Washington Building Permit Timelines & Delays (2024 Data)
Washington is one of the few states that now publishes official, jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction permitting performance data. Under RCW 36.70B (amended by SB 5290), the seven most populous counties and their larger cities report annual permit volumes and review times to the Department of Commerce.
Washington permitting, the figures
The key published figures for this jurisdiction — each cited to its official source.
What the data shows
On average, every reported permit category except binding site plans exceeded the new statutory review periods (p. 12).
Subdivisions were the worst performers — preliminary subdivisions averaged 199% longer than statute and final subdivisions 184% longer (p. 12).
Under RCW 36.70B as amended by SB 5290, statutory review periods are 65 days (no public notice), 100 days (public notice), and 170 days (notice and hearing); previously a uniform 120 days applied (Table 1, p. 6).
Commerce attributes most delay to intake and completeness friction and resubmittal cycles rather than the technical review itself (Findings, p. 11).
Most delay accumulates before technical review
The data points to the same lever everywhere: most delay accumulates before technical review, in completeness and resubmittal cycles. Permittable's Permit Review Diagnostic checks your plans against applicable codes and common reviewer issues before you submit — so your package is more likely to clear on the first pass.
Washington permitting: FAQ
How long do building permits take in Washington?
In the 2024 Commerce report, construction permits averaged about 81% longer than the statutory review period, and subdivisions ran 184–199% longer. Binding site plans were the exception, averaging about 46% faster than statute (p. 12).
What are Washington's statutory permit review periods?
Under RCW 36.70B as amended by SB 5290, statutory review periods are 65 days (no public notice), 100 days (public notice), and 170 days (notice and hearing); previously a uniform 120 days applied (Table 1, p. 6).
Why does Washington publish this data?
SB 5290 (2023) amended RCW 36.70B to require the seven most populous counties and their larger cities to report annual permitting performance to the Department of Commerce, which publishes the results by July 1 each year (Introduction, p. 4).
Is the 2024 data conclusive?
These are 2024 baseline figures. The report notes the new statutory review periods took effect January 1, 2025, so 2024 data predates them and is, in Commerce's words, “a test of the reporting process itself, rather than conclusive permitting information” (pp. 4, 10).
Sources
All figures on this page are drawn from Annual Permitting Performance Report — 2024 — Washington State Department of Commerce, Growth Management Services. Local Project Review performance reporting under RCW 36.70B, pursuant to SB 5290 (Ch. 338, Laws of 2023). www.commerce.wa.gov/growth-management/gma-topics/local-project-review/. Specific tables, reports, and pages are cited inline with each figure above.
These are 2024 baseline figures. The report notes the new statutory review periods took effect January 1, 2025, so 2024 data predates them and is, in Commerce's words, “a test of the reporting process itself, rather than conclusive permitting information” (pp. 4, 10).