All permits must be submitted online. The City of Lakewood’s Planning and Public Works Department accepts permit applications only through the Online Permit Center. We’ve built everything you need into the system to make the process as easy as possible.
Below, you’ll find helpful guides, checklists, and brochures to get you started.
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Language
Online Permit Center Tutorials
- How to Sign up for an Online Permit Center Account
- How to Submit A Permit Application
- How to Pay Permit Fees in the Online Permit Center
- How to Check Your Permit Status
- How to Re-Submit Information Requested
- How to Issue Your Permit
- How to Request Inspections
- How to Navigate Parcel Discovery
- How to Navigate Project Discovery for Application Requirements
General Forms
- Change of Ownership, Engineer of Record, or Contractor Form
- Extension Request Form
- Revision/Resubmittal Form
Code Interpretations
Building
- Do I Need A Building Permit?
- Commercial Construction Plan Components
- Residential Construction Plan Components
- Water Availability Verification
- Revision Process Approved Plans & Documents
- Pre-Final Checklist
- Fire Flow
- Commercial Tenant Improvement
- Adult Family Home
- Window or Door Replacement
- Residential Remodel
- Sample Floor Plan for Change of Occupancy
Planning / Land Use
- Affidavit of Public Posting Worksheet
- Certificate of Appropriateness Worksheet
- Criteria for Approval – Reasonable Use Exception Worksheet
- Criteria for Approval – Temporary Use Permits Worksheet
- Critical Area Variance Worksheet
- Floodplain Development Worksheet
- Good Neighbor Policy Worksheet
- Heritage Tree Designation Form Worksheet
- Home Occupation Narrative Worksheet
- Operational Characteristics Worksheet
- Planned Action Determination – Review Checklist Worksheet
- Required Findings for Conditional Use Permits Worksheet
- Required Findings for Planned Development Districts
- Required Findings for Preliminary Plats Worksheet
- Required Findings for Short Subdivisions Worksheet
- Required Findings for Variances Worksheet
- SEPA Environmental Checklist
- Shoreline Development General Description Requirements Worksheet
- Shoreline Exemption Narrative Worksheet
- Tree Removal Supplemental Worksheet
- Adult Family Homes
- Critical Area Designation and Protection Pro-Tip
- Dividing Property Pro-Tip
- Residential Uses allowed in Various Zones
- State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Pro-Tip
- Shoreline Development Pro-Tip
- Shoreline Substantial Development Permit Exemptions Pro-Tip
- Short Term Rentals Pro-Tip
- Site Plan Requirements
- STEP Housing
- Title Report
- Tree Preservation and Protection Pro-Tip
- Unit Lot Subdivisions
- What Can I Do On My Property?
Engineering / Public Works
Updates to Lakewood Municipal Code and the Engineering Standards Manual (ESM) go into effect May 3, 2026. To view adopted changes, please review Ordinance No. 846. Applications deemed complete on May 3 or after must comply with the new standards. Revised Engineering Standards Manual (ESM) and design details are linked below.
- Right-Of-Way ADA Transition Plan
- 2025-2029 Commute Trip Reduction Plan
- 2027-2032 6 Year Transportation Improvement Plan
- 2023 Updates to Non-Motorized Transportation Plan
- 2023 Non-Motorized Transportation Plan Appendix
- Engineering Standards Manual (ESM) Updated 2026
- Bond Example
- Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI) Example
Standard Plans
Frontage
Illumination
- City of Lakewood
- WSDOT – Referenced Standard Plans (latest edition)
Pavement, Markings and Signs
- City of Lakewood
- Pierce County – Referenced Standard Drawings (latest edition)
- Pierce County Sections G&H
- PC. G2.1: Stop Sign Installation
- PC. H2.2: Pavement Markings (left or right turn channelization)
- PC. H2.3: Pavement Markings (two-way left turns)
- PC. H2.4: Pavement Markings (RPM layouts two-lane, multi-lane, wide, dotted)
- PC. H2.5: Pavement Markings (RPM layouts for turn lanes)
- PC. H2.8: Pavement Markings (traffic arrow and only details)
- WSDOT – Referenced Standard Plans (latest edition)
Roadway
- City of Lakewood
- Pierce County – Referenced Standard Drawings (latest edition)
- Pierce County Section A
- PC. A7.1: Utility Patch (sheet 1 of 2)
PC. A7.2: Utility Patch (sheet 2 of 2 notes)
- PC. A7.1: Utility Patch (sheet 1 of 2)
Stormwater Controls
- City of Lakewood
- Pierce County – Referenced Standard Drawings (latest edition)
- Pierce County Section M
- PC. M2.3: Straw Mulch
- WSDOT – Referenced Standard Plans (latest edition)
Miscellaneous
Permit Statistics
Washington State Law RCW 36.70B. 080(2) requires the city to publish annually performance reports. The state Department of Commerce has issued guidance on report compilation and format.