When Do I Need to Obtain a Right-of-Way Permit?

A Right-of-Way Use Permit is required for any work to be accomplished in the City right-of-way (including but not limited to sewer or water extensions, franchise utility work, storm drainage, driveway connections, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, landscaping, undergrounding of utilities, street lighting, paving or any other excavation or pertinent installation in the right-of-way). 

Offsite/Frontage Improvements

How Do I Obtain a Right-of-Way Permit?

• Submit an application (Class A - Event, Class B - Short Term Use / Over Legal Load, Class C - Development, Class D - Franchise Utility, Class E - Haul), a traffic control plan, and engineering plans and specifications to the City of SeaTac Engineering Review Division for review and approval. All plans and drawings are to be prepared and stamped by a Washington State Licensed Professional Civil Engineer.
• Submit a copy of the contractor's current State Contractor's L&I Registration Number.
• The contractor must have a current City of SeaTac Business License.

The application, traffic control plan (see website with updated manual) and engineering drawings are reviewed for completeness and compliance with city ordinances, road standards, surface water management standards, WSDOT/APWA Standard Plans and Specifications and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

What Happens Next?

• Drawings or plans not approved by the Engineering Review Division are returned to the applicant for correction.
• If drawings or plans are approved by the Engineering Review Division the estimated costs of construction are calculated by the applicant using the latest edition of the Engineering Review Division's "Bond Quantity Worksheet" and submitted to the division for verification using current construction costs. A current form can be obtained by clicking here.
• Permit fees and bond amounts (bonds are calculated at 120% of the cost, and are required for all developments except new single family residences not part of a short plat or from a permittee with a franchise agreement) are then calculated based upon the total estimated cost of construction per the City of SeaTac fee schedule. The applicant then pays permit fees and posts the bond. Bonds can be in the form of cash deposited to the City, a letter of credit from a bank or lending institution setting aside or guaranteeing the bond amount or a paper bond purchased from an insuring agency. Fees will be based on the value of the work.

The City then issues the permit.

How Do I Check the Status of a Permit?

• If you have either the permit case number, parcel address, or county assessor parcel number go to the permit lookup web page, and you can find out your permit status there. You are also welcome to call the Community and Economic Development Department at 206.973.4750 regarding permit status or any other questions that you may have regarding your permit.

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