Building Division

Permit Process / Issuance

The Building Division regulates building and use of structures for public safety through the application of adopted codes and ordinances including plan review and inspections. Permits can only be issued to the homeowner, the homeowner’s authorized agent or a licensed contractor with a current City of Longview business license.

Contractors

All contractors must be registered with the State of Washington with a current registration number and City of Longview business license filed with the Community Development Department.

Hiring a contractor and need help?
L&I has some helpful tools available for homeowners to check their contractor’s licensing and other suggestions for what to watch for

Permit Review Period

• Commercial: Allow 3 to 5 weeks for reviewing commercial plans. Payment of the plan review fee is required upon application submittal.
• Residential: Allow 2 to 4 weeks for reviewing residential plans. Payment of the plan review fee is required upon application submittal. 

Upon Completion of the Plans Review

Upon completion of the plans review, the Permit Coordinator will notify the applicant of the costs of the permits. Depending upon the scope of work, permits required may also include:

• Building
• Electrical
• Life Safety
• Mechanical
• Plumbing

Permit Expiration

All permits are valid for 180 days from the date of issuance, with the exception of electrical which is good for 365 days. All inactive projects will become null and void after this time period. An inspection must be performed every 180 days to keep permit active.

Inspections

Typically, inspections requested by 6:30 a.m. may be done that afternoon if scheduling allows. Inspections requested in the afternoon may not be scheduled until the following day. If you would like to schedule an inspection for a specific time, be sure to include that information in your request. Our inspectors will try to accommodate your inspection needs as much as possible, but 24-hour advanced scheduling is recommended. For your convenience, the inspection request line is available 24/7 at 360-442-5090.

Types of Permits

• A building permit is required for all new construction of buildings and all alterations, additions, improvements, and repairs of existing buildings as well as moved, converted or demolished buildings. On new construction, no permits can be issued until the utility permit has been paid in full with receipt submitted as proof of payment.
• A plumbing permit is required for all new plumbing, replaced or relocated fixtures, and new or replaced water lines and sewer lines.
• An electrical permit is required for all new electrical installations, alterations, additions, or repairs of existing electrical installations.
• A mechanical permit is required for all new or altered heating, air conditioning, ventilation, ducting, and gas appliance installations.
• A life safety permit is administered through the Fire Department but issued through the Community and Economic Development office. Some permits include fire extinguishing systems, hood and duct systems, flammable and combustible materials, tank removals/slurries, etc. Refer to the handouts for the permits issued under Life Safety.
• Mobile home/manufactured home sitting permits are required prior to placement in a mobile home park or on a private lot within the City. Please refer to the handouts for requirements.

Building Permit Fees

• Commercial Projects: Fees are determined by the valuation of the work (labor and materials) or your contractor’s bid price before tax. A plans check fee is required at time of plan submittal. Please allow 3 to 5 weeks for the review process for commercial projects (smaller projects, allow 2 to 3 weeks.) Add $6.50 for State fee for the first unit and an additional $2 per dwelling unit over one.
• Residential Projects: Fees are determined by either new square footage or the valuation of the project (labor and materials), depending on the scope of work. A plans check fee is required upon application submittal. Please allow 5 to 10 business days for the review process for residential projects. Add $6.50 for State fee for the first living unit and an additional $2 per unit over one.

Permit Fees Details

See LMC 16.02 for permit fee details on the following permits:

• Building Permits
• Electrical Permits
• Life Safety Permits
• Mechanical Permits
• Plumbing Permits

Payments

Most permits must be applied for and issued in person by either the property owner, a licensed contractor or someone authorized to sign for the owner.

Payment for your permits may be made with cash, checks, credit/debit cards (except American Express, and company cards without cardholder name). Make checks payable to “City of Longview.”