Thurston County facilities are open to the public with safety measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect public and employee health. Learn more here.

Permits & Approved Applications
If you plan to build in unincorporated Thurston County, or change how a property is currently being used, you may need a permit or an approval and associated inspections. Forms and instructions below. Please check permit exemptions list (PDF) & research a property before submitting an application.

Add-on Buildings  (Non-residential accessory structures)
Garage  |  Barn  |  Carport  |  Deck  |  Shed  | Shop  

Agrcultural Projects
Manure field   |   

Homes & Residential 
Single Family Home (additions, new construction, remodel, replace)    |   Manufactured & Mobile Homes   |   Accessory & Family Member Dwelling units  |   Duplexes  |   Adult Family Homes  |  Subdivisions  |    Change / convert building use (occupancy change)   

Commercial, General Construction, Signs & Fire
Commercial (additions, new construction, remodel, replace)   |   Demolition  |   Hood & Duct  |  Mechanical   |  Plumbing   |  Skylights (new or replacement)  |  Roof / Re-roof (no prmt) |  Siding (no prmt)  |  Stormwater Drainage  |  Structural Sheeting Replacement  |  Windows & Doors (new or replacement - no prmt if like for like)  |  Tanks & Propane Tanks (500 gal unless commercial use)  |  Fire Alarm  |  Sprinkler  |  Fireworks   |   Places of worship  |   Flags & Flagpoles) |  Signs  |  Event Centers

Septic, Water & Wells
Septic & Sewage Systems (Installation, Disconnections, abandonment)  |  Septic 3 Year Certification (Loan certification)  |  Septic Transfer of ownership (Time of transfer)  |  Water Testing   |   Wells

Shoreline Property
Any construction on or near water is regulated by County codes that meet Washington's state Shoreline Master Program requirements.
Docks  |  Bulkheads & Retaining Walls  |  Homes  |  Commercial  |  Additional Buildings    

Property Boundary Changes
Boundary Line Adjustments |  Division of Land (Subdivisions)  | Zoning Change Requests  |  Legal Lot determination  |  Forest land conversion   

Land-Use (What activities can be done on a property)
Dog Boarding Kennels   |   Events  |  Camps & Temporary Camps (RV, homeless)   |   Marijuana Processing   |  RV camps   |  Subdivisions

Roads, Access, Clearing, Grading
Access Permit (access to county road that hasn’t been built)   |  Encroachment Permit  (access to existing county road)|  Construction Permit (Clearing & Grading)

County Review of Your Plans
Presubmission Conference  |  Administrative Site-plan review   |  Critical Areas Determination (before you buy or build)  |  Gopher  |  Prairie plants   

Exceptions, Exclusions & Variances 
No Permit Required    |  Administrative Variance   |   Reasonable Use Exception  |  Shoreline Administrative Variance  |  Variance