38 published records
Business licenses and permits in King County, Washington
King County has three distinct county-level regulators, covering different geography, and a business's obligations depend on which one reaches it. Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC), run under the King County Board of Health, is county-wide: its food-establishment, pet-business, water-recreation and on-site-sewage permits apply in Seattle, every suburban city and the unincorporated area alike, and its plumbing/gas-piping permit applies in Seattle, Clyde Hill and the unincorporated area only. King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division ('King County Permits'), governs unincorporated King County only — building, zoning, sign and fire permits, plus a short list of Title 6 business licenses (amusement devices, massage and bathhouses, junk and secondhand dealers, pawnbrokers, cannabis retail, HVAC installers and tank-removal contractor certification); every incorporated city runs its own version of these instead. King County Wastewater Treatment Division's Industrial Waste Program (KCIW) is regional, reaching whichever of the county's 34 local sewer agencies' service areas discharge to the county treatment system, in cities and unincorporated areas alike. King County's own Start and grow your business page states that 'King County does not have a business license requirement, but all businesses in the state must get a Washington State business license' — that state license, recorded at the state layer, is the universal registration. Every Local Services fee listed here is priced under a 2026 fee schedule that expires January 1, 2027 unless the County Council adopts a new fee ordinance first (one was due to the Council by October 1, 2026); confirm current Local Services fees with King County Permits, (206) 296-6600, after that date. Electrical permits and contractor registration are state functions (Washington Department of Labor & Industries), not county ones, and are carried at the state layer along with the food worker card, salon license, child care license and other state-issued credentials PHSKC and King County Permits both route applicants to.
What are you opening in King County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in King County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Business License — King County position (state license applies)only if it applies to you | King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division | No fee | not applicable — the County's Start and grow your business page states that King County does not have a business license requirement | 2026-09-25 |
| On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permit — non-single-family (commercial)only if it applies to you | Public Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services (pet business, water recreation, on-site sewage, and plumbing & gas piping programs) | Installing a new non-single-family (commercial) system: $1,575 installation permit (2026) plus design review of $731 (gravity or holding tank system) or $1,181 (pressurized system). Moving a business into an existing septic-served building instead of installing a new system — a residential-to-commercial or commercial-to-commercial change of use — pays a separate, lower building-remodel application fee of $338 application review plus $450 inspector review fee, $788 total (2026). The 2024 Board of Health Code priced the non-single-family installation permit at $1,512. | one-time, per installation or change of use | 2026-09-25 |
| Commercial Tenant Improvement / Alteration / Change of Use Permit (unincorporated King County)only if it applies to you | King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division | Alterations use the same valuation-based plan review and inspection tables as new construction, plus the $126 screening fee (where charged) and the $25 state building code surcharge. A change of use with no building alterations instead pays a flat $970 plan review plus $419 inspection (2026). Work started without a permit adds an investigation fee of $1,936 for alterations or $8,128 for a new commercial structure, on top of the regular fee. | per project | 2026-09-25 |
| Certificate of Occupancy (unincorporated King County)only if it applies to you | King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division | No additional fee for a certificate of occupancy covering a single, fully completed building — it is covered by the building permit's own inspection fee. Where a fee does apply (2026): $442 for a certificate covering an individual townhouse or a portion of a building not completely constructed (KCC 27.10.510.C); $970 for a temporary certificate of occupancy per building or tenant space, for a certificate covering more than one building under one permit, or for a letter of completion for shell construction covering more than one building (KCC 27.10.510.A, B, D). | not applicable (revocable; a temporary certificate is time-limited) | 2026-09-25 |
| Zoning Certification Letteronly if it applies to you | King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division | $483–$1,452 per letter: $483 to confirm existing zoning or development rights; $1,452 where historic research or review of other information is required (2026) | one-time | 2026-09-25 |
| Commercial Building Permit — New Construction (unincorporated King County)only if it applies to you | King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division | Valuation-based: plan review $103 plus $27.40 per $1,000 up to $25,000, rising through six further brackets to $37,948 plus $5.70 per $1,000 over $5,000,000; inspection $183 plus $44.60 per $1,000 up to $25,000, rising through six further brackets to $58,043 plus $7.40 per $1,000 over $5,000,000; plus, for most permit applications requiring plan review and screening, a $126 application screening fee; plus a $25 state building code surcharge (the minimum fee per building permit, not charged on mechanical, fire-protection or tank permits, under WAC 51-05-200) — all 2026 figures. | per project; permit expiration per KCC §16.02.290 | 2026-09-25 |
| Commercial Sign Permit (unincorporated King County)only if it applies to you | King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division | $2,334 per sign, in two parts: $1,597 plan review plus $737 inspection (2026); multiple similar wall signs attached to the same structure pay one fee | one-time | 2026-09-25 |
| Fire Systems Permit — Sprinkler and Fire Alarmonly if it applies to you | King County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspection | Sprinkler or fire alarm system, new installation or alteration: $970 review per riser or system with more than 10 heads or devices (no review fee for 10 or fewer) plus $1,160 inspection per system plus $24 per head or device (2026). | one-time | 2026-09-25 |
| Plumbing / Gas Piping / Backflow Permitonly if it applies to you | Public Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services (pet business, water recreation, on-site sewage, and plumbing & gas piping programs) | $137 base fee plus $27 per fixture (plumbing/backflow) or per outlet (gas piping/medical gas) (2026); plan review $273/hour; permit renewal $68. King County Code §16.32.080 prints $132 base plus $26 per fixture, $66 renewal and $264/hour review, and directs readers to Public Health for the current schedule. | per project; renewal $68 | 2026-09-25 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in King County?
