City Building Permits
Leavenworth, WA Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Leavenworth, Washington. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
All properties within the incorporated City of Leavenworth. For properties outside city limits or within the Urban Growth Area (UGA), contact Chelan County Community Development.
- Department
- Community Development Department, Building Division
- Address
- 700 Highway 2, Post Office Box 287, Leavenworth, WA 98826
- Phone
- (509) 548-5275
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Online Permit Portal • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Pre-submittal consultation recommended: Contact building@cityofleavenworth.com to review your project and identify required permits
- Ensure all buildings have assigned addresses; contact City if a new address is needed
- Create an account on the online permit portal at www.cityofleavenworth.com and click 'Permit Portal'
- Select 'View Permits, or Submit a Permit for Review' and choose Community Development
- Click 'SIGN IN / REGISTER' to create an account or sign in; new users must register first
- Scroll to 'APPLY ONLINE' and select 'Click to Apply Online'
- Agree to terms and conditions and select permit type
- Prepare and upload all required documents: Site Plan (using checklist), Building Plans, Engineering Calculations, WA State Energy Code Compliance Forms, and any necessary reports (stormwater plan, geo assessment, wetland delineation)
- Submit application with permit deposit (dollar amount provided by City)
- City staff reviews completeness and routes for plan review
- Respond to correction comments and upload revised documents
- Pay all remaining fees upon permit issuance before starting work
Typical processing time: Initial plan check typically 2-4 weeks; resubmittals add additional time depending on scope of corrections.
General Requirements
Building permits required for most construction projects within the City of Leavenworth.
Required Documents
- Completed Building Permit Application
- Site plan drawn to scale using Site Plan Checklist
- Building plans including floor plans, elevation profiles, footing and foundation plans, cross sections, framing details, mechanical and plumbing plans
- Engineering calculations
- WA State Residential Energy Code Compliance Worksheets
- Water Connection Application (if applicable)
- Sewer Connection Application (if applicable)
- Driveway Permit Application (if applicable)
- Stormwater plan (if applicable)
- Utility Plan (water, sewer, stormwater)
- Permit validity
- Work must begin and be inspected within 180 days of permit issuance to keep permit active.
- Building code
- 2021 International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC), International Mechanical Code (IMC) with Washington State amendments (effective March 2024), as listed in LMC 15.04
- Owner-builder
- Owner-builder work shall NOT be performed for purpose of leasing or selling.
- Contractor requirements
- Contractor must be licensed by State and City when construction is done by someone other than owner.
Fees
- Plan check fee
- Included in final fee at permit issuance; deposit system used
- Permit fee formula
- Permit deposit required at submittal (dollar amount provided by City). Final fee calculated and due at time of permit issuance. Applicant agrees to pay all applicable fees regardless of whether permit is issued, picked up, or withdrawn.
- Payment note
- Pass-through fees for outside consultants may apply. Staff time may be billed including reviewing plans, routing, site visits, and consultations.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Community Development Department, Building Division to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- (509) 548-5275 (phone)
- Scheduling deadline
- Inspections must be requested at least one day prior, before 4:00 PM.
- Inspection hours
- Monday-Friday (hours to be confirmed with Community Development)
Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence: Foundation/Footings, Framing, Plumbing rough-in, Mechanical rough-in, Electrical rough-in (L&I), Insulation, Final inspection. All permit-related documents available through online permit portal. Projects not receiving all required inspections will not receive final sign-off or Certificate of Occupancy.
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2021 International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC), International Mechanical Code (IMC) with Washington State amendments (effective March 2024), as listed in LMC 15.04
- Verify contractor license: WA L&I Contractor Lookup
- Washington State Energy Code
- Chelan County Assessor
- License lookup guide: Washington Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Washington Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Washington hub: Washington Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Community Development Department, Building Division before applying.
Need help with your project?
Navigating permits in Leavenworth can be complicated.
Jaspector connects you with local experts who can review your scope, verify your contractor, and help you understand what permits your project actually needs.
Learn how Jaspector worksOther cities in Chelan County
View all Chelan County jurisdictions →