Adams County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

All properties in unincorporated areas of Adams County, as well as the Towns of Lind, Hatton, and Washtucna (which have no standalone building departments). The Building Division is staffed by International Code Council (ICC) certified Building Officials, Inspectors, and Plans Examiners.

Department

Adams County Building and Planning — Building Division

Address

449 E Cedar Blvd, Othello, WA 99344

Phone

(509) 488-9441

Website

https://www.co.adams.wa.gov/382/Building-Division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Adams County or one of the three towns (Lind, Hatton, Washtucna).
2. Obtain the land parcel number from the Adams County Assessor's tax website or by calling (509) 488-9441.
3. Secure pre-application approvals as applicable: Planning Department (zoning confirmation and address assignment), Environmental Health (water supply and septic approval), Fire Marshal (fire access review), Public Works (road approach permit), WSDOT (if project involves access to a state highway), and town administration (if project is within Lind, Hatton, or Washtucna).
4. Prepare complete application package with all required documents.
5. Submit online via Cloudpermit or in person Monday–Friday during office hours.
6. Await plan review; multi-department projects may take 3–4 weeks.
7. Pay permit fees upon approval (per Master Fee Schedule).
8. Receive issued permit and permit packet; post permit on site.
9. Schedule required inspections through Cloudpermit.
10. Obtain final inspection approval and Certificate of Occupancy before occupancy.

Typical processing time: 3-4 weeks for plan review; varies by project complexity and number of departments involved.

Source: Adams County Building and Planning — Building Division

General Requirements

All construction work generally requires a permit, including: new homes, mobile home moves, repairs and additions, plumbing, re-roofing, window replacement, wood/pellet stove installations, and gas inserts.

Required Documents

• Completed building permit application
• Site plan drawn to scale
• Complete construction drawings (incomplete drawings may result in denial)
• Energy code compliance forms — WSEC-R (residential: single-family, duplex, townhouses, certain multifamily) with Code Compliance Calculator (C3); WSEC-C (commercial)
• Agent authorization form if submitting on behalf of property owner
• Design criteria documentation

Building code

2021 Washington State Building Codes (including the state Energy Code, effective March 15, 2024)

Contractor requirements

All contractors must hold valid Washington State Department of Labor & Industries registration before commencing work.

Fees

Plan check fee

Assessed separately per fee schedule

Permit fee formula

Building permit fees based on construction valuation (per Table 1-A). Includes plan review fees (assessed separately), residential and commercial plumbing/mechanical permit fees, fire suppression and alarm permit fees, grading permit fees, and SBCC surcharge per RCW 19.27.085.

Payment note

Contact the Building Division at (509) 488-9441 or visit co.adams.wa.gov to obtain the current Master Fee Schedule document.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached residential accessory structures used as tool/storage sheds, up to 200 sq ft
• Fences under 7 feet high (zoning review may still be required)
• Decks not exceeding 30 inches above grade and not attached to the dwelling
• Oil derricks
• Retaining walls under 4 feet high (not supporting surcharge or retaining liquids)
• On-grade water tanks with capacity under 5,000 gallons
• Sidewalks and driveways under 30 inches above grade
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinet installation, and similar finish work
• Siding replacement on accessory structures
• Temporary theatrical sets and scenery
• Prefabricated above-ground pools under 24 inches deep and under 5,000 gallons
• Agricultural shade cloth structures
• Playground equipment (swings, slides, etc.)
• Window awnings on single-family residences with projection under 54 inches
• Movable partitions under 5 feet 9 inches high
• Small antennas (size restrictions vary by zone)
• Window replacement on single-family homes maintaining structural integrity

Important: Even permit-exempt work may be subject to zoning review. Call (509) 488-9441 to confirm exemptions for your specific project. Agricultural structures (particularly shade cloth) are explicitly permit-exempt, but non-agricultural construction on farm parcels may trigger both building and land use review.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Cloudpermit portal (online)

Inspection hours

Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM (permits not accepted or issued after 4:00 PM)

Typical inspection sequence: Typical residential inspection stages: (1) Footing/Foundation, (2) Framing, (3) Rough Plumbing, (4) Rough Mechanical, (5) Insulation, (6) Final. A 30-day extension for final inspection may be granted when only final work remains outstanding. Certificate of Occupancy required before any building is occupied; Building Official will not issue CO until approvals have been obtained from all applicable county departments and state/federal agencies. Address identification must be verified by the Building Department prior to final inspection.

Additional Resources

• Building code: 2021 Washington State Building Codes (including the state Energy Code, effective March 15, 2024)
• Verify contractor license: WA L&I Contractor Lookup
• Adams County Permitting
• Adams County Building & Planning
• Adams County Planning Division
• Adams County Code Chapter 15.06
• WA State Building Code Council
• Call 811 (Before You Dig)
• License lookup guide: Washington Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Washington Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Washington hub: Washington Contractor License & Permit Hub