General Business License — King County position (state license applies)
The County's own Local Services page states plainly that 'King County does not have a business license requirement, but all businesses in the state must get a Washington State business license,' so this record carries no fee, and Public Health's food-business page confirms the County 'does not require a separate business license for establishments in unincorporated King County.' The universal registration is the Washington State business license, recorded at the state layer. What the County does license is a short, named list of specific activities in Title 6 of the King County Code — amusement devices, public entertainment, massage and public bathhouses, junk shops, secondhand dealers, pawnbrokers, cannabis retail, heating and air-conditioning installers and a handful of others — each listed separately where it reaches one of the ten industries. One further Title 6 license is listed inconsistently: King County Ordinance 19030 created an 'adult beverage business' license for wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries and remote tasting rooms operating in unincorporated King County, priced at $100 a year, and the County's 2026 Fee Guide 10 still lists it, but the chapter does not appear in the King County Code as currently published and it is not on the Local Services license list. Ask King County Permits, (206) 296-6600, whether it is still collected before relying on either its presence or its absence. Food, pet, pool, septic and (in three places) plumbing permits come from Public Health and apply county-wide, including every city. Cities inside King County — Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton and the rest — run their own business licenses, out of scope here.
On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permit — non-single-family (commercial)
A business on a septic system rather than public sewer needs Public Health approval before building or changing use, county-wide. Installing a brand-new non-single-family (commercial) septic system costs $1,575 in 2026 plus design review of $731 (gravity or holding tank) or $1,181 (pressurized). A different, cheaper fee applies when a business simply moves into an existing building already served by septic and changes its use from residential to commercial or from one commercial use to another: the 2026 fee sheet groups this under 'Building remodel application' at $338 application review plus $450 inspector review, $788 total — not the $1,575 new-installation figure. Public Health's food-permit pages state that a food business on septic needs Septic Program approval before opening. Businesses connected to public sewer do not need this permit at all. Contact the Eastgate office at 206-477-8050.
Commercial Tenant Improvement / Alteration / Change of Use Permit (unincorporated King County)
Fitting out or altering a leased space in unincorporated King County uses the same valuation-based plan review and inspection fees as new construction (see that record), including the $25 state building code surcharge and, where applicable, the $126 screening fee. A change of use with no building alterations costs a flat $970 plan review plus $419 inspection in 2026; if alterations are included, the valuation-based fee is charged instead. Work started without a permit is charged an investigation fee of $1,936 for commercial alterations and $8,128 for a new commercial structure (KCC 27.10.425) on top of the regular fees, and a pre-application conference is $5,809. Plan re-submittal after the second round, or a revision to an issued permit, is charged 25% of the original application fee. This is the 2026 fee schedule; King County Code sets a lower fee effective January 1, 2027, unless the Council adopts a new fee ordinance first (one was due to the Council by October 1, 2026). Confirm the current fee with King County Permits, (206) 296-6600, after January 2027. Public Health separately approves plumbing, septic and food plans; King County Permits' own forms route food-business plans through a 'Health Department Approval of Building Permit Application' step.
