Spokane basement planning · Permits
Egress window permits in Spokane: who to ask and what to bring
A new or enlarged basement window opening is a permit conversation. This guide compares the official pathways for four permit offices, then lists the inspection steps, the utility locate and the documents to have ready.
Plain-language summary of public pages, last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, review times and current forms are not covered: the permit office serving your address has the final word.
Get a Spokane egress window quoteIs a permit needed for an egress window?
The City of Spokane's window replacement policy says a building permit is required when the existing window and frame are removed and a new one is installed in the existing opening, or when the rough opening size changes. In a bedroom, a changed opening must meet current egress minimums. Replacing only the glass does not need a permit. Cutting a new opening in a foundation wall is a bigger change than either case, so describe it to the permit office before any cutting starts.
Say the room will be a bedroom
If the basement room will be used for sleeping, tell the permit office when you first call. The City's basement guide treats finishing a bedroom as a building permit and electrical permit job at a minimum, and says a basement bedroom is only a legal bedroom with an egress window or a door directly outside. Our bedroom checklist covers the City's other expectations.
Inspections: the applicant arranges them
The City says the permit applicant must request the needed inspections, including the final, and that work must stay accessible until approved. Its procedures sheet adds that the permit must be posted at the work, approved plans must be on site if the project needs them, the address must be visible from the street, and an adult 18 or older must be on site for the inspector. If a homeowner pulls the permit, the sheet says the applicant is responsible for the work and any corrections.
Utility locates come before digging
Washington law requires the excavator to outline the dig area in white and notify facility operators through the one-number locator service (811) at least two and no more than ten full business days before digging, and not to dig until a positive response has come from every operator with underground facilities in the area (rule effective January 1, 2026). Markings last 45 calendar days. The excavator stays responsible even if a contractor sends the notice, so ask who is making the call.
The permit pathway at a glance
Most egress projects follow the same order, even though each office has its own forms. Treat this as a conversation outline: your permit office and installer set the real sequence for your address.
Check the jurisdiction first
Four permit pathways compared
On phones, each row is shown with its column labels.
| Consideration | City of Spokane | Spokane County | Spokane Valley | Airway Heights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where to start | City residential permit-process page, then the Egress Window Guide and Basement Remodel-Finish Guidelines it links. | Permit portal jurisdiction map; the County FAQ says its online application covers unincorporated County, Millwood, Rockford and Spangle. | Residential Building Permits page and the Permit Center. | When Is a Permit Required page and the residential permit applications page. |
| What the official page says about windows or remodels | Window Replacement Policy: a permit is needed when the window and frame are removed and a new one is set in the opening, or when the rough opening size changes. Glass-only replacement does not need one. | Not verified for this guide. Ask Building & Planning whether a new or enlarged foundation opening needs a permit and what drawings it wants. | Lists residential remodels, defined as interior alterations, among permitted projects. A standalone foundation cut is not specifically classified, so describe the whole scope. | Lists doors, skylights and windows, and remodels that change the interior, such as converting basements into living space. |
| How to apply | Online Permitting portal or the DSC & Permit Center (City Hall). | Online permit portal; ask Building & Planning about drawings for your scope. | Online Permit Portal or PDF application; example site plans are provided. | Email PDF submittals as separate files; phone photos and Google map site plans are not accepted. |
| Requesting inspections | The permit applicant requests them, including the final. Call the inspector listed on the permit before 8:30 a.m., or use an online account (contractors) for next-business-day scheduling. | Not verified for this guide. | Online Permit Portal or the Inspection Request Line; requests before 7 a.m. are generally done the same business day, later requests the next. | Not described on the pages reviewed. Ask the Building Department. |
| Not verified | Whether a basement opening may use the 5.0 sq ft figure; fees. | Egress-specific triggers, fees and inspection steps. | Fees; whether a sewer permit applies to your drainage proposal. | Fees; inspection scheduling. |
Documents and facts to have ready
The address, parcel number and the office's jurisdiction answer
A Spokane mailing address does not confirm City limits. Write down who confirmed the jurisdiction.
A plain description of the whole scope
New or enlarged opening, the well, and whether the room will be a bedroom.
A drawing of the basement
The City's bedroom guide asks for the basement outline with rooms, furnace and water heater areas, with dimensions.
A site plan of the outside work
Show the wall, the proposed well, decks, paving and access. Spokane Valley provides example site plans; Airway Heights does not accept phone photos or Google map site plans.
The window's specification sheet
With the manufacturer's net clear opening figure.
Structural details for the wall opening
Ask the office what it needs for an existing foundation and who prepares it.
