Fee Schedule
Starting April 1, 2019 the Everett Fire Department’s Fire Marshal’s Office implemented a new fee schedule for annual building inspections and system testing.
The fee schedule covers fire and life safety inspections, multi-family buildings, vacant buildings, building shells, shared spaces and systems. A similar fee schedule was implemented in January of 2019 for construction permit fees, which incorporate plan review and field inspections conducted by the Everett Fire Department.
The fee schedule is designed to offset the cost of conducting inspections and system testing, which are outside of the normal operation and response activities and services of the fire department. The cost of providing inspections will be allocated to the individuals or businesses that require those services, rather than being funded by regular public safety taxes.
Fees correspond to the square footage of the building or business. Additional fees may be added if hazards exist that require operational fire permits as defined in the adopted International Fire Code. If deficiencies are located and not corrected after the first complimentary re-inspection visit, additional compounding fees will be assessed until the deficiencies are corrected. The Everett Fire Department is one of the last departments in the region to implement these fees; other comparable departments use a similar fee structure for safety inspections.
Listed below is a summary and explanation to help you understand different components of the fee schedule. To see the actual schedule and tables referenced in the summary please see Fire Marshal’s Office Fee Schedule.
FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE FEE SCHEDULE SUMMARY
CONSTRUCTION PERMIT FEES
The Commercial Building Plan Review fees encompass all general commercial building plan review and field inspection conducted on construction projects. The Commercial Building Plan Review fees do not include Fire Alarm & Detection Systems found and Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems.
The fees were determined by estimating time for plan review and field inspections based on construction valuation, allowing the proper charges to be applied based on time to review and inspect. Utilizing the construction valuation prevents over-charging for small projects and charges the appropriate amount for larger projects that take more time to review and inspect.
The Everett Fire Department uses the same valuation format as the Everett Building Department. This format allows developers and contractors to estimate permit cost.
The following table shows construction valuations and fees for all Fire Alarm and Detection Systems that are plan reviewed and inspected by the Everett Fire Department. The fees shown in Table 1B are based on only the valuation of the Fire Alarm & Detection Systems being submitted.
The fees listed were determined by estimating time for plan review and field inspections based on the construction valuation of the work being performed.
The construction valuation format is the same format as the Everett Building Department and allows for developers and contractors to appropriately estimate permit cost for future projects.
The following table shows the construction valuations and fees for all Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems that are plan reviewed and inspected by the Everett Fire Department. The fees shown in Table 1C are based only on the valuation of the Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems being submitted.
The fees listed in Table 1C were determined by estimating time for plan review and field inspections based on the construction valuation of the work being performed.
The construction valuation format is the same format as the Everett Building Department and allows for developers and contractors to appropriately estimate permit cost for future projects.
Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems include but not limited to the following:
- Fire Sprinkler Systems
- Commercial Cooking Hood Suppression Systems/ Spray Booths
- Clean Agent Systems
- Standpipe Systems
- Fire Pumps and Related Equipment
FIRE SAFETY INSPECTION FEES
- Inspected Square-Footage
- Multi-Family
- Vacant Buildings
- Building Shell/Shared Spaces
- Re-Inspections
- Operational Permits
- Fire Permits
All Fire Safety Inspections conducted on commercial buildings/business throughout the City of Everett will be assessed with an Inspected Square-Footage fee.
Exception: Multi-Family Buildings, some Vacant Buildings, Building Shells, and Public School District school sites.
Inspection Square-Footage fees are based on a basic inspection of a building at that particular square footage.
Operational Permits fees will be added to the base Square-Footage fee. A list of applicable Operational Permits as defined by the International Fire Code can be found in the Operational Permits tab on the left.
The Fire Inspection of a Multi-Family Building is conducted in all accessible common areas of the property, such as stairs, garage, exercise and laundry rooms, as well as any vacant rental unit. Inspectors help identify fire safety hazards. These hazards include fire lanes and exits, obstructions, property identification, hazardous materials storage, as well as the presence of fire protection equipment.
“R-2 Multi Family Buildings” are occupancies containing sleeping units or more than two dwelling units where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature.
Inspections are conducted on vacant commercial and residential (multi-family) buildings. The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that the building is secured against illegal entry, that hazardous conditions such as holes in walls or flooring are covered and secured, that combustible materials are removed, that the building address is clearly posted, and that all fire protection systems are maintained in an operable condition at all times. Such inspections are important, since vacant buildings are frequently the target of arson or fires started by persons who have illegally gained entry into buildings.
