Street Use Inspections

What We Do

Street Use inspectors:

• ensure that work permitted for the right-of-way is done in accordance with the terms of issued permits
• identify unpermitted work taking place in the right-of-way and take action to either halt the work or bring it under permit

Street Use inspectors are responsible for enforcing the right-of-way rules and regulations of the City of Seattle, including our permit conditions. This is to ensure that all construction, safety, and accessibility requirements of the permit are met as approved. All inspections are billed at an hourly rate.

Inspectors both proactively inspect project sites and respond to inquiries from the traveling public. Simple projects and right-of-way uses (such as moving containers and dumpsters) are only inspected if a problem warrants it, while more complex projects fall into a routine inspection schedule (see Scheduling Your Job Start and Other Inspections).

Inspector Work Groups

The Street Use inspections teams are comprised of

• Right-of-Way Management (ROW) Inspectors are responsible for general ROW construction use, utility, and maintenance inspections.
• Street Improvement Permit (SIP) Inspectors are responsible for curb ramp and street improvement permit (capital improvements constructed by private party) inspections.
• Public Space Management (PSM) Inspectors are responsible for long-term use and street vending permit inspections. 

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Street Use Inspection District Map and Contacts

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Scheduling Your Job Start and Other Inspections

Prior to starting your project, you will need to notify us when your project will begin by scheduling a job start notification in the Seattle Services Portal. Review your approved plans and carefully read all the conditions of your permit.

To schedule a job start notification, follow the instructions found in this Help article.

When you schedule your job start, it will reschedule the initial inspection. The job start notification can be rescheduled through the Seattle Services Portal as long as the job start date is at least 2-business days in the future.

Depending on the permit type, the following inspections may also be available to schedule in the Seattle Services Portal after the initial inspection has been completed:

• Curb Ramp Inspection: to confirm new curb ramps meet ADA requirements.
• Mark Out Inspection: to establish layout of restoration dimensions.
• Restoration Inspection: to ensure restoration complies with City standards and codes.
• Site Inspection: to request an inspection prior to your next scheduled inspection.

To schedule a Curb Ramp, Mark Out, Restoration or Site Inspection, follow the instruction found in this Help article. 

Some inspections cannot be scheduled through the Seattle Services Portal. Here's how to contact Street Use to schedule these inspections outside of the Seattle Services Portal.

• If you need to schedule a pre-construction meeting, SDOT asset inspection, or utility inspection:
  • Major permits (SIP) pre-construction meetings are scheduled through your assigned Street Use reviewer or SIP Project Manager.
  • For all other preconstruction, SDOT asset, and utility inspection needs, contact your Street Use Inspector by e-mail. 
• If you need to schedule an off-hour inspection:
  • Work outside of normal working hours, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday through Friday, is considered "off-hours work" and requires advance notice 3-business days at minimum to DOT_StUse_OffHours_Inspection@seattle.gov
  • Request MUST include: permit/record number, address/location, hours of work, dates of work, and (if applicable) stated confirmation of Hub coordination approval

The following inspections are automatically scheduled for complex permit types (e.g. ROW Construction, Minor Utility, Utility Major and Street Improvement):

1. Initial Inspection: This inspection is automatically generated for 5 days after job start.
2. Interim Inspections: To ensure that all work is staying in compliance with the terms of the permit. The periodic inspection schedule varies in association with the possible impacts to the transportation network and surrounding land use.
   • Every 10 days for arterials, high-impact areas, or urban villages
   • Every 20 days for low-impact areas
3. Final Inspection: Automatically scheduled for the day after expiration of current permitted use.
4. Acceptance/Bond Release Inspections: When applicable, 1 year from date of final inspection.

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Temporary No Parking Permits

If you need to reserve a non-paid parking space, follow the instructions on our Temporary No Parking Permits webpage.

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Street Use Enforcement Process

We use the Swift and Certain enforcement process to encourage compliance with permit requirements. 

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Inspection Types

Initial: To ensure traffic-control and stormwater best management practices are set up correctly, and field review the project activity at the very start. Automatically generated for 5 business days from the date of Job Start. For Public Space Management permits, to ensure that private encroachments are installed and constructed as permitted, vendors are located and operating as permitted, and farmer’s markets and street closures are set up in compliance with their approved traffic control plans

Interim: To ensure that all work is staying in compliance with the terms of the permit. The periodic inspection schedule varies in association with the possible impacts to the transportation network and surrounding land use. Automatically scheduled based on location/work type.

Interim-Amendment: To review field conditions following activation of a requested change in scope of the permit to ROW and construction impacts.

Site/Ad Hoc Inspection: Additional inspections/actions requested and scheduled based on the scope of work

1. 1. • Site Inspection: general site inspection or response need, non-ADA form checks. To schedule: portal link
      • Pre-Construction Meeting: pre-construction walk-through request or formal meeting (in the case of Major permits). To schedule: contact St Use Inspector, or Permit Reviewer (Majors)
      • Ramp: For ADA ramp form checks and inspections. To schedule: portal link
      • Mark Out: Mark out of repair/pavement restoration limits. To schedule: portal link

Reinspection: Scheduled by Inspector to review site conditions and compliance corrections following a violation of permit conditions/enforcement action.

Final inspection: To ensure that the street and sidewalk are clear, and that all infrastructure is properly repaired.

Acceptance inspection: To ensure that any restoration is functioning and without defect. When applicable to verify proper installation function and integrity.

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How do I...

• Learn more about an SDOT project?
  • You can find a list of our current projects here. 
• report a problem in the right-of-way?
  • Submit a report online using the Find It Fix It App! 
• get a permit, or find answers to my questions about permitting or the Accela permitting system?
  • For information about permits, visit our Permit page for details on the different permits we offer,
  • For information about Accela, please visit the Seattle Services Portal Help Center.
• get information about temporary no-parking signs or apply for a temporary no-parking permit? 
  • You can find this information on the Temporary No Parking permit page. 
• get information about inspections fees?
  • All inspections are billed at an hourly rate and will be based on the time spent on the project site. The current hourly inspection rate is listed on the Street Use permit fee schedule.

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