Bellevue new single-family permit median. Public data does not promise the same result for a future project.
Bellevue vs. Kirkland permit data
How long does a custom-home permit take?
There is no dependable one-number answer. This comparison uses recent public permit records to show the observed application-to-issuance range, first-review timing, and revision history in Bellevue and Kirkland.
893 recent residential permitsApplications from Aug 2024 through Aug 2026Updated Aug 16, 2026
Kirkland new single-family permit median. Scope, site conditions, and correction cycles still matter.
new-house permits identified in the current project-type screen.
The underlying project dataset is refreshed and the public benchmark snapshot is rebuilt.
Closest project-type comparison
New-house permits by city
A public permit does not reliably say whether a house is a one-off custom design. New single-family houses and new houses with an ADU are the closest consistent project-type screen.
| City | Project type | Permits | Issued sample | Median to issue | Average first review | Average revision rounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue | New single-family house | 248 | 179 | 164 days | 36.8 days | 2.7 |
| Bellevue | New house with ADU | 38 | 16 | 141.5 days | 25.8 days | 2.2 |
| Kirkland | New single-family house | 420 | 242 | 183.5 days | 94.8 days | 1.3 |
| Kirkland | New house with ADU | 102 | 59 | 212 days | 85.4 days | 1.5 |
What the comparison means
Use a range, not a promised date.
Application is not design start. Surveying, feasibility, architecture, engineering, and pre-application work happen before the city receives a complete building-permit application.
City time is only part of the schedule. When reviewers request corrections, the next action moves to the architect and consultant team until revised documents are resubmitted.
Site complexity changes the path. Trees, steep slopes, drainage, utilities, critical areas, demolition, and companion permits can add reviews that a straightforward lot does not need.
Issuance is a handoff. Final fees, contractor information, documents, and conditions may remain after the technical reviews are substantially complete.
Second screen
Permits with a builder classified as custom
This is a narrower, manually reviewed builder classification. Missing builder names and small samples can materially change the result, so it is context, not a builder ranking.
| City | Permits | Issued sample | Median to issue | Average first review | Average revision rounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue | 27 | 16 | 176 days | 37.7 days | 2.4 |
| Kirkland | 55 | 36 | 225 days | 134 days | 1.3 |
Read the city detail
See the full sample and methodology.
Bellevue permit benchmarks show the full project-type, review, revision, builder, and data-quality context.
Kirkland permit benchmarks provide the same city-specific detail without forcing unlike records into one average.
Both datasets come from public MyBuildingPermit records. Missing dates are excluded from timing calculations. Associations in the data do not prove that one characteristic caused a delay.
For the step-by-step process, read the Bellevue new-house guide or Kirkland new-house guide.