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Plan Review

Plan Review:
The Plan Review staff of the Des Moines Building Division is responsible for the review of all construction plans submitted for permit.  The Planning and Building Division staff is available in person for the prescreening and intake of plans, plan revisions, and deferred submittals between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. only, Monday – Friday.  Plans, revisions, or deferred submittals brought in outside of those hours will not be accepted, except by prescheduled appointment.  These plans are reviewed for compliance with the adopted State of Washington Building Codes and City regulations.  Our staff is certified by ICC and other organizations to review plans using the International Building Code, International Mechanical Code, Uniform Plumbing Code and National Electrical Code.  Plan reviews are completed using checklists to ensure the completeness of the review.  For information on review timeframes, see "How long will it take to get a permit" in the FAQ.

Life Safety Architectural Plan Review:
Life Safety Architectural Plan Review ensures that the plans comply with the Code for life safety, including exiting, occupancy separations and any fire resistive construction requirements. In addition, the plans are checked for energy conservation, number of required plumbing fixtures and accessibility. These reviews are preformed on plans submitted for renovations, remodels, alterations and new construction for both residential and commercial construction for both new and existing buildings.

Electrical Plan Review:
Electrical Plan Review is generally required for large commercial or multi-family projects. This review looks at the loads that are to be placed on the electrical system. The purpose of this review is to ensure that the wiring will be safe and comply with the Code. To determine if your project requires Electrical Plan Review please refer to our Electrical Permit Application form.

Mechanical/Plumbing Plan Review:
Mechanical/Plumbing Review is usually required only on medium to large commercial or multi-family projects. The purpose of these reviews is to ensure that the systems will comply with the Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality Code and meet minimum sanitation requirements. To determine if your project requires Mechanical or Plumbing Plan Review please refer to the Mechanical Permit Application or the Plumbing Permit Application.

Please note that the Washington State Building Code Council did not adopt Chapter 12 - Fuel Piping of the 2000 UPC.

All fuel gas piping is now covered under Chapter 13 - Fuel Gas Piping of the International Mechanical Code.

Plan Review Submittal Documents:
Plans submitted for review need to be final, complete and legible scaled drawings, plus any calculations, specifications and/or other pertinent data. The minimum plan sheet size is 18" x 24" with a minimum scale size of 1/8" = 1 foot for floor plans and 1/4" = 1 foot for details. Please refer to our permit packets web page for specific permit submittal requirements.

All New Commercial or Multi-Family Projects must submit a Code Summary Worksheet and include CS (Code Summary) Sheets in the drawings.

Please note that we cannot accept any submittal drawings that are marked "Not For Construction".

Additional Plan Review Requirements:
Review by the following outside organizations and City of Des Moines Departments and Divisions may be required in addition to reviews completed by the Des Moines Building Division:

King County Health Department approval is required for all food establishments.

On January 1, 2005, Des Moines Fire District 26 and Federal Way Fire District 38 merged to become South King Fire and Rescue with administrative offices located in Federal Way.  

South King Fire and Rescue approval is required for most commercial or multi-family Building Permits and some Mechanical Permits. South King Fire and Rescue reviews plans for compliance with the International Fire Code and any fire sprinkler or fire alarm requirements.

The address for South King Fire and Rescue is 31617 1st Avenue South, Federal Way, WA  98003.  The general office phone number is (253) 839-6234.

Des Moines Planning Development Review Division approval is required for most commercial or multi-family Building Permits and for Single-Family Building Permits in Planned Residential Developments (PRD). The Development Review Division reviews plans for compliance with the land use provisions of the Des Moines Municipal Code and the Des Moines Community Development Guide.

Des Moines Public Works Department has multiple divisions that must approve different types of permits. Please see the submittal checklist to see which Public Works reviews will be required for your project.

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