County Building Permits
San Juan County Building Permit Guide
Building permit information for the Town of Friday Harbor and unincorporated San Juan County (Orcas Island, Lopez Island, Shaw Island, and smaller islands). Find your jurisdiction's permit authority, application process, fees, and requirements.
Important: San Juan County has only one incorporated municipality: the Town of Friday Harbor. All other communities — Eastsound, Lopez Village, Deer Harbor, Olga, Roche Harbor, and all smaller island communities — fall under unincorporated county jurisdiction. Check your property address to determine which permit authority applies.
Jurisdictions in San Juan County
Select your jurisdiction for local permit authority, portal links, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Town of Friday Harbor
Friday Harbor is the incorporated town and county seat. If your property address is within the Town of Friday Harbor city limits, use the Friday Harbor permit guide.
- Authority
- Community Development & Planning Dept.
- permits@fridayharbor.org
- Phone
- (360) 378-2810 ext. 248
- Submission
- Email or in-person (no online portal)
- Special Note
- Historic Preservation Review Board required for exterior work in the historic district
Unincorporated San Juan County
Covers all unincorporated areas: Orcas Island, Lopez Island, Shaw Island, outer islands, and smaller communities. If your property is NOT within the Town of Friday Harbor city limits, you are in unincorporated county jurisdiction.
- Authority
- Department of Community Development (DCD)
- dcd@sanjuancountywa.gov
- Phone
- (360) 378-2116 (Building) or (360) 378-2354 (Planning)
- Submission
- SJC Permit Center (online, mandatory)
- Inspection
- Request online or call (360) 378-6270
- Special Note
- Long processing times (200+ days typical); ferry-dependent for island inspections
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules, processing times, and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the relevant jurisdiction before applying.
Related Washington Resources
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