Adjustments to Thurston County 2026 permit fees trim $1M in subsidies 

Thurston County will enforce a new fee structure for land use and building permits starting on Jan. 1, 2026, in order to attain full cost recovery for permit review programs and lessen dependence on general fund subsidies by about $1 million. 

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution about the fee structure at a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

The board made the move after an internal analysis by the Community Planning and Economic Development Department (CPED) showed current fees fall short of covering actual review and inspection costs under modern construction and environmental standards. 

The resolution is authorized under state law and the Growth Management Act. It establishes the legal foundation for charging applicants for the full cost of processing, inspection and compliance work. 

CPED Director Ashley Arai said the plan involves “full cost recovery through revised land use and building fees, modernized fee structures, a one-time upfront payment model for land use permits, dedicated funds for required stream flow restoration projects and a 5% technology fee.” 

She said the decision “will reduce the department’s general fund reliance by roughly $1 million and save 10% review positions.” 

Board Vice Chair Wayne Fournier said the change ensures “we are capturing the costs of doing business from the developers that are proposing that business go on, and that we not use the property taxes we collect from everyone else to subsidize that developer’s request.” 

Arai said the county’s last comprehensive review of permit fees took place in 2009; the base building rates remain below six other western Washington counties. 

Land use fees 

The 2026 Land Use Fee Schedule replaces hourly billing with lump-sum rates. CPED said the revision stabilizes funding for permit review and simplifies recovery for time intensive services, such as zoning analysis and environmental review. 

Preliminary plats rise to $8,128 per lot, short plats $5,004 and major adjustments $3,260. Boundary line adjustments now stand at $1,372 per lot and legal lot determinations at $3,260. Variances will cost $5,004. 

Expedited reviews will bill 150% of the base rate, and after-the-fact applications are 200%. The Critical Area Review Permit ranges from $708 to $1,416 and the Reasonable Use Exception to $4,265. 

Environmental review under the state Environmental Policy Act sets $3,085 for a shoreline substantial development permit and $26,047 for an environmental impact statement. The state Residential Well Fee comes to $1,500, with $1,150 allotted to CPED and $350 for the Washington State Department of Ecology. 

The county also applied a 1.6% Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase for the Seattle region to all land use fees. Annual CPI adjustments will resume in January 2027. 

According to the board's findings, CPED’s previous hourly billing structure did not reflect the full administrative and environmental compliance costs required under the Growth Management Act and the county’s Habitat Conservation Plan. 

“The updated land use fee schedule does not impose a uniform percentage increase across existing fees but instead introduces new fees and adjustments designed to move the (department) closer to full cost recovery at every stage of a project,” the resolution states. 

The revised system adds new categories, such as public outreach services, resubmittal charges, expedited permitting and reduced-hour consultations for early project planning. 

Building fees 

The county’s new Building Permit Fee Schedule utilizes the 2025 International Code Council (ICC) Building Valuation Data to determine permit costs.

Reinspection fees are $101, and temporary occupancy certificates are $170. Fire safety inspections range from $200 for buildings under 2,000 square feet to $300 for structures over 50,000 square feet.

Construction-related fire permits carry a $350 minimum. A state surcharge applies at $6.50 for residential and $25 for commercial permits. 

CPED said revenue from the revised schedule will reinforce building and inspection staffing, and prevent permit backlogs. 

Beginning in February 2027, the county will automatically adopt new International Code Council valuation tables each year to maintain fee consistency. 

Digital permit system 

Meanwhile, a 5% technology fee will fund the county’s Accela digital permitting system run by CPED, Environmental Health and Development Review divisions. The charge covers licensing, digital plan review, data management and staff training. 

Comparable technology charges of 4% to 7% are active in the City of Olympia, City of Tacoma and Whatcom County. The fee will apply to all new building and land use applications starting in 2026. 

Arai said outreach will continue through the Building Development Center and county communication channels. 

“It would only impact those that are coming in for a permit — essentially paying a fee for a service that we’re providing,” she said. 

She added, “In terms of general fund subsidies, right now you have a much greater population paying for permit review for applicants who have a building permit, mechanical permit or whatnot. That’s where the general fund subsidy comes into play.

"We’ve been giving people a heads-up as they come in and consult with us that there could be increases, and beyond that, it’s an outreach effort through all our communication channels in the coming months.” 

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article misstated the basis of Thurston County’s new building permit fees. The $169.09 rate for single-family homes indicates the ICC’s standard valuation per square foot to calculate project value; it does not represent the actual permit fee.