Step Three
Permit submittal, handled.
We assemble the submittal package, calculate the fees, and file with Seattle DCI or your Eastside city. First-pass acceptance is the standard, not the exception.
Written by Aaron Elisha, founder of MNBE Construction & Development. WA license MNBECCD770R9. Updated 2026.
Getting the package over the line on the first try.
A permit submittal is the moment your project crosses from your computer into the city's review queue. The reviewer's first job is intake: confirm the package is complete, the fees are paid, the contractor of record is licensed, and the supporting documents are present. If anything is missing, the package is kicked back without the substantive review starting.
First-pass kickbacks add 1 to 2 weeks to the timeline. We submit dozens of permits a year. We know the SDCI portal, we know the Bellevue intake checklist, we know the Kirkland upload format. The submittal service exists because the savings on getting it right the first time compounds over the project.
From design-complete to accepted, in five steps.
- Day 1
Package assembly
Drawings exported to PDF at correct page size. Application form completed. Fee calculation. Supporting documents organized: geotech, critical-area studies, tree plan, energy compliance forms.
- Day 1 to 2
Owner sign-off
You review the application before submission. We confirm owner information, contractor of record, fee math, and any city-specific declarations.
- Day 2
Portal upload + fee payment
Upload to Seattle SDCI portal or your Eastside city's intake system. Pay base permit fees and plan-check fees. Confirmation receipt to you and us.
- Days 3 to 10
Intake review
City confirms the package is complete and routes to the review queue. If accepted, the plan-check clock starts. If not, we get the kickback list and resubmit.
- Day 10+
Plan-check begins
Multiple reviewers (architectural, structural, MEP, energy, drainage) work through the package in parallel. Plan-check shepherding handles corrections from here.
The Permit Sequence
Submittal sits between design and shepherding.
Step Two
Floor Plan Design
Permit-ready drawings that survive plan-check on the first pass.
See design →
Step Four
Plan-Check Shepherding
Managing the corrections cycle through to permit issuance.
See shepherding →
Hub
Permits + Design
Everything MNBE handles in the design and permit phase, end to end.
See the hub →Frequently Asked
Permit submittal questions Seattle homeowners ask before they sign.
Six practical answers from a builder who files permits every week. If yours is not here, call us.
Still have questions?
We answer the phone Monday through Saturday. Two minutes on the call usually gets you further than an hour online.
Seattle SDCI permit submittal requires a complete drawing set in PDF, a completed application, project description, owner information, contractor of record (with active WA L&I license), payment of permit fees and impact fees, and any required pre-submittal documentation (geotech reports, critical-area studies, tree retention plan if applicable). Submittals go through the SDCI portal. Mistakes at this stage trigger immediate kickback and add 1 to 2 weeks to the timeline.
Seattle ADU permit fees are calculated by valuation and include base permit fees, plan-check fees, and impact fees. Total typically lands between $4,000 and $9,000 for a standard DADU, depending on size and finish valuation. Eastside cities have similar fee structures with city-specific multipliers. We include the actual permit fee line item in your fixed-price construction contract so the cost is locked.
Owner information, current property survey if you have one, any HOA covenants, photos of existing site conditions, and any prior city correspondence about the parcel. We pull everything else from city parcel records and our own design and engineering work. Most homeowners provide what we ask for in a single email.
Seattle SDCI typically accepts a complete submittal within 5 to 10 business days. The clock for plan-check review starts when intake confirms the package is complete. If something is missing, the package is kicked back without the review starting. Our submittals get accepted on the first try the vast majority of the time because we know what each office wants.
Yes. Homeowners can submit owner-builder permits and contractor-of-record permits directly. Most homeowners we work with prefer to delegate the submittal to us because the process has many small mistakes that cost weeks to recover from. The submittal service is included in our design and build engagements.
The plan-check phase begins. Multiple city reviewers (architectural, structural, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, energy, drainage) review the drawings in parallel. Corrections come back in 3 to 8 weeks for ADU work depending on backlog and project complexity. The plan-check shepherding service handles those corrections through to permit issuance.
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