Thurston County facilities are now open to the public with restrictions, including maintaining physical distancing of at least six feet at all times and, per the Washington State Secretary of Health’s face covering order wearing a cloth face covering or mask. If you come to county facilities, please be prepared for potentially long wait times or lines due to distancing guidelines. We continue to encourage residents to access county services online, by phone, by email, or through the use of drop boxes located outside of county buildings.
The availability of remote services vary by office and department.

Click here for office and department contact information
Click here for information on COVID-19

Building Permit for Barn, Carport, Deck, Garage, Shed or Shop
(non-residential accessory structures)

Step 1 - Property Research  
If you want to know what you can legally build or do on a property, or which County codes or inspections may apply to your plans, start with online research. Knowing more may help you prepare project timelines and budgets more accurately.

Research a Property    |    Property Research checklist (PDF)

Step 2 - Prepare an Application Packet  (Times vary)
Instructions are on each application. In most cases you'll need to gather required information, and prepare plans and drawings. 

Required forms         Checklist (PDF)   |   Master Application (PDF)  |   Residential Building Permit Application (PDF)     

Optional forms          Driveway Permit (PDF) (If adding a driveway.)   |   Road Access Permit (PDF) (If adding access to an existing road.)   
                                           Engineered Drainage Permit (PDF) (If certain condition apply. Ask staff.)   |   Withdrawals/Extensions/Refunds 

Step 3 - Submit a Complete Packet  (1-2 hours)
Bring packet and review fee to the County’s Building Development Center. Packet reviewed for completeness while you wait. If incomplete, we’ll tell you what’s missing.  

County Building Development Center directions   |   Fees

Step 4 - Application Processing & On-Property Inspections  (8-10 weeks*)
Three different County departments get a copy of your application packet, and processes it independently of the other departments. Each department may conduct on-property inspections before or after permitting. You may be asked to provide additional reports, information, or to revise your plans based on County codes. 

  • The three departments are: Environmental Health., Development Review & Development Services. Each has expertise in different parts of County code.
  • Some inspections, like gophers, are only conducted certain times of the year. (Only about 12% of County applications require gopher inspections.)
  • Check the progress of your permit application:   Permit Checker   
  • *8-10 weeks is average. Times vary based on specific project. Large projects and those needing seasonal inspections may take longer. If the County asks for additional information or materials, allow additional processing time.