Puyallup Building Permits

Puyallup is next door to our Sumner office, so a lot of our permit work ends up there: backyard cottages, garage conversions, additions, and remodels on houses that have been added onto more than once. Build Sherpas draws the plans, fills out the energy code forms, and takes the permit through review.

Send Us Your Address | Call (253) 799-0606

City of Puyallup or Pierce County?

A Puyallup mailing address doesn't tell you who issues the permit. Homes inside city limits go through the City of Puyallup. A lot of South Hill, plus pockets around the edges of the city, is unincorporated, and those permits go to Pierce County Planning & Public Works. The two have different codes, forms, and portals.

We look up your parcel before anything else, so the application goes to the right office the first time.

What we see in Puyallup

Older homes near downtown and the fairgrounds. Many were built before modern codes and have been remodeled since. We measure what's really there before we draw anything new.

Valley lots. Parts of the valley floor sit in or near the Puyallup River floodplain, which can add review steps. We check that early.

South Hill subdivisions. Newer homes, tighter lots, and sometimes HOA rules on top of county code.

ADU interest. State law has pushed cities to allow more ADUs, and Puyallup has updated its code. Size, setback, and parking rules still depend on the lot and the zone.

What Build Sherpas does here

ADU and DADU plans: https://buildsherpas.com/adu-and-dadu-plans

Home addition plans: https://buildsherpas.com/home-addition-plans

Energy code forms: https://buildsherpas.com/energy-code

Permits for work already built: https://buildsherpas.com/already-built-permits

Build consulting: https://buildsherpas.com/consulting

Submitting the permit and answering review comments

We don't build, and we don't engineer or stamp. When the city or county wants structural engineering, our sister firm Dow Engineering PLLC (https://dowengineeringpllc.com) handles it from the same Sumner office. If your project needs an air leakage test before final, WA Blower Door (https://wablowerdoor.com/puyallup-blower-door) can do the test.

Puyallup permit FAQ

Q: My address says Puyallup. Why would Pierce County issue the permit?

A: Mailing addresses follow postal routes, not city limits. Much of South Hill is unincorporated. Send us the address and we'll tell you which office it is.

Q: Can I build an ADU on my Puyallup lot?

A: Often, yes, but it depends on the zone, lot size, setbacks, and how sewer and water would connect. We check those before you pay for design.

Q: Do I need an engineer for my addition?

A: Usually for part of it, like new beams, footings, or wall bracing. Dow Engineering PLLC does that work when it's needed.

Q: I already got correction comments. Can you help?

A: Yes. Send the comment letter and the plans. We'll sort out which comments need a drawing change and which need a written answer.

Start your Puyallup project

Send us the address, a few photos, and a sentence about what you want to build.

Contact Us: https://buildsherpas.com/contact-us

Call (253) 799-0606 · Email office@dowengineeringpllc.com

16202 64th St E Ste 117, Sumner, WA 98390 · By appointment

Other cities: Tacoma https://buildsherpas.com/tacoma-permits · Bonney Lake https://buildsherpas.com/bonney-lake-permits · Auburn https://buildsherpas.com/auburn-permits · All Pierce & King jurisdictions https://buildsherpas.com/pierce-king-permits