Washington law sets deadlines for residential permit reviews

Local governments must tell permit applicants in writing whether their applications are complete or incomplete. This applies to project permit applications handled by local governments planning under Washington's growth-management law. A completeness decision checks whether required submission materials were provided; it does not decide whether the project meets land-use rules. Local governments may still request additional information or studies. The 28-day period starts when the local government receives the application. If it sends no written notice of incompleteness, the application counts as complete on day 29.

Local governments must issue final decisions within set time periods and refund part of a permit fee when they miss an applicable deadline. These periods cover final local government decisions on project permits subject to this chapter. The stated periods are 65 days for permits without public notice, 100 days for permits with public notice, and 170 days for permits with public notice and a public hearing; local governments may modify these periods under the law. An applicant's written request to pause review for more than 60 days, or more than 60 consecutive days without responding to a written request for information, may add 30 days. Time waiting for applicant materials, certain government actions, environmental studies, or appeals is excluded. The refund is 10 or 20 percent, depending on how late the decision is. The refund rule does not apply to some local governments that have adopted at least three listed review measures. The period starts when the application is found complete and runs to the final decision, subject to the exclusions and possible extension described above.

Certain agencies and utility districts must complete reviews tied to residential permit applications within set time periods and refund or forgo part of a review fee if they miss them. These rules cover fee-based reviews related to residential project permits by specified government entities and special purpose or public utility districts. Special purpose and public utility districts generally have 45 business days after a complete referral for routine infrastructure reviews. Eligible complex reviews may be extended by up to 60 business days, subject to a total limit of 120 calendar days, with specified waiting periods excluded. The state department's review deadline follows the local government's 65-, 100-, or 170-day period, as applicable, with specified time excluded. A missed deadline requires a 20 percent refund or fee waiver when a fee was charged or would have been charged. A district's missed deadline does not count as approval of service or require service that cannot be safely or legally provided. A district's review period starts when it receives a complete referral. Routine reviews are due within 45 business days; eligible complex reviews may take longer, subject to the cap and exclusions.

Local governments must establish an integrated permit process, name a contact for each application, and designate a responsible official for residential permit applications. The contact designation applies to each project permit application; the responsible official duties concern residential project permits. The contact coordinates with other departments and reviewing agencies but has no final decision-making authority unless local law gives it that authority. When the local government leads environmental review for a residential project, its permit responsible official must also serve as the responsible official for that review. Local governments must establish the integrated permit process, including these designations, by June 30, 2027.