Thurston County, Washington

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Thurston County Washington

Community Planning and Economic Development

Permit Applications & Forms

Before you fill out an application or do any work to prepare your property for a building project first see Planning Your Project. If you need help contact us.

Use These Forms

Guides & Drawings

About ADUs
Accessory Dwelling Unit are places someone can live. Includes a kitchen, bedroom(s), and bathroom. On the same lot as a single-family home, but smaller in size, and can be attached or separate from main home.

How ADUs Differ from Similar Buildings
Family Member Unit -For a relative. Must be manufactured or modular housing unit.
Guest House - Not a residence. For occasional use only. No kitchen. Can't be rented. Short stays only.
Tiny Home –Not allowed for residential uses unless designed in a certain way and in a certain locations (RV Park). See Tiny Home section.

About Adult Family Homes
An adult family home has up to six adults not related to the care providers by blood or marriage. Washington Assn. of Building Officials regulates adult family homes with help from Washington Department of Social & Health Services. We enforce them.

Use These Forms

Guides & Drawings

Guide to Submitting the Master Application
Guide to Agricultural Buildings
Guidance regarding agricultural buildings that are exempt from the federal Endangered Species Act regulations in Thurston County per the special federal 4d rule.
See related construction illustrations on Inspection Drawings page

Use These Forms Depending On What you Want to Do

Use These Forms

Guides & Drawings

Use These Forms

Guides

Use These Forms

Guides & Drawings

Project May Also Need

Permits / Forms for Septic/Well

• Learn more on the Septic, Water & Well web page

Permits / Forms for Stormwater runoff / erosion control

• Stormwater runoff / erosions control plan and drawings. Find info in the county's drainage manual
• Impervious Surface Worksheet

Permits / Forms for Grading or Easements

• Scoping Review Request
• Guide to the Scoping Review Request
• Construction Permit for Grading & Filling
• Guide to the Construction Permit for Grading & Filling
• Find more on the grading, road access, or easements web page

Permits / Forms for Driveway

• Encroachment Application Form - any work proposed within the county right-of-way, including new or relocating a driveway that connects to a county rd.
• Guide to the Encroachment Application
• Right of Way Access Permit Application Form - to use an unopened county right-of-way for new driveway or private road.
• Guide to the Right of Way Access Application
• Vacate the Right of Way Permit
• Guide to the Vacate Right of Way Permit Form
• Variance Request from Roads & Drainage Standards
• Guide to the Variance Request

• Use These Forms If you are only wanting to clear and grade a site, use these forms if 7,000+ sf is going to be cleared, or 50+ cubic yards of material is going to be moved. If you're doing another building project, you don't need to fill these out separately because it is part of the project.
  • Master Application
  • Guide to Submitting the Master Application
  • Construction Permit for Grading & Filling
  • Guide to the Construction Permit for Grading & Filling
  • Find more on the grading, road access, or easements web page

  May Also Need State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) Forms

  • SEPA Application Checklist (PDF) SEPA Checklist (Word)
  • Coversheet for the SEPA Application
  • Guide to the SEPA Application Checklist
  Commercial Buildings
  • Use These FormsPresubmission Conference Application Form
    Master Application
    Non Residential Application
    Impervious Surface WorksheetGuides & DrawingsGuide to the Presubmission Conference Application
    Guide to Submitting the Master Application
    Guide to Submitting the Non-Residential Application
    Learn about presubs on the Presubmission Conference web pageProject May Also NeedPermits / Forms for Septic/Well
    • Certificate of Water Availability - COWA Forms
    • Learn more on the Septic, Water & Well web page

    Permits / Forms for Stormwater runoff / erosion control

    • Stormwater runoff / erosions control plan and drawings. Find info in the county's drainage manual

    Permits / Forms for Grading or Easements

    • Scoping Review Request
    • Guide to the Scoping Review Request
    • Construction Permit for Grading & Filling
    • Guide to the Construction Permit for Grading & Filling
    • Find more on the grading, road access, or easements web page

    Permits / Forms for Driveway

    • Encroachment Application Form - if new or relocating a driveway to connect to a county rd.
    • Guide to the Encroachment Application
    • Right of Way Access Permit Application Form new driveway connecting to county road with unopened right of way.
    • Guide to the Right of Way Access Application
    • Vacate the Right of Way Permit
    • Guide to the Vacate Right of Way Permit Form
    • Variance Request from Roads & Drainage Standards
    • Guide to the Variance Request
    Demolition Projects & Oil Tank Decommissioning
    • Complete a separate form for each structure being demolished.
    • Projects in critical areas will require a staff review. Mitigation may be required to repair or restore critical area. See Look Up Your Property to find out if the property needs them.
    • Submit a site plan.
    • Submit an Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) Notification. Required prior to issuance of the demolition permit.
    • Contact Puget Sound Energy to ensure all power and gas is safely disconnected.

