Clark County Commercial Building Permits: Categories, Requirements and Fees

By Erik Tishenko, Modern Northwest · Published November 4, 2026

A Clark County building permit for commercial work in unincorporated Clark County, Washington comes from Clark County Community Development, submitted online through ePlan Review and the county's permit system. The county sorts commercial permits into three categories, Business Certificate, Occupancy and Construction, and the category decides what you submit and what it costs. Every commercial business also needs a Certificate of Occupancy. Here is how the categories work, what a tenant improvement submittal needs, and the fees the county publishes.

From Clark County's Commercial Permit Categories handout (revised September 2022). Plumbing, mechanical and sign permits are separate.

Building in Clark County? Modern Northwest is a commercial general contractor registered in Washington (L&I MODERNI888R7). Call (360) 326-2747 or see our Vancouver and Clark County page.

First, confirm it is a county permit

Clark County Community Development permits work in unincorporated Clark County. Vancouver, Camas, Washougal and other cities have their own building departments, so the same street can fall under different offices. Our conversion of a 23,000 square foot former Rite Aid into an Ace Hardware in Washougal, for example, was inside a city with its own Community Development department, not the county. Our Vancouver page lists which office covers which area. The rest of this guide is the county's process.

Business Certificate permits: the smallest jobs

• Ownership change, as-is. A new owner takes over a business with the same use, the previous occupancy is on file, and the space has not been vacant more than 24 months. No inspections; the handout lists $94.
• Move-In Only. Same or lower-hazard use, minor floor plan changes like cubicles and partitions, and no structural work, exit changes, racking, equipment over 400 pounds or affixed, or added seating in churches and restaurants. The handout lists $472 in total, including a $205 fire marshal inspection.
• Move-In Plus. The same limits, plus minor structural work under $15,000 in value; the Chief Building Official decides if a project qualifies. The handout lists $768 in total.

If a project does not meet every limit, it moves up to an Occupancy or Construction permit, and the county may charge hourly fees for corrections, inspections or extra plan review.

Occupancy permits: first tenants and changes of use

A first tenant moving into a shell that has never been occupied, or a business that changes the building code occupancy type, needs an Occupancy permit with complete plans and a site plan. Fees are based on the square footage, occupancy group and construction type. The county's own example: a 1,500 square foot retail (Group M) space in a Type V-B building is valued at $88.45 per square foot, reduced to 40 percent for a tenant improvement, for a $53,070 valuation and about $1,414 in plan review and permit fees, plus state and issuance fees. See occupancy classification and types of construction for what those labels mean.

Construction permits: new buildings, additions and remodels

New shell buildings and full build-outs need a preliminary site plan review first, and the use must be approved under it. Additions must match the existing approved use and occupancy. Remodels of an existing tenant's space and improvements to shells or spec suites with no tenant yet are permitted as work on existing buildings. A spec suite built ahead of a tenant is covered in our guide to spec suites.

What a tenant improvement submittal needs

The county requires a tenant improvement permit when a new business moves into an existing space or a new shell, or when an existing business changes its use or expands. The submittal covers:

• a description of the work, the address and the use or occupancy,
• a site plan if the occupancy differs from the shell or previous permit, with square footage and distances to property lines and other buildings,
• a scaled floor plan showing new and existing work and the use of every area, with sections, details and interior elevations,
• the valuation of the work,
• plans stamped by a Washington architect or professional engineer for buildings over 4,000 square feet,
• Washington State Energy Code forms for new lighting and for heating or cooling units, and compliance with the state ventilation and indoor air quality code.

Food service needs Public Health approval before the building permit is issued, and a grease trap needs the sewer provider's approval. Minor work in an existing space may be permitted over the counter.

How the process runs

1. Talk to the county early. It recommends meeting a plans examiner early in design to avoid corrections later.
2. Submit through ePlan Review. Paper is not accepted, and files that miss the naming rules are turned away.
3. Pay plan review fees. Fees are set by ordinance and calculated automatically; you get an estimate at your first visit and the final cost at submittal.
4. Plan review, then permit. A plans examiner reviews, permit technicians process and issue the permit, and work can begin.
5. Inspections, then the Certificate of Occupancy. Inspectors visit at key stages, and the permit technician issues the Certificate of Occupancy.

Washington's 2021 state building codes have applied since March 14, 2024. Who files the application is covered in who is responsible for pulling permits.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

In unincorporated Clark County, commercial permits fall into Business Certificate, Occupancy and Construction categories. Small move-ins with no structural work have fixed published fees; first occupancies, changes of use and construction are priced by area, occupancy and construction type. Everything goes through ePlan Review, food service needs Public Health first, and the job ends with a Certificate of Occupancy.

Modern Northwest has built across Clark County, from Sit Still Salon in Vancouver to Zaiqa Indian Cuisine in Ridgefield. Tell us about your project.