Bellingham, WA building permit statistics

By trade

Firms are distinct business names on the file. A linked usual filed value opens what that work costs. Finished is the share of permits a year or more old that the city closed out. Days to finish run from issue to the city's completion date, not from application.

Permits by year

The file we publish splits exactly into the last 12 months on file and the 24 months before them, so these are 12-month periods ending September 2026, not calendar years. Per year scales each period to 12 months. Counts cover the 12 kinds of home work we track, not every permit Bellingham issues.

By month

Share of filings by month, 100 = an average month (the thin line). The 6 biggest trades, October 2023 through September 2026. A tall bar is a busy month at the permit counter, which usually means a longer wait for a contractor.

When Bellingham schedules each kind of work

For each trade, the month with the most permit filings and the month with the fewest, October 2023 through September 2026. Trades do not all peak together, so the busy season depends on the job. Busiest is not the same as best: these are counts of filings, not prices or weather, though a quiet month at the permit counter can mean contractors have more room in the schedule.

Most active contractors in Bellingham, last 12 months

Top 10 by permits pulled in the last 12 months, all trades. This is volume, not quality: a busy firm is not a careful one. Pick what you value on the compare page to build a ranking.

Common questions

• How many building permits does Bellingham issue a year?About 2,894 a year for the 12 kinds of home work we track (8,682 permits over 36 months, October 2023 through September 2026); 2,761 in the last 12 months. That is not the city's count of every permit: it covers electrical, HVAC & mechanical, water heater, solar & battery, new home, side sewer repair, remodel & repair, EV charger, fire sprinkler, plumbing, addition, ADU, not commercial work or trades we don't read.
• When should you schedule work in Bellingham?If you can choose, book in a quiet month at the permit counter: for electrical work, December (busiest September); for HVAC work, March (busiest July); for water heater replacement, August (busiest October). Each trade has its own season; the questions above give every trade we track, with the usual days to sign-off.
• Who are the most active contractors in Bellingham?By permits pulled in the last 12 months: Marr's Heating & A/C Inc (424); Barron Heating & A/C Inc (359); Lynden Sheet Metal Inc (131). That is volume, not quality: compare finished share and filed values before you hire.
• Which trade pulls the most permits in Bellingham?Electrical: 2,730 permits from 151 firms.
• What is the busiest month for permits in Bellingham?July, counting every trade. December is the quietest. The chart above shows each trade; they do not all peak together.
• How many contractors are active in Bellingham?529 distinct business names appear on the file; 308 of them pulled at least one permit in the last 12 months. 77.3% of the 529 firms on the file match an active license at Washington L&I contractor registration and electrical and plumbing contractor license data; the match goes by name and can miss one.
• How many permits get finished?For electrical, 89.4% of permits a year or more old were closed out by the city. How long permits take in Bellingham →
• Where does this data come from?City of Bellingham permits on single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes, read October 2026. How the records work in Bellingham →