Certificate of Occupancy (unincorporated King County)
A certificate of occupancy is issued by King County Permits after final inspection of a permitted commercial building or tenant space in the unincorporated area: KCC §16.02.480 requires it once 'no violations of this code or of related land use and public health ordinances, rules and regulations have been discovered, or if such violations have been discovered and corrected.' There is no separate fee for a certificate covering one, fully completed building, because it is covered by the building permit's own inspection fee. The 2026 fee guide has four priced scenarios under KCC §27.10.510: $442 for a certificate covering an individual townhouse or a portion of a building not completely constructed, and $970 each for a temporary certificate of occupancy per building or tenant space, a certificate covering more than one building under a single permit, or a letter of completion for shell construction covering more than one building. This is the 2026 fee schedule; King County Code sets a lower fee ($387 and $849 respectively) effective January 1, 2027, unless the Council adopts a new fee ordinance first (one was due to the Council by October 1, 2026). Confirm the current fee with King County Permits, (206) 296-6600, after January 2027. Inside a city, that city issues the certificate instead.
Zoning Certification Letter
A written zoning certification from King County Permits confirming a parcel's zoning designation or development rights in the unincorporated area costs $483 in 2026, or $1,452 if historic research or review of other information is needed. It is optional; the County's interactive zoning map is free to consult. This is the 2026 fee schedule; King County Code sets a lower fee ($423 and $1,271) effective January 1, 2027, unless the Council adopts a new fee ordinance first (one was due to the Council by October 1, 2026). Confirm the current fee with King County Permits, (206) 296-6600, after January 2027. Every unincorporated-area business must follow King County's zoning code (Title 21A) whether or not it obtains a certification letter.
Commercial Building Permit — New Construction (unincorporated King County)
In unincorporated King County a new commercial building needs a building permit from King County Permits (Department of Local Services). The fee has two parts calculated from the County's construction valuation: plan review starting at $103 plus $27.40 per $1,000 up to $25,000 (reaching $1,988 at $100,000 of value) and inspection starting at $183 plus $44.60 per $1,000 up to $25,000 (reaching $3,153 at $100,000), plus a $126 application screening fee for most permit applications requiring plan review and screening, plus a flat $25 state building code surcharge that Washington law sets as the minimum fee on a building permit (it does not apply to mechanical, fire-protection or tank permits). This is the 2026 fee schedule; King County Code sets a lower fee effective January 1, 2027, unless the Council adopts a new fee ordinance first (one was due to the Council by October 1, 2026). Confirm the current fee with King County Permits, (206) 296-6600, after January 2027. Fire systems, plumbing, signs and land-use approvals are billed separately. Electrical permits and contractor registration come from the state (Labor & Industries). Inside a city, that city's own permit applies instead.
Commercial Sign Permit (unincorporated King County)
A new, altered or relocated sign in unincorporated King County needs approval from King County Permits: $1,597 plan review plus $737 inspection, $2,334 in total for 2026, plus the application screening fee where it applies; multiple similar wall signs on one structure pay a single fee. Repainting, cleaning and face or copy changes that do not alter the size or structure of a sign are exempt from the building permit requirement. Sign area and type limits vary by zone (KCC 21A.20.060-.110). This is the 2026 fee schedule; King County Code sets a lower fee ($1,398 plus $645, $2,043 total) effective January 1, 2027, unless the Council adopts a new fee ordinance first (one was due to the Council by October 1, 2026). Confirm the current fee with King County Permits, (206) 296-6600, after January 2027. Signs inside a city are permitted by that city instead.
Fire Systems Permit — Sprinkler and Fire Alarm
A new or altered automatic sprinkler or fire alarm system on an unincorporated-area business needs a fire system permit from King County Permits. In 2026 the review fee is $970 per riser or system with more than 10 heads or devices, and none for 10 or fewer; inspection is $1,160 per system plus $24 per head or device. This is the 2026 fee schedule; King County Code sets a lower fee ($849 review; $1,015 plus $21 per head or device for inspection) effective January 1, 2027, unless the Council adopts a new fee ordinance first (one was due to the Council by October 1, 2026). Confirm the current fee with King County Permits, (206) 296-6600, after January 2027.
