Street Use Permits

Street Use has over 60 types of permits for use, occupation and/or construction in the rights-of-way.

If you need to apply for a permit, you can visit the Street Use office in person or use the online permitting system by clicking here. The Street Use Permit counter is located on the 23rd floor of Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Avenue. Business hours are 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday. Permits are issued from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. The permit counter phone is (206) 684-5283. Following is a summary description of the most common types of permits:

• Encroachments
• Vending
• Shoring and Excavation
• Street Improvements and Plan Review
• Utilities
• Use of Street and Sidewalks for Construction and Other Purposes
• Driveways
• Sidewalk Repairs
• Special Events
• Pole Banner Permits

SDOT does not allow construction work during winter holidays in streets or sidewalks located in the Downtown Retail Core and Pioneer Square. Read the Holiday Construction Moratorium Client Assistant Memo # 2107 for more information.

Note: New required form - If your proposed project includes construction of a permanent structure in the public right-of-way for your own personal or for private use, you will be required to sign an acknowledgement confirming that you understand that your permit application may not be approved. Use this link to review the form. Examples of this type of encroachment include, but are not limited to these types of projects: walls; decks/patios; rockeries and fences.

Encroachments in the Rights-of-Way
Annual/Renewable Street Use Permits are issued for long term use of the rights-of-way such as signs, retaining walls, structural overhangs and sidewalk cafes. These permits require an annual fee and in some cases liability insurance or public place indemnity agreements. Although these permits are issued for uses that may seem permanent they are considered temporary in nature and are revocable within 30 days. Click here for examples of annual/renewable permits.

Vending
Vending in the City of Seattle is regulated by permit and ordinance. A permit for Street Vending is a Renewable permit and may be obtained through the Street Use office. The City Council has passed an ordinance (ordinance 120822) allowing vending around Safeco Field and Seahawks Stadium during sporting events. For more information on vending, refer to Client Assistance Memo 2501.

Vending permit violations are fined.

For vending complaints during business hours, call 206-684-5267. For complaints about specific vending activities outside normal business hours, call the SDOT 24-hour dispatch office at 206-386-1212. If an inspector is on duty, the dispatch office will ask the inspector to report to the area. If no inspector is on duty, the dispatch office will forward your complaint to the Street Use office to investigate at a later time.

Shoring and Excavation
Shoring and Excavation permits are issued for excavations in or near a public right-of-way that could by the nature of the excavation affect the integrity of the right of way or utilities in the right of way. Shoring is a means of supporting the earth in a trench or vertical cut for construction or other activity.

Street Use performs shoring review in partnership with DPD where the right of way will be affected by an excavation. DPD may initiate a shoring review during their review of a project. Street Use reviews any proposed excavation that would be greater than three feet deep immediately adjacent to any given public right-of-way.

Find out more about Shoring Review…

Street Improvements and Plan Review
Street improvement permits include the installation of major improvements such as street paving, curbs, sidewalks as a result of the development on private property such as a multifamily building. Included in the permit are utilities that would be necessary to serve the private property development. This type of permit can also be issued for communities that want to improve the facilities in their neighborhood. Whenever development occurs under the DPD Land Use Code there may be requirements for improvements in the right-of-way. These improvements must meet SDOT design criteria. The Street Use Street Improvement Permits (SIP) section will assist you with these requirements. SIP provides project management and facilitates approval for private projects from single family residences to large scale and city interdepartmental project for SDOT.

Find out more about Street Improvement permits…

Utilities
Utility permits are issued for the installation of underground and overhead utility mains and services in the public rights of way. They include power, communication, gas, steam, water, sewer, drainage, and privately owned facilities such as oil pipelines. Also included in the utility permit arena are permits issued to other governmental entities such as the Port of Seattle, King County and the State of Washington. The applicant must submit an application and plan detailing the proposed utility. When the proposed utility is constructed it will be inspected for location, depth, materials and restoration of the affected right-of-way. An as-built record will be created for inclusion on utility maps.

Find out more about Utility permits…

Use of Street and Sidewalks for Construction and Other Purposes
There are many circumstances that require use of the right-of-way to facilitate construction for public and private property. Street Use permits are issued for temporary use of the rights of way during construction such as material storage, scaffolding, crane placement or crossing curb and walk with heavy equipment. Other types include private uses of the right of way such as planting trees, block parties and other special events, or signs. These permits are considered temporary in nature and are revocable within 30 days. Refer to our related Client Assistance Memos for further information. Permits may also be granted for use of the streets for both metered and non-metered parking areas.

Driveways
Property owners are responsible for providing a temporary or permanent driveway so that vehicles do not drive over sidewalks, planting strips or curbs. The construction of driveways requires a Street Use Permit, issued by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD).

A temporary driveway is an asphalt driveway installed where there is no curb constructed. It requires a permit issued by Street Use and a field review by an inspector for approval.

Sidewalk Repairs
Property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks adjacent to their property. They must ensure that snow, ice and debris do not pose a hazard to pedestrians. They must also repair cracks and other damage. The property owner of record is notified by the district Street Use inspector of the repairs or action needed. If there is an unsafe condition and you want to repair the sidewalk, apply for a sidewalk permit.

There are no permit fees for sidewalk repair.

Fees for inspection time will be deducted from the required deposit.

50 sq. ft. or less - no deposit
51 to 100 sq. ft. - $150.00 deposit
101 to 500 sq. ft. - $450.00 deposit
501 sq. ft. plus - $900.00 deposit

Pole Banner Permit Use Extension

To Download a Pole Banner Permit Application, please click here: Pole Banner Permit Application

Once you have filled out the form, you can mail it or bring it to the Street Use counter at:

700 5th Ave, Suite 2300
PO Box 34996
Seattle, WA 98124-4996

You can also email the application to SDOTPermits@seattle.gov.

The Pole Banner Director’s Rule 06-1, Section 4.2 allows for four (4) contiguous blocks to be used for pole banner installation on approved utility poles per permit. There is a maximum of four (4) permits that can be issued per pole banner project application. If more blocks of use are applied for, the applicant may submit a written request for an exception (Section 11.1).

In light of growing exception requests for use of more blocks for citywide events, the Director of Street Use has authorized a standard threshold for determining the number of permits required. The new standard guidelines do not require the applicant to submit a written request for an exception. The following table details the number of permits that are required per the number of blocks requested. Up to four (4) contiguous blocks requires one (1) permit with a threshold of thirty-two (32) blocks at eight (8) permits. Then for every twenty (20) blocks additionally requested, an additional permit is required.

The permit fees are based on the current Street Use fee schedule.