Expired Building Permits in Seattle: Renew or Reestablish

Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections issues construction, demolition, mechanical and grading permits that typically expire 18 months after the issue date. A project that runs long, stops for financing or loses a contractor can outlive its permit. SDCI gives two ways back: renewal before expiration, and reestablishment after.

Renewal and reestablishment

• Renewal: apply up to 30 days before the expiration date.

• Reestablishment: an expired permit can be reestablished if it has been expired for less than one year.

• Where: both are submitted online through the Seattle Services Portal.

• Fee: one and a half times the SDCI hourly fee.

• Timing: SDCI tries to issue renewals and reestablishments within 48 hours of application.

Who is eligible

• The associated land use permit has not expired.

• Or circumstances beyond your control, such as litigation, appeals or strikes, prevented starting or finishing the work.

When the code has changed

If you apply more than 18 months after a new or revised building code took effect, SDCI must find that the permit complies with the new code or can be modified to comply. The work must also be substantially underway, with excavation, inspections and framing, electrical, mechanical or finish work progressing on a continuing basis at a pace the City approves.

Sites with critical areas

On steep slopes, wetlands and other environmentally critical areas, SDCI may ask for proof that the excavation contractor carries liability insurance, if that was requested at the original application, and a letter from the geotechnical engineer.

Past one year

SDCI's renewal page does not cover a permit expired for more than one year. Plan on a new application under the current code, with drawings updated to match what was built.

Common questions

How long is a Seattle building permit valid?

Construction, demolition, mechanical and grading permits typically expire 18 months after the issue date.

When can I renew a Seattle building permit?

Up to 30 days before the expiration date, through the Seattle Services Portal.

Can I bring back a permit that already expired?

Yes, through reestablishment, if it has been expired for less than one year and you meet the eligibility conditions.

What does renewal cost?

One and a half times the SDCI hourly fee.

How SASHKOV handles it

• Reads the permit record and confirms the term, eligibility and code edition.

• Files the renewal or reestablishment through the Seattle Services Portal.

• Prepares code updates or revisions when the code changed or the built work differs from the approved set.

• Coordinates the geotechnical letter on critical area sites and carries the work to final.

Where a building requires a licensed architect or engineer of record, SASHKOV brings them into the contract.

For takeovers of permits other teams started, see Corrections and Permit Recovery. For work built without a permit, read Stop-Work Orders and Unpermitted Work in Seattle.

Have a permit near or past expiration? Send the project number and address, and SASHKOV will confirm the path and timeline in business days.