How to Read a Seattle Permit Record

Seattle publishes every building permit as a public record. The data is free. The problem is that permit records are dense, full of abbreviations, and spread across multiple city systems. If you're doing due diligence on a site or tracking a competitor's project, you need to know what each field means.

The Key Fields

Permit Number

Every permit has a unique identifier. Building permits start with a numeric code (e.g., 6875243-CN). Land use permits, also called master use permits, use a separate numbering system (e.g., 3048267-LU). A single project often has multiple permits at the same address, including demolition, shoring, new construction, and mechanical.

Application Type

This tells you what kind of work the permit covers.

For tracking new development, CN (new construction) and DM (demolition) are the most relevant. An AP permit at a large scale can indicate a major renovation or conversion.

Status

The permit's current stage in the review process.

A project with an "Issued" construction permit and no "Completed" status is likely under construction right now.

Description

The most useful field on the permit. SDCI staff write a free-text summary of the proposed work. For new construction, it typically includes unit count, building height, use type, and parking.

A typical description reads: "Construct a 6-story, 72-unit apartment building with ground floor retail and below grade parking for 24 vehicles."

Read this field first. It tells you more about the project than any other single field.

Estimated Construction Value

The applicant's estimate of total construction cost. This number is self-reported at application time and can be conservative. Use it for relative comparisons between projects, not as an exact cost figure.

Dates

Permit records include several dates, each marking a different milestone.

• Application Date is when the applicant submitted. This is the earliest signal that a project exists.
• Issue Date is when the permit was approved and issued. Construction can start after this.
• Expiration Date is when the permit expires if construction hasn't started. Permits are valid for 18 months from issuance, with extensions available.
• Final Date is when the last inspection passed. This is when the project is done.

The gap between Application Date and Issue Date tells you how long the permit took to review. The gap between Issue Date and Final Date tells you how long construction took.

Contractor and Applicant

The applicant is usually the developer or their representative. The contractor of record is the general contractor. For large projects, the architect of record may also appear. These names aren't always clean (abbreviations, individual names vs. firm names), but they're the best data available for identifying who is building what.

Cross-Referencing Permits at the Same Address

A single development project generates multiple permits. A 72-unit apartment building might have:

• One master use permit (land use/design review)
• One demolition permit (for the existing structure)
• One shoring permit (for excavation support)
• One new construction permit (the main building)
• Multiple mechanical and electrical permits

When you look up an address, check all permits at that location to get the full picture.

Reading Permits on BuildVue

BuildVue links related permits at the same address into a single project view. Instead of reading five separate permit records, you see one project page with all permits, their statuses, dates, and the full timeline. Filter and sort across all permits on the map, or search by address to pull up a specific site.