Street Use Permitting Timelines and Updates

How to Estimate Permit Timelines for Street Use Permits

You can find more information on the following topics in the Understanding the Street Use Permit Process, Record Status, Target Dates, and Permit Timelines help article.

  1. What are the Street Use permit process steps?
  2. What happens at each permit step and how does it get assigned?
  3. How do I check and understand the status of the SDOT Street Use record?
  4. What does Targeted For date mean and how is it determined?
  5. How long does the overall permit process take?

As of July 7, 2023, our review times are currently:

*Single Reviews: When the review does not require an outside review (e.g., Traffic Control Plan, Hub Coordination etc.) or an additional Street Use or department permit (e.g., Public Space Management, SDCI).  

*Full Reviews: When the review requires an outside review (e.g., Traffic Control Plan, Hub Coordination etc.) or an additional Street Use or department permit (e.g., Public Space Management, SDCI).   

*TCP (Traffic Control Plans) are at 15 Days   

For All Permit Types

Application Intake: 3 business days  

Street Improvement Permit Timelines (including application time) 

  • Initial Full review: 7 weeks 
  • Corrections review: 5 weeks

Utility Major Permit Timelines (including application time) 

  • Initial Full review: 6 weeks
  • Corrections review: 4 weeks

PSM Permit Timelines (including application time)    

  • Initial Full review: 12 weeks    
  • Simple review: 2 week  
  • First review for business permits (cafes, displays, vending, events): 8 weeks

ROW Construction and Minor Utility Permits 

  • Initial Full Review: 11 weeks 
  • Single Review: 5 weeks 
  • Extensions: 2 week

ROW Maintenance Permits 

  • Single Review: 1 week 

Side Sewer Permits 

  • Single Review: 11 weeks
  • Full Review: 5 weeks 
  • Extensions: 2 week 

These are average timelines. Owing to an increase in permit applications combined with reduced capacity, our timelines are higher than normal.

 NOTE: If a ROW Management Design Guidance meeting is required or correction cycles are necessary, additional time will be added to the timelines above.


How to Get Help

Request a virtual technical coaching appointment with a Street Use reviewer:

  • Available between 10:30am-noon and 1-3pm daily
  • To request a virtual coaching appointment, email SDOTPermits@seattle.gov or call (206) 684-5253
    • For email requests, include your name, email address, permit number, and questions so the reviewer can prepare in advance

Information on how to apply for a permit:

   Email dot_su_ssportal_questions@seattle.gov for:

  • General Seattle Service Portal navigation
  • Understanding your converted permits
  • Contact cleanup or fix needs
  • How to access invoices, respond to corrections, satisfy a condition, how to give access to your permit etc.

Email SeattleServices_ITHelp@Seattle.gov for:

  • Seattle Services Portal account issues   

Email dot_permits@seattle.gov for:

  • General inquiries and coaching
  • Application changes for unassigned records
  • Contact changes for permits in process

   Email the assigned reviewer for:

  • Corrections required response clarifications
  • Permit status inquiries outside the permit timelines posted above
  • Changes to already submitted applications when the task is assigned

  Email the assigned inspector for:

  • Job start changes after the Initial Inspection has passed
  • Inspection questions including notification, inspection results etc.
  • Schedule an on-site meeting

Street Use 101 & Q&A Sessions

To support our Accela launch, Street Use is holding quarterly Street Use 101 and Q&A sessions. In these sessions, we review the permit process and Accela functionality and answer questions you may have. The final session for 2021 was held on November 17, 2021.

Previously recorded Street Use 101 and Q&A sessions can be found here: 

Q4 2021 Street Use 101 and Q&A Session:

November 17, 2021

Workshop Materials

Q3 2021 Street Use 101 and Q&A Session:

September 20, 2021

Workshop Materials

Q2 2021 Street Use 101 and Q&A Session:

June 11, 2021

Workshop Materials: 

Q1 2021 Street Use 101 and Q&A Session:

March 12, 2021

Workshop Materials: 

Previous Accela Training Workshops

Accela Workshop: Street Use Inspection Types and Notifications

September 14, 2020

Workshop Materials

Accela Workshop: Seattle Services Portal Overview

October 19, 2020

Workshop Materials

Seattle Department of Transportation Accela Webinar: Utility Permits

October 26, 2020

Workshop Materials

Accela Workshop: Construction Permits

October 28, 2020

Workshop Materials

Accela Workshop: Street Improvement permits

October 30, 2020

Workshop Materials

Accela Workshop: Permit Amendments

November 5, 2020

Workshop Materials

Transportation

Greg Spotts, Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 3800, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34996, Seattle, WA, 98124-4996
Phone: (206) 684-7623
684-Road@seattle.gov

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The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is on a mission to deliver a transportation system that provides safe and affordable access to places and opportunities for everyone as we work to achieve our vision of Seattle as a thriving, equitable community powered by dependable transportation.