The steps
- Feasibility. Confirm your zoning, whether the lot is inside an urban growth area, sewer or septic, and any critical areas such as wetlands, streams or steep slopes. Poulsbo, for example, recommends talking to its planning staff about zoning before you start.
- Choose the plan. A county pre-approved plan used as drawn is the quickest path. A custom or modified plan goes through full review.
- Site plan. A scaled drawing of your lot from a survey or County GIS, showing setbacks, utilities, drainage and parking. See the checklist.
- Other approvals. Septic review by Kitsap Public Health where you're not on sewer, and utility availability letters where required. Rural lots that use a county plan also need a Conditional Use Permit.
- Apply. Submit through your jurisdiction's online permit portal with the plan set and site plan.
- Review and corrections. Reviewers check the site plan against your zone and send comments. Answering them completely is what keeps the clock moving.
- Fees and issuance. Permit fees, plus any impact or connection fees. Poulsbo charges impact fees on ADUs when the building permit is issued.
- Build and inspect. Inspections at each stage through final.
Where you apply
| Location | Permits from |
|---|---|
| Bainbridge Island | City of Bainbridge Island Planning & Community Development |
| Bremerton | City of Bremerton Department of Community Development (dcdpermits@ci.bremerton.wa.us, 360-473-5275) |
| Port Orchard | City of Port Orchard online permitting portal |
| Poulsbo | City of Poulsbo Building Department (building@cityofpoulsbo.com) |
| Silverdale, Kingston and other unincorporated areas | Kitsap County Department of Community Development, through its online permit portal |
What the permit costs
For the county plans in unincorporated Kitsap, the county publishes approximate building permit fees. They exclude other fees that may apply, such as impact or connection fees. City fees differ; Port Orchard publishes an estimate for the 600 SF model, and Poulsbo gives estimates by email.
| Plan | Size | Approx. county permit fee |
|---|---|---|
| The Lille | 480 SF | $4,666.50 |
| The Sidney | 600 SF | $5,120.29 |
| The Sinclair | 800 SF | $5,847.15 |
| The Blakely | 800 SF | $5,770.24 |
| The Kitsap | 834 SF | $7,235.45 |
| The Salish | 1,000 SF | $6,593.72 |
Where pre-approved plans save time
The building's architecture, structure and energy compliance have been reviewed in advance, so review concentrates on your site. Bainbridge Island, for example, skips architectural, structural and energy code review for pre-approved plans. Structural changes lose that advantage.
Common causes of delay
- Incomplete site plans: missing dimensions, utilities or drainage
- Critical areas found late, which can add buffers and special reports
- Septic capacity questions, especially when the ADU adds bedrooms
- Plan changes that trigger full review