Bathroom Permits in Unincorporated Clark County, Camas, Battle Ground and Ridgefield

If your home is outside Vancouver city limits, the City of Vancouver is not your permit office. Building and plumbing permits come from your own city, or from Clark County if the house is in unincorporated county, and electrical permits come from Washington L&I. The rules for the same bathroom job differ from one office to the next, so this page sets them side by side as of October 2026. For homes inside the city, see do you need a permit in Vancouver.

Who issues which permit

Vancouver is the only Clark County city on L&I's list of cities that run their own electrical program. Camas puts it plainly: "All electrical permits are issued by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries." Battle Ground and Ridgefield each say "Electrical permits are obtained at Washington State Department of Labor and Industries." For how L&I permits and owner permits work, see electrical permits for a bathroom remodel.

How the rules differ for common bathroom work

The biggest difference is the simple fixture swap. Each office words it differently, and you should not carry one city's answer to another.

Camas's building FAQ has a sentence about mechanical and plumbing permits that appears to read backwards, so we do not quote it. For any bathroom in Camas, call Building at 360-817-1568 or email permits@cityofcamas.us and describe the scope.

Washougal also says "A plumbing permit is required for any installation, alteration, repair, replacement or remodel of any plumbing system", and "A mechanical permit is required to install, alter, repair, replace or remodel". Battle Ground and Ridgefield say "Mechanical and plumbing work also require permits and inspections." Ridgefield adds that "Residential building permits can include trade work such as mechanical and/or plumbing work, (if applicable.)"

Unincorporated Clark County in more detail

The county lists several residential permit types. An "ARS Permit" (Alteration/Repair/Specialty) is for "minor alteration for areas that remain the same use and contain no plumbing or mechanical work." An "ADS Permit" covers additions and remodels such as a garage converted to living space, and the county says plumbing and mechanical permits are included in ADS permits for additions. The county does not say which permit type covers an interior bathroom remodel that changes plumbing but adds no floor area, so ask the Permit Center when you apply.

County plumbing fees, from the plumbing application revised 2 September 2025: issuance $94.00; plumbing fixtures 1 to 5, $192.00, and 6 or more at $35.00 each; alter drainage or water pipe $122.00; alter vent $122.00; water heater $29.00. The county mechanical application lists "Vent fan to single duct $29.00" plus a $94.00 issuance fee. Apply online through the county's permit system at clark.wa.gov/permits.

The Permit Center is at the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, third floor, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with appointments required for in-person service. Inspections are requested by 10 p.m. the day before; the county says "Next day inspections are not guaranteed."

Contractor licensing in the smaller cities

Battle Ground adds a local requirement: "Contractors must have a Battle Ground Business License or Endorsement and specialty licensing through Labor & Industries." State rules on who may do plumbing and electrical work apply everywhere in Washington; see plumbing permits for the plumbing side.

Septic systems and adding a bathroom

If your home is on a septic system, check this early, before you settle on a plan to add a bathroom.

• Clark County Public Health's septic evaluation "determines if the proposed building activity interferes with any existing septic component (tank, drainfield and reserve area), negatively impacts effluent flow (example: increase in no. of bedrooms), or changes the use of the building". The county says it "is required before the building permit can be issued." The Permit Center marks which Public Health services your project needs.
• Further steps may include a "Locate" of all septic components by a certified inspector or installer, and a "Verification" with test holes for a replacement area. Operation and maintenance inspections must be current.
• 2026 Public Health fees (effective 1 January 2026): Septic Release Letter $402; Septic Verification under 1,000 gallons per day $502; Expansion $718.
• State rules size septic systems by bedrooms: a minimum design flow of 120 gallons per bedroom per day (WAC 246-272A-0230). An "expansion", such as going from two to three bedrooms, requires a system and reserve area that meet new construction standards (WAC 246-272A-0290).

Whether adding a bathroom without adding a bedroom always triggers a septic evaluation is not something we could confirm. The county form names bedrooms as its example but also covers work that interferes with any septic component. Ask the Clark County Permit Center and Public Health (septic line 564.397.8428) for your parcel. Inside Vancouver, the city also tells owners on septic or a well to contact Clark County Public Health. More on planning a new bathroom is in adding a bathroom to your home.

Remodeling outside Vancouver with JDI

JDI Construction remodels bathrooms across Clark County and handles the permits with whichever office covers your address. See our local pages for Camas, Battle Ground and Ridgefield bathroom remodeling, or contact us for a free in-home consultation.