a property violates the code and makes it unsafe, dangerous, or hazardous, the official may enter at reasonable times to inspect or perform duties under the code. If the building or premises is occupied, credentials must be presented to the occupant and entry requested first; if unoccupied, the official must make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or person in control and request entry, and if entry is refused, the official has recourse to legal remedies to secure it.

065. This inspection authority applies only within unincorporated Kitsap County; Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, and Bainbridge Island each run their own permit inspection programs under their own codes.