Permits & rules · Spokane, Washington
Spokane Plumbing Permits: Who Issues Them, Where Fees Are Set and Who Can Do the Work
Inside Spokane city limits, the City requires a separate permit for plumbing work, issued through its Development Services Center, and sets the fees in a schedule it updates every year. Spokane Valley runs its own permit center. A Spokane mailing address does not tell you which one you are in, so check that first. This page covers only what the agencies publish on their own sites; it prints no fee amounts, because we have not read the current fee schedule.
Published November 10, 2026 · Figures and rules checked against the sources listed at the end of this page.
Step one: city, valley or county?
The City of Spokane warns that having “Spokane” in your mailing address does not mean the property is inside city limits. It could be miles outside, in unincorporated Spokane County, or in another city. The City points homeowners to Spokane County’s SCOUT Property Dashboard: enter the address and it shows the agencies that serve the property.
Which permit office you deal with depends on the answer.
Inside the City of Spokane
- Permits are separate by trade. The City says separate permits are required for plumbing, mechanical (air conditioning and heating) and electrical work.
- Contractors can apply online. The City says online permitting is available for licensed contractors.
City of Spokane Development Services Center & Permit Center
3rd Floor, City Hall, 808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201 · 509.625.6300 · PermitTeam@spokanecity.org
Walk-in hours as posted by the City: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where the fees are set
Spokane Municipal Code section 08.02.036 does not list dollar amounts. It says plumbing inspection fees, reinspection fees (for work that was not ready, corrections identified earlier, or a site the inspector could not get into) and processing fees are provided in the Development Fee Schedule.
The City says those fees are amended every year, and that while its application forms and fee calculators are being updated, the current Development Services Fee Schedule is the document to use. It is linked from the City’s Business & Development resources page.
We have not read the 2026 schedule ourselves, so this page prints no amounts. The Permit Center can tell you the fee for your job.
Inside Spokane Valley
The City of Spokane Valley says a mechanical or plumbing permit is required for:
- new plumbing fixtures and appliances,
- alterations to plumbing fixtures and appliances, and
- replacement of plumbing fixtures and appliances.
Applications go through Spokane Valley’s online permit portal or its PDF forms, and fees are paid before an application is processed. Permit Center: Spokane Valley City Hall, 10210 E Sprague Avenue, Spokane Valley, WA 99206, 509-720-5240.
Who is allowed to do the work
This part is state law, and it is the same in every city. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) says only L&I-certified plumbers can legally perform plumbing work on someone else’s property, and that property owners can perform their own plumbing work on properties they own. Since July 1, 2021, plumbing contract work must be done by a licensed plumbing contractor.
How to check a company or a plumber: verify a Washington plumbing license.
What we have not covered
- The list of plumbing work that needs a City of Spokane permit, and the City’s rules for homeowner permits, water heaters and side sewers. These are in City documents we have not read.
- Fee amounts for either city.
- Unincorporated Spokane County, Liberty Lake, Cheney, Airway Heights and other nearby cities.
For any of these, the permit office for your address is the source.
Sources and dates
Every figure and rule above names where it came from and the date it was read. If a source disagrees with a quote you receive, the quote wins: it reflects your house, your pipes and this week's demand. Prices are rechecked at least every six months.
- City of Spokane, Business & Development, "Residential" — read November 10, 2026. Separate permits for plumbing, mechanical and electrical work; online permitting for licensed contractors; city-or-county check; Permit Center contact and hours.
- Spokane Municipal Code, Section 08.02.036, "Plumbing Code" (effective January 22, 2025) — read November 10, 2026. Plumbing inspection, reinspection and processing fees are provided in the Development Fee Schedule.
- City of Spokane, Business & Development, "Resources" — read November 10, 2026. Fees are amended annually; the Development Services Fee Schedule 2026 supersedes older fees shown on applications and calculators. The schedule itself was not read.
- City of Spokane Valley, "Mechanical / Plumbing Permits" — read November 10, 2026. Work requiring a permit; how to apply; Permit Center contact.
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, "About the Plumber Certification Program" — read November 10, 2026. Who may legally perform plumbing work; property owners and their own property.
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, "Plumbing Licensing Requirements" — read November 10, 2026. Since July 1, 2021, plumbing contract work must be performed by a licensed plumbing contractor.