Seattle Construction Permits, January 2026: 443 Issued
The City of Seattle issued 443 construction permits in January 2026. The largest group was residential renovation, with 218 permits.
The same four steps, whether the buyer is a builder, a designer, an owner or a company you want to acquire.
Seattle construction permits in January 2026
| Measure | January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Permits issued | 443 |
| Previous month (December 2025) | 496 |
| Same month last year (January 2025) | 430 |
| Rank among 18 markets this month | 8 of 18 |
Against earlier months, January 2026 was down 11% on December 2025 (496) and up 3% on January 2025 (430).
| Building type and work | Permits |
|---|---|
| New Residential Construction | 100 |
| Residential Renovation | 218 |
| New Commercial Construction | 3 |
| Commercial Renovation | 63 |
| Institutional Renovation | 17 |
| Industrial Renovation | 3 |
The twelve months to January 2026, read October 9, 2026.
What it means for trades
A permit issued in January 2026 starts a clock. The early trades, site work, concrete, framing and structural steel, are bought in the next weeks; mechanical, electrical and plumbing a few months in; finishes and landscaping close to a year later on a typical build. Builtie tracks each project through those stages and shows it to a trade while its package is still open.
What the Seattle data covers
Seattle's feed rarely names the builder: 1.4% of new-build permits carry one. Builtie resolves the company behind a Seattle project from other records, and does not publish a Seattle builder count because it would describe the feed rather than the market.
← December 2025 · February 2026 →
All months: Seattle construction permits by month. Building types: new residential construction, residential renovation, commercial renovation, institutional renovation, industrial renovation.
Plans
Builtie's Starter plan is $79 per seat per month (CAD) for 20 projects; Growth is $99 for 50 projects and adds the LinkedIn and email outreach you run yourself. Opening a project spends one credit, and the decision makers, emails, phones and AI call script inside it are included. Your monthly credits reset at each renewal, and extra credit packs are valid for 30 days. The free trial runs 7 days with 10 projects. Custom, where Builtie's team runs the outreach for you, starts from CAD $1,500 a month on top of a Growth seat.
Frequently asked questions
How many building permits were issued in Seattle in January 2026?
443, read October 9, 2026 from Builtie's permit data.
Is Seattle construction up or down?
January 2026 was down 11% on December 2025 (496) and up 3% on January 2025 (430).
Which trades should be calling builders about January 2026 permits?
Early trades first: site work, concrete, framing, structural steel and site security. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing follow a few months in, and finishes later still.
What does Builtie cost?
Starter is $79 per seat per month for 20 projects; Growth is $99 for 50 projects and adds LinkedIn and email outreach. There is a 7-day free trial with 10 projects.