Vacant Buildings Inspection Fees will fall into one of the three categories:
1. Exterior Inspection with Systems Verification - $48
- Cannot gain interior access, building is equipped with Fire Protection Systems that need to be verified and inspected.
2. Exterior Inspection with No Systems - $24
- Cannot gain interior access, building is not equipped with any Fire Protection Systems to be inspected.
3. Interior Inspection – Use Square-Footage Fee
- Interior access is granted and a traditional inspection can be performed by an Inspector.
“Building Shell or Shared Spaces” is an area or space that is common to multiple tenants within a structure, and that is not under the direct supervision or management of a single business owner or tenant. Can include common suppression systems, fire alarms, exiting systems, and devices used throughout multiple tenant spaces.
While performing a Fire Safety Inspection of a building/business, deficiencies may be discovered. Fire Department staff will arrange a re-inspection of the building/business to verify corrections have been made. The Fire Marshal’s Office is hoping that the implementation of a re-inspection fee will reduce the number of follow-up visits needed to verify compliance. There are a large number of businesses throughout the community that require fire safety inspections; if a reduction in the number of follow-ups can be accomplished, more businesses can be inspected on a regular basis, making our community safer.
“Satisfactory Re-Inspection” is a follow-up inspection in which the responsible party has corrected all previously discovered violations/deficiencies and the inspection is then considered complete.
“Unsatisfactory Re-Inspection” is a follow-up inspection in which the responsible party has not corrected all of the previously discovered violations/deficiencies and an additional follow-up will be required.
SATISFACTORY RE-INSPECTION
No Charge
UNSATISFACTORY RE-INSPECTION
$100
UNSATISFACTORY RE-INSPECTION SECOND AND EACH ADDITIONAL
$200
The Everett Fire Marshal’s Office (FMO) is responsible for ensuring safe operational practices of those individuals, companies, and businesses who wish to use or participate in operations that are considered to be hazardous and pose a potential threat to the safety and wellbeing of the general public. To ensure operations and practices are done safely and in compliance with the fire code, an inspection, review, and issuance of an Operational Permit is required.
- The Operational Fire Permits that are listed in Table 2B are required to be renewed on an annual basis.
- Fees will only be assessed after a fire safety inspection has verified compliance with the International Fire Code (IFC), and no more than once annually.
- Fees will be assessed in conjunction with the Inspected Square Footage Fee found on Table 2A.
- The amounts and definitions that determine if an Operational Fire Permit is required can be found in the International Fire Code.
The following is a list of the Operational Fire Permits listed in Table 2B:
The Per-Event/Activity – Operational Fire Permits are for activities or practices that are performed on a per event basis and do not constitute as an annual Operational Fire Permit. Typically Per-Event – Operational Fire Permits require additional review and inspection time that is necessary to ensure safe operations and code compliance.
For Per-Event/Activity operational fire permits, the applicant and/or responsible party for the event or activity will be responsible for all fees associated for the permit. The Operational Fire Permits listed in Table 2C are as follows:
To submit an application for a Per-Event/Activity - Operational Fire Permit, please click here.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPRESSION FEES
These fees are intended to help with recovering Fire Department costs related to incidents caused from arson or incidents caused by negligence of an individual. The fees include equipment or apparatus that may have been contaminated, damaged, destroyed, or lost while providing services, labor costs per hour, and vehicle equipment cost per hour including overhead.
These fees are intended to help with recovering Fire Department costs related to incidents caused from arson or incidents caused by negligence of an individual. The fees found in Table 3B are to recover personal costs associated with the investigations of the fire.
Excessive numbers of false alarms harm alarm users and the general public. Excessive false alarms also divert Public Safety Officers from other potentially critical duties and constitute a nuisance that must be abated.
A False Fire Alarm is defined as alarms sounding due to a lack of maintenance, despite fire code requirements calling for annual maintenance. A False Fire Alarm can also be repeat accidental activations of a system that can be prevented.
The fee schedule listed below applies to Fire Alarm Systems that have a current annual service report in compliance with NFPA 72. All Fire Alarm Systems that do not have a current and verified service report in compliance with NFPA 72 will start at the Fourth Response Fee of the fee schedule.
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Fire Marshal
Physical Address
2801 Oakes Ave
Everett, WA 98201
Phone: 425-257-8120Fax: 425-257-8139Emergency Phone: 911