General information for homeowners, not legal or engineering advice. Permit rules change and vary by municipality; check with the City of Spokane, Spokane County or your city’s permit office before you start work.
Before a pole barn goes up, it is worth a quick call to the right permit office. Here’s a general overview of how permits usually work for pole barns and post-frame buildings in Spokane and Spokane County. Rules change and depend on your exact property, so treat this as a starting point, not the final word.
Who handles your permit
- Inside Spokane city limits: the City of Spokane handles building permits and zoning.
- Unincorporated Spokane County: Spokane County Building & Planning handles permits for properties outside city limits.
- Other cities: Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Airway Heights, Cheney, Medical Lake, Deer Park, Millwood and other incorporated cities may run their own permit processes.
Not sure which applies? Look up your parcel on the county’s property information site or call the county permit office.
When a permit is usually needed
Most garages, shops and storage buildings of the size people build as pole barns need a building permit. Small accessory structures may be exempt under a size limit, and some agricultural buildings may be treated differently depending on zoning and use. The exact thresholds come from the codes your local office enforces, so confirm them for your property before you plan around an exemption.
What the permit office will look at
- Zoning, setbacks from property lines and other buildings, and height limits
- Building size and how it will be used (storage, shop, ag, living space)
- Design snow and wind loads for your location
- Plans and, for many buildings, engineering for the trusses and posts
- Septic, well and critical-area setbacks on rural lots
- Electrical permits, which in Washington are handled through Labor & Industries or a local office
Questions to ask first
- Does my property’s zoning allow an accessory building of this size and height?
- What snow load do I need to design for at my address?
- Does my use qualify for any agricultural exemption, and what proof is needed?
- Are there HOA, covenant or critical-area rules that apply?
Call before you dig
Washington law requires a utility locate request before digging. Call 811 or file a request online a few business days before post holes or site work begin.
Let the builder help
Many local builders prepare the plans and handle the permit application. Ask who pulls the permit and whether fees are in the estimate. Ready to start? Request a free written estimate or read what drives pole barn cost.