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When does my permit expire?
A building permit will expire if work has not begun within 180 days from the date the permit was issued, and this must be verified by City inspection.
At a minimum, a progress inspection must be completed every 180 days.
Land Use permits have different expiration timelines that will be listed in the Decision of the Land Use Permit.
Can I extend my permit?
If a permit has not yet expired, a permittee may apply for an extension of the permit if, for good and satisfactory reasons, they are unable to commence work or continue work within the time required. The request for extension may be made in writing to Planning & Development Services prior to the expiration of the permit. The department may extend the time for action for up to 180 days. Permits may be extended more than once at the department’s discretion. Decisions for extensions may take up to 5 working days.
Building Permit Extensions Policy
If you wish to extend a permit, please send a request via email at permits@cityoftacoma.org or in writing to our office at:
Planning & Development Services
747 Market Street, Room 345
Tacoma, WA, 98402
The extension request must include the following items:
- Associated permit numbers
- Reason for the extension
- Date that the work will commence
- Date that the work will be completed by
Land Use permits cannot be extended. If a Land Use permit has expired, a new application will be required.
Policy:
Permit extensions shall be no more than 180 days. Permits that have been expired more than 2 years may not be eligible for extensions and must apply for a new permit. It shall be the policy of Planning and Development Services Department to allow extensions of building permits in accordance with the following:
- If an extension is requested and a permit has not yet expired (an inspection has occurred within 6 months or if it has been no more than 6 months since the permit was issued).
- If an extension is requested and the permit has expired, the applicant must pay for an inspection with the City of Tacoma to evaluate the progress of the work under the expired permit. If upon inspection, the permit can be extended in accordance with the conditions upon which it was issued. The Building Official may waive the requirement for an inspection if he/she determines it is not needed.
- Additional extensions beyond 180 days will be considered by the Building Official on an individual basis if there is justifiable cause.
