City of Auburn, WA

Common application types

• Residential Building Permit
• Commercial Building Permit
• Tenant Improvement
• Accessory Dwelling Unit
• Grading Permit
• Storm Permit
• Pre-Application Meeting
• Unit Lot Subdivision
• Deviation Request

New homes and additions

The residential checklist calls for plans at 1/4 inch scale or larger with design criteria, elevations, floor, foundation, roof and floor framing plans and sections, plus a site plan at an engineering scale with 2-foot topography, storm and utility locations, setbacks and frontage improvements. Professionally designed projects must provide structural plans and calculations bearing the design professional's seal. Where critical areas are known or suspected, Planning may require reports such as a Geologic Hazard or Wetland report or an elevation certificate. A Storm Permit is issued with the building permit, and a grading permit is triggered by thresholds including more than 2,000 square feet of new hard surface, more than 8,000 square feet of clearing or grading, or more than 500 cubic yards of earthwork with excavation over 5 feet or fill over 8 inches.

ADUs and middle housing

Auburn allows up to two ADUs per residential unit on lots meeting the zone minimum, attached, detached or internal, between 300 and 1,000 square feet excluding garage space, in the RC, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-NM and R-F zones (handout revised July 2025). Each ADU requires one off-street space, which may be waived within a half mile of a major transit stop, and a notarized ADU Disclosure Statement recorded before final inspection. The City's Middle Housing Info Guide applies HB 1110 requirements for cities over 75,000 and describes at least 4 units per residential lot, or 6 within a quarter mile of a major transit stop or with two affordable units, with R-2 and R-3 as the primary middle housing zones.

Decks, retaining walls and accessory structures

Unattached accessory structures under 200 square feet likely do not need a permit but must meet setbacks, and decks more than 30 inches above grade or connected to another structure need a building permit. Retaining walls over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing, or supporting a surcharge (including a fence on top), require a building permit; walls over 4 feet and walls in questionable soils require an engineered design.

Commercial tenant improvements and change of use

Tenant improvements are submitted through MyBuildingPermit.com and reviewed for building, fire, traffic and zoning codes. Submittals include a site plan with parking analysis and hydrants within 300 feet, a whole-building floor plan with occupancy of each tenant, and detailed tenant space drawings with energy code calculations. Plans must be prepared by a Washington-registered architect or engineer when the building as a whole exceeds 4,000 square feet.

Land use review

Planning Services reviews land use applications for consistency with the zoning code, subdivision code and critical area regulations, and administers the City's SEPA ordinance and Comprehensive Plan amendments. Pre-application meetings are informational, held Wednesdays, and must be requested at least 3 weeks in advance through MyBuildingPermit.com under Auburn, Land Use; they do not vest a project and are strongly encouraged for subdivisions, new non-single-family buildings or additions, and other site improvement projects.

Corrections and review

The City's FAQ states the current review timeframe is about 2 to 3 weeks, excluding resubmittals. When revisions or more information are needed, resubmittal documents are routed for an additional 2-week review.

Tips from SASHKOV

• Use the Virtual Permit Center for 20-minute Teams meetings with staff; permits are not issued or reviewed in these meetings.
• Record the ADU Disclosure Statement before final inspection.
• Projects disturbing one acre or more need an Ecology Construction Stormwater General Permit, and a copy of the final permit is required before the building permit is issued.

Where to apply

Permitting authority: Community Development, Building Services and Permitting. Online submittals: MyBuildingPermit (MBP).