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

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 approval. Forms and instructions below. The County recommends that you research a property before submitting an application.

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

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