A reasonable construction cost estimate
The City's basement guide says the building permit cost depends on one. This is a cost figure for the permit, not advice on pricing.
Owner authorization if someone applies for you
Airway Heights lists a landowner-agent consent form.
The installer's name and L&I registration number
Check it in Washington L&I's Verify a Contractor tool.
From application to final, in order
Confirm who issues the permit
Use the City permit-process page and the county property tools it links.
Apply with the right drawings
Online where the office offers it; Airway Heights uses emailed PDFs and asks for payment of a plan review deposit before review starts.
Arrange the utility locate
Outline the dig area in white and notify the one-number locator service at least two full business days ahead; wait for operators to respond.
Keep the work open for inspection
Do not cover work that needs an inspection. If you are unsure which inspections apply, ask the inspector listed on the permit.
Request the final
The applicant requests it. Do not assume a final on one permit triggers inspections on another, such as an electrical permit.
Finish the room after sign-off
Ask the permit office what must be approved before the room is occupied.
Official sources
Reviewed 2026-10-14
- City of Spokane residential permit process
Mailing address versus city limits; links the Egress Window Guide, Window Replacement Policy and Basement Remodel-Finish Guidelines.
- City of Spokane SFR-21 Window Replacement Policy (PDF)
When replacing a window needs a City building permit, and when a changed bedroom opening must meet current egress minimums (5.7 sq ft; 5.0 sq ft cited for grade-level egress windows).
- City of Spokane SFR-13 Basement: Finish a Bedroom or Other Room (PDF)
Permits, drawing, 84 in habitable ceiling height, bedroom escape opening, insulation, wiring and smoke detector expectations for City of Spokane basements.
- City of Spokane residential inspections
The permit applicant requests inspections, including the final; work must stay accessible until approved.
- City of Spokane inspection procedures sheet (PDF)
Posting the permit, approved plans on site, address visible, adult on site, what the applicant must arrange. The inspection chart on the sheet is dated 2012: confirm current practice.
- RCW 19.122.030: notice before excavating
White marking, notice through the one-number locator service 2 to 10 full business days ahead, no digging until operators respond, markings valid 45 days.
- Washington UTC: Call Before You Dig
Call 811 for a free underground utility locate at least two business days before digging; outline the dig area in white first.
- Spokane County permit portal and jurisdiction map
Identify the project jurisdiction before creating a permit.
- County Building & Planning FAQs
Online application covers unincorporated County, Millwood, Rockford and Spangle.
- Spokane Valley residential building permits
Residential remodels (interior alterations) require permits; online portal or PDF application; site-plan examples.
- Spokane Valley building inspections
Request inspections through the Online Permit Portal or the Inspection Request Line; requests before 7 a.m. are generally performed the same business day.
- Airway Heights: when a permit is required
Lists doors, skylights and windows, and interior remodels such as converting basements into living space.
- Airway Heights residential permit applications and submittals
PDF submittals as separate files; phone photos and Google map site plans not accepted; review starts after the deposit is paid.
Common questions
Does replacing a basement window in the City of Spokane need a permit?
It can. The City's window replacement policy requires a building permit when the window and frame are removed and a new one is installed, or when the rough opening size changes, but not when only the glass is replaced. If the opening in a bedroom changes, the new window must meet current egress minimums.
Who requests the inspections for an egress window permit?
In the City of Spokane the permit applicant must request the needed inspections, including the final, and keep the work accessible until it is approved. Spokane Valley accepts requests through its online portal or inspection line. Ask your installer whether they are the applicant.
How far ahead must utility locates be requested before digging a window well?
Washington law requires notice through the one-number locator service at least two and no more than ten full business days before excavation, with the dig area outlined in white. The excavator may not dig until every operator has given a positive response, and markings are valid for 45 calendar days.
What documents does a Spokane egress window permit application need?
It depends on the office and scope. The City's basement bedroom guide asks for a basement drawing with dimensions and a construction cost estimate, Spokane Valley offers example site plans, and Airway Heights wants emailed PDFs rather than phone photos. Ask your permit office for its current list.
Can a homeowner pull the permit for an egress window in Spokane?
The City's inspection procedures say some contractors ask homeowners to obtain permits, and that the permit applicant is then responsible for the work and any corrections. Ask the permit office whether homeowner permits are available for your scope and who would carry that responsibility.
Are the permit steps the same in Spokane Valley and Airway Heights?
No. Spokane Valley lists residential remodels as permitted work and offers an online portal. Airway Heights lists windows and basement conversions and takes emailed PDF submittals. Each city has its own forms, so use the table above to ask the right questions, not to assume the steps.