Do I need an HVAC permit in Spokane? Mechanical permits, the gas-license rule and 9,746 permits

This is the City of Spokane only. Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and unincorporated Spokane County run their own permit offices.

Who may pull it

The City's SMC and RCW on Permit Eligibility sheet (read 24 October 2026):

The City's mechanical permit application (2025-05-13) has fields for the contractor's license number, a Gas Heating Mechanic license number (format 01234-GHM) and an electrical license number. Check a contractor on Washington L&I's Verify a Contractor lookup, explained in how to check a contractor's license in Washington.

What the application requires

• Gas work: the bolded fee items are "Required for any proposed work involving gas lines or gas equipment", and "A permit is needed for the appliance that the gas outlet is being connected to in addition to the Gas Piping itself."
• Wiring: "Mechanical Contractors that also have an appropriate Electrical Contractor License may use this form for Low Voltage HVAC Circuits"; for all other HVAC circuits an electrical permit and electrical contractor license are required.
• Ducts: when replacing or installing HVAC equipment in a residence, "a Duct Leakage Affidavit may be required to be completed and submitted to the Mechanical Inspector to be eligible for an approved final inspection."
• Heat pump water heaters have their own line on the form.

The application prices each item, then adds a 2.5% technology fee and a processing fee. The published form does not pair every amount with its item clearly, so we do not quote a typical total; use the invoice in Citizen Access.

How to apply

1. Register on Citizen Access; the City says you need an account to apply or schedule an inspection.
2. Your HVAC contractor applies for the mechanical permit with its gas mechanic license if gas is involved; add an electrical permit for line-voltage circuits.
3. Pay, schedule inspections in Citizen Access, and have the Duct Leakage Affidavit ready for the final if the inspector asks.
4. Questions: Development Services Center, 509-625-6300.

What 9,746 Spokane HVAC permits show

Spokane's HVAC filing has two peaks: July for cooling and October for heating ahead of winter. Late winter and early spring are the quiet weeks to book a planned furnace or heat pump replacement. Nearly one in five of the first year's permits was not marked final, finaled or closed a year later, so ask your contractor for the final inspection result. Because electrical and mechanical permits are filed separately, a heat pump install often shows up in both counts. Monthly counts are on Spokane HVAC permits, all categories on Spokane permit statistics, and rows on Spokane permits.

Related

Look up earlier permits on the house with the Spokane building permit search. Rules elsewhere: do I need a permit for HVAC replacement and a gas line; prices in HVAC replacement cost.

What this does not tell you

The City's public layer keeps only recent years and was last refreshed in April 2026, so our counts end in March 2026. It names no contractor and has no job value, final inspection date or ZIP code.