Plumbing / Gas Piping / Backflow Permit
This is not a county-wide permit. Public Health – Seattle & King County issues plumbing, gas piping and backflow permits under the King County Plumbing Code (KCC 16.32) only in Seattle, Clyde Hill and unincorporated King County — Public Health's own applications-and-permits page states the jurisdiction list by name and adds, 'If the property is in another King County city, you will need to get your plumbing and gas piping permits from that city's building department.' Within that three-jurisdiction scope, the 2026 fee is $137 base plus $27 per fixture or outlet, with plan review at $273 an hour and a $68 renewal; the County Code table itself prints $132 and $26 and directs readers to Public Health for the current schedule. Food businesses in Seattle, Clyde Hill or the unincorporated area need this permit when adding a sink or changing plumbing; a food business anywhere else in the county gets its plumbing permit from its own city instead. The unincorporated-area building permit is separate and comes from King County Permits. Electrical permits are issued by the state Department of Labor & Industries, not the County, anywhere in King County.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Start and grow your business in unincorporated King County — states 'King County does not have a business license requirement'King County Dept. of Local Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- Business licenses (Permitting Division) — the County's own list of every county business license it issuesKing County Dept. of Local Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- Who to contact when starting a food business — states the County does not require a separate business license in unincorporated King CountyPublic Health – Seattle & King County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- King County Code Title 6, 'Business Licenses and Regulations,' UPDATED September 8, 2026King County Council Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- King County Code index page (Titles 1-28)King County Council · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- On-site Sewage System (OSS) Program fees, effective January 1, 2026Public Health – Seattle & King County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- Board of Health Code Title 2, 'Officers and Administration,' UPDATED January 14, 2026 (chs. 2.06, 2.10 food, 2.13 pet business, 2.18 on-site sewage, 2.20 pools); fee tables last amended by R&R 24-04 (2024)King County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- Permit forms and application materials (Commercial sign; change of use/tenant improvement; Health Department approval of building permit application; other-agency electrical/septic/plumbing information)King County Dept. of Local Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- King County Code Title 27, 'Development Permit Fees,' UPDATED March 2, 2026 — chs. 27.06, 27.10 (Ordinance 20021, November 18, 2025; §§2-33 expire January 1, 2027)King County Council Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- 2026 Fee Guide 04, Commercial or Multifamily Residential Building Construction (December 2025) — includes the state building code surcharge and the certificate-of-occupancy 'Additional Fees' rowsKing County Dept. of Local Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- King County Code Title 16, 'Building and Construction Standards,' UPDATED June 5, 2026 (§16.02 administration; certificate of occupancy §§16.02.470-.540; fees §16.02.400; ch. 16.32 Plumbing Code)King County Council Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- King County Code Title 21A, 'Zoning,' UPDATED September 9, 2026King County Council Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- Permit fees — 2026 fee guides index ('in effect through December 31, 2026,' Ordinance 20021)King County Dept. of Local Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- Fire and special event permit processKing County Dept. of Local Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- Plumbing and Gas Piping Program fees, effective January 1, 2026Public Health – Seattle & King County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
- Plumbing and gas piping — applications and permits, stating the permit is issued 'in the following jurisdictions: Seattle, Clyde Hill, Unincorporated King County' and that other cities issue their ownPublic Health – Seattle & King County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
Who issues business permits in King County?
Permitting in King County is split across 5 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
King County issuing agencies
- King County Department of Local Services, Permitting DivisionBuilding, zoning/land use, sign and change-of-use permits — unincorporated King County only · Fire-regulatory and fire-operational permit administration — unincorporated King County only · Title 6 business licenses (amusement devices, massage/bathhouse, junk, secondhand, pawnbroker, cannabis retail, HVAC installers, tank-removal contractors) — unincorporated King County only20 permits
- Public Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services (pet business, water recreation, on-site sewage, and plumbing & gas piping programs)Pet-business operating permits (pet shops, kennels, daycare, grooming), county-wide · Water recreation facility (pool/spa) permits, county-wide · On-site sewage (septic) system permits, county-wide · Plumbing and gas piping permits — Seattle, Clyde Hill and unincorporated King County only8 permits
- Public Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services, Food and Facilities ProgramFood business permits, county-wide — Seattle, every suburban city and the unincorporated area · Food-establishment plan review, mobile food unit and temporary/event food permits · Espresso, bakery, grocery, caterer and commissary-kitchen annual permits5 permits
- King County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspectionFire system (sprinkler, alarm, suppression) and fire-operational permits — unincorporated King County · Delegates operational-permit inspection to South King Fire, within that district's service area, by interlocal agreement4 permits
- King County Wastewater Treatment Division, Industrial Waste ProgramIndustrial waste discharge permits and authorizations for the metropolitan sewerage system · Regional — reaches the service areas of the 34 local sewer agencies, in cities and unincorporated areas alike1 permit
Other Washington jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.