Seattle's real estate development, among the most rapid in the nation is prompting changes in the way the process is managed by the City of Seattle's Department of Construction and Inspections or SDCI (itself a new name in the last six months) as the portal for permitting and inspections is being updated. They are moving to a system called Accela that is more robust, mobile friendly and more detailed and powerful for the end user. 

The department posted this notice on the site on April 11. 

Get Ready for a New Permit System

SDCI will launch new permitting software on April 30, 2018. All permitting, licensing, inspections, and complaints functions will be available in the new system as of that date. Some preliminary application activities will be affected prior to that date as we prepare to move data to the new system. We will temporarily stop accepting inspection request services on Friday, April 27 at 12:00 p.m. We expect to begin accepting inspection requests in the new system at 10:00 a.m. on Monday April 30.  The deadline to request inspections to be conducted on Monday, April 30 is Friday, April 27 at 12:00 p.m.  Pre-application submittals, exemption requests (ECA or Shoreline), grading season extensions, permit renewals and permit revisions must be submitted prior to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 26.

If you are a regular or occasional applicant, an interested member of the public, a city employee who interacts with the system regularly or someone who uses the data SDCI produces, the articles in the Seattle Services Portal Help Center will provide you with useful information about applying for permits, scheduling inspections, searching for information and more. SDCI will offer public orientation sessions sometime after we launch the new system.

If you are currently a regular applicant who uses our Project Portal, SDCI will convert your account for use in the new Seattle Services Portal (SSP). You’ll receive an email as soon as we launch with your new account information and instructions on how to reset your password. Your projects will appear in your portal view using same the number as in the previous system, with a couple of important differences. A two-letter suffix will be appended to the project number to identify the type of application the number refers to, e.g. EL for an electrical permit, LU for a Master Use permit, CN for a construction permit. Phased permit applications will now be tracked under a single number for all phases. Contact your phased permit coordinator for more information about your phased project.

If you have saved links to applications you use regularly, don’t worry. When you click on them, a new link to that function will be provided with additional links to pertinent Help Center documents.

Our new system is 100 percent electronic, which means that customers will submit applications and plans via the Seattle Services Portal. This includes Subject-to-Field-Inspection (STFI) Construction, Sign, and Conveyance permits. Currently STFI permits are available over the counter in our office with same day service. Our goal is to continue this same level of service for applications submitted online by noon on any day, with the added convenience of eliminating a trip downtown. For those requiring additional assistance, we will continue to accept STFI applications on a walk-in basis after launch, with more coaches available to help in completing applications electronically in our office.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Accela?

• Accela is a new permitting system that will replace the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) current Hansen system, many of our web applications, and the Project Portal.
• SDCI’s Accela solution is designed to integrate with an evolving citywide system where customers can conduct their business, including applying for permits, registrations, licenses, and other City business.

Why is the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections changing systems?

• Our previous system is outdated and needs to be replaced. Accela has more functions and flexibility.
• Accela provides a “one-stop shop” where our customers can apply for a permit, access project updates, pay fees, research property information, check the status of a complaint, find their rental registration information, schedule inspections, and more.
• Accela’s user interface is easier to use than our previous system.
• Accela can be configured to work on mobile devices, a necessity for our staff and customers that spend most of their day on a project site.
• SDCI needed a more robust system to register and inspect rental properties in Seattle.

How will Accela be different from the current SDCI permitting system? 

Accela is a web-based system that makes information more accessible to our both our customers and staff. Information about each permit is more comprehensive and user-friendly. Key improvements include:

• More application types available online
• Project numbers include a two-letter suffix indicating the type of application
• All applications submitted electronically, including plans
• Workflow steps show greater status details
• A more robust search functionality
• A mobile-friendly site that resizes to fit your mobile screen
• Phased permits tracked under a single number

What does it mean for me? 

Accela has several benefits for our customers. You can:

• Apply for all SDCI permit types online
• Submit all permitting documents electronically, including plans
• Research, apply, and view all SDCI applications in a single system
• Manage multiple projects through your own dashboard
• Create customized views by grouping your projects into “collections”
• Pay fees more easily, with the ability to pay all outstanding fees on all applications at once

How will moving to the new system affect my existing projects? 

SDCI will transfer all existing projects to our new system. If you already have an account for our existing portal, you will receive an email with instructions to reset your password as soon as we launch. Your projects will have the same number as in the old system, with an informative two-letter suffix which helps identify the type of application.

How will I get information about using the system? 

Visit the Seattle Services Portal Help Center for user guides and other information. We plan to have some overview sessions on how to use the system after we launch.

How will I get technical support if I get stuck? 

If you have technical difficulties with the new system, contact our Seattle Services Portal Support Team.

When will SDCI change systems? 

We will launch Accela on Monday, April 30, 2018.