PlainPermit

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Do I need a permit for a roof replacement in Seattle, WA?

Last verified: · Confidence: high · Status: Verified from official source

Not legal advice. Always confirm with your local building department. Rules change, and your parcel's zoning, HOA, historic district, floodplain or utility work can change the answer. We show the official source and the date we last checked it so you can verify for yourself.
Depends on your project Confidence: high

No permit for re-roofing a one- or two-family home or townhouse if the building envelope is unchanged (other than equal or better insulation). Commercial/multifamily re-roofs need a permit.

What changes the answer

Cost

Re-roof permit (when needed): flat fee of half the SDCI base fee plus state surcharge and technology fee.

Fee source: https://www.seattle.gov/construction-and-inspections/permits/permits-we-issue-(a-z)/re-roof-permit

Where to apply

Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (Seattle Services Portal)

Permitting authority: Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI); plumbing permits by Public Health – Seattle & King County. Rules differ in environmentally critical areas (steep slopes, wetlands, flood-prone areas). Plumbing and gas piping permits, including water heaters, are issued by Public Health – Seattle & King County, not SDCI.

Official sources

“A permit is not required for re-roof work at one- and two-family homes and townhouses if no changes are made to the building envelope other than adding or replacing insulation”

Source: https://www.seattle.gov/construction-and-inspections/permits/permits-we-issue-(a-z)/re-roof-permit

Verified: · Status: verified · Confidence: high

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Other projects in Seattle

Roof replacement permits in other cities