    Use These forms for Oil Tank Decommissioning

    Guides for Oil Tank Decommissioning

    Driveways & County Road Access

    Use These Forms

    • Master Application
    • Guide to Submitting the Master Application

    Driveway to county road (build new or relocate existing)

    • Encroachment Application Form- any work proposed within the county right-of-way, including new or relocating a driveway that connects to a county rd.
    • Guide to the Encroachment Application
    • Right of Way Access Permit Application Form - to use an unopened county right-of-way for new driveway or private road.
    • Guide to the Right of Way Access Application
    • Vacate the Right of Way Permit
    • Guide to the Vacate Right of Way Permit Form
    • Variance Request from Roads & Drainage Standards
    • Guide to the Variance Request
    Fire (alarms, sprinklers, fuel & propane tanks, firework stands/tents)

    Use These Forms for Fire Alarms, Sprinkler Systems, Firework Stands / Displays, Propane Tanks & Above/Below Ground Fuel Tanks

    Guides & Instructions

    Key Boxes
    FDC / Key Box Location Approval Form - Key boxes are required for all new building and remodel applications. Contact the local fire district for purchasing information.

    Fire Alarms
    Project must include alarms if required International Building Code Chapter 9. Full coverage NFPA 72 fire alarm system required if you take credit for fire flow.

    Sprinkler systems are required for:

    • Commercial structures per International Building Code Chapter 9. (The Building Code applies to structures other than one and two-family dwellings and townhomes -- i.e., commercial)
    • In Olympia, Lacey Tumwater urban growth areas if the building is more than 7,500 square feet
    • In the rural area (i.e., outside urban growth areas) if the building is more than 12,000 square feet.
    • As a trade-off for fire flow or type of construction.

    Fuel Tank Projects & Oil Tank Decommissioning

    About Fire Permits & Forms

    This Fire Code Construction / Operation Permit Application Form above is used for all fire permit types including but not limited to fire alarms, fuel tanks above and below ground, sprinkler systems, fire work stands and displays, tents, etc. Refer to the Guide to Fire Code Permit Application for details.

    Manufactured & Mobile Homes
    • Use These Forms
      • Master Application
      • Manufactured Home Placement Application
      • Assessor's Pacel Number for Mobile Home Data Sheet
      • Impervious Surface Calculation Worksheet
        
      • Guide to Submitting the Master Application
      • Guide to the Manufactured Home Placement Application
      • Checklist for Manufactured Home Owners
      • Find manufactured home construction drawings on the Inspection Drawings web page
        

      May Also Need

      • Anchoring Verification Form
      • Family Member Unit Affidavit
      • If on a Well May Also Need
        • Well Mandate Form
        • Guide to the Well Mandate Form
        • Certificate of Water Availability - COWA Forms on the Environmental Health website, scroll down and click on Drinking Water & Well Resources, and then on Drinking Water.
        • Affidavit forms for Water Resource Inventory Areas
          • WRIA 13 / 14
          • WRIA 11 / 22 / 23
          • Stormwater runoff / erosions control plan and drawings. Find info in the county's drainage manual
          • Encroachment Application Form - if new or relocating a driveway to connect to a county rd.
          • Guide to the Encroachment Application
          • Right of Way Access Permit Application Form new driveway connecting to county road with unopened right of way.
          • Guide to the Right of Way Access Application

          Changes to / Remodel of Manufactured Home already in Place
          This is all managed through the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (LNI) because they regulated manufactured and mobile homes. Contact them at 360-902-5800.

          Title Elimination
          The title Elimination application process is initiated through Washington State Department of Licensing. Our role is to complete section five of that form. Fee of $50 applies.

          • Use These Forms
            • Title Elimination Inspection Request - use this if there's no record of a placement permit & you meet one of the options in this form.
            • Code Compliance Verification Form
            • Engineers Supplemental Mobile Certification List
            • Checklist for Manufactured Home Owners
            Mechanical & Plumbing

            Use These Forms

            Guides & Drawings

            About Minor Permits
            Many minor permits are issued over-the-counter, and generally do not require building plans. A list of the most common items that need permits is below. Other items may also need permits. Please contact us.

            Please note: Replacement of forced-air heating units and water heaters don't require permits. (Amended 2018 with Ordinance 15648. See County Code Title).

            These Common Items Need a Minor Permit

            Mechanical	Plumbing
            Absorption BTU	Bathtub
            Air Conditioner	​Clothes Washer
            ​Boilers	​Dishwasher
            ​Compressors	​Floor Drain
            Furnace, Electric & Gas	​Shower
            ​Gas Range, Piping Connection & Wall Heater	Sink
            ​Heat Pump, Duct & Ductless	Toilets & Urinals
            ​Ventilation and Exhaust Fans	​Water Heater, (Gas & Elec.)
            ​​Woodstove/Insert	​Water Pipe Alteration/Repair