How Do I Apply for a Construction or Storage Container Permit?

Instructions for Applying for a Construction or Storage Container Permit

Follow these steps to apply for a Construction or Storage Container permit using the Seattle Services Portal. This process helps ensure that your application for a storage container impacts to the public meets Street Use's requirements for uses of the right-of-way (ROW) with minimal impacts to the traveling public and existing infrastructure.

Not sure what kind of SDOT permit you need? Refer to the SDOT web site for more information.

For information on the permit process for a Construction and Storage Container permit, refer to SDOT’s Storage Container and Residential Dumpster Permits page.

What You'll Need to Start Your Application

Before you start, gather these documents. Most are available on the Street Use Permitting Checklists, Forms, and Templates page.

• Letter of Authorization: A signed document that gives permission from the property owner to another party (like the Applicant) to manage the permit or pay the fees (like the Financially Responsible Party).
• ROW Impact Plan (Tip: You can use a Site Plan template): A Right-of-Way Impact Plan (ROWIP) shows all temporary construction-related uses in the right-of-way. We use the ROWIP to understand how the right-of-way will function during container storage and identify safety, mobility, access, and container storage conflict issues that need to be addressed.
• Client Assistance Memo 2116 has the general requirements.
• Traffic Control Plan: A Traffic Control Plan (TCP) is a safety plan that illustrates how you will use temporary traffic control to safely route the traveling public - such as pedestrians, bicycles, motorized vehicles, and transit - around your storage container zone. It is typically not required for moves but may be required for construction purposes.
• Any additional documents specific to your project. A reviewer will notify you if additional materials are needed. 

What You Need to Know About Construction Pauses That May Affect Your Project

Your project may be required to pause and restore the site if it meets both the location and date conditions listed below.

FIFA World Cup Construction Pause (Summer 2026)

Your project will be paused if:

• It is located in a construction pause zone (shown with colored lines on the SDOT Construction Moratorium Map) AND
• Work in the right-of-way occurs between June 8 and July 13, 2026

For more information or to request an exception, see:

 Keeping Seattle Moving: Your Guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Construction Pause.

Lunar New Year Construction Pause

Your project will be paused if:

• It is in the Chinatown-International District moratorium zone AND
• Work in the right-of-way occurs 3 weeks before through 3 weeks after Lunar New Year

For more information or to request an exception, see:

Applicant Guide 1010: Holiday Construction Pause (Construction Moratorium).

Holiday Construction Pause

Your project will be paused if:

• It is in the Downtown Retail Core (including Pioneer Square) moratorium zone AND
• Work in the right-of-way occurs between Thanksgiving Day and January 1

For more information or to request an exception, see:

Applicant Guide 1010: Holiday Construction Pause (Construction Moratorium).

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Log in or Register

1. Go to the Seattle Services Portal.
2. Log in:
   • If you already have an account, log in with your credentials.
   • If you don’t have an account, register for a new account before proceeding.

Step 2: Start Your Application

1. Click on the Home tab in the portal.
2. Under Create New, click Permits – Street Use.
3. Expand the ROW Construction section by clicking on it.
4. Click ROW Maintenance Permit.

Step 3: Provide Your Project Location

1. On the Location Information page, enter your project address. For best results, only enter the Street No. and Street Name when searching.
   • Street No. (required): Enter the house or building number.
   • Street Name (required): Enter the name of the road. For a numbered street, such as 700 5th Ave, only enter "5".
2. Click Search. If prompted, select the correct address or parcel number and click Select.
3. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 4: Provide Contact Information

On the Contacts page, provide contact details for:

• Applicant: You, the person filling out this application.
• Owner: The person or company owning the property or business for which the construction or storage container is needed, often the same as the Applicant.
• Financially Responsible Party: The person or organization in charge of paying any permit fees.
• Onsite Contact: The person available if we need to speak with somebody onsite.
• Optionally, add additional contacts like an Authorized Agent in the Additional Contacts section.

1. To add a contact:

   • Click Myself to auto-populate the contact information from your Seattle Services Portal user account. 
   • Click Someone Else to find an existing contact. If the person or organization isn’t found, click the “Person or organization not listed? Add them here." link.

   Note: If the Applicant or Financially Responsible Party is different from the Owner, a Letter of Authorization will be required later.

2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 5: Provide Your Project Details

1. On the Project Information page, fill in:
   • Project Name: Enter a short title for the project. This name appears on your invoice if you are billed.
   • Project Description (required): Describe the placement of the construction or storage container(s). The screen displays some guidance about the kind of information to provide.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 6: Provide Related Information

1. Optionally, use this section to provide additional information, if applicable. You may skip this section.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 7: Provide Project Use Information

1. On the Use Information page, scroll down and click Add a Row.
2. A pop-up window prompts you to provide container related information. Fill in the fields. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. Click on a blue circle with a question mark for help.
   • Use Type (required): Select Dumpster/Storage Container.
   • Space (required): Defaults to A. The Space is an informational designation for an area in the right-of-way. You may leave the default value. Note: If you add another use row for the same Use Type, then optionally update Space to B, and so on.
   • Rate Start Day (required): Defaults to 1. You may leave the default value.
   • Use Start Date (required): Select the date you wish to place your container in the right of way.
   • Duration (Calendar Days) (required): Enter the number of calendar days that your container will remain in the right of way.
   • Exp Date (read only): Auto populates based on Use Start Date and Duration. It may not appear until the review step if you tab out of the field.
   • Side of Street (required): Select side of street where container(s) will be placed. If the containers are on more than one street frontage, you will be able to create another use row later in the process.
   • Work Days (required): Defaults to Every Day. Select from dropdown if not every day.
   • Use Area (required): Enter the estimated right-of-way space required for the use, in square feet. If you have more than one container on the same frontage, include the space between the containers in the square feet estimate.
   • Sidewalk Impact (required): Concrete sidewalk or asphalt pathway. Defaults to None. If your container will block the sidewalk, select a value from the dropdown.
   • Bike Lane Impact (required): 24/7 dedicated bike lane. Defaults to None. If your container will block the bike lane, select a value from the dropdown.
   • Travel Lane(s) Impact (required): General purpose travel lanes. Defaults to None. If your container will block the travel lane(s), select a value from the dropdown.
   • Transit Lane Impact (required): 24 hour dedicated bus or other transit lanes. Defaults to None. If your container will block the transit lane, select a value from the dropdown.
   • Parking Lane Impact (required): Paid or unpaid parking lanes or spaces. Defaults to None. If your container will block the parking lane, select a value from the dropdown.

   • Other ROW Impact (required): Alley, gravel shoulder, planting strip, etc. Defaults to No. If your container will block other right-of-way, select Yes.

     Tip: If you are unsure about the impact, pick what seems the most accurate and we will confirm it during review. Be sure to describe your plans in detail in the Project and Location Description in Step 5: Provide Your Project Details above.

   • Do you need to request a Construction Pause Exception for this Use (conditionally required)
     • If you will continue your work during the pause, select "Yes." 
       Note: We may deny your request.
     • If you will stop all work during the pause, select "No."
   • Working Hours (start time/end time) (conditionally required)
     • If you selected "Yes" to request an exception, enter your actual working hours.
       For example: "8:00 AM - 5:00 PM." 
     • If you selected "No," enter "N/A."
3. Click Submit.
4. The pop-up form closes, and you are returned to the Use Details section. The information you just added is visible.
5. If you have containers on more than one street frontage, repeat the steps.
6. Once all the information is added for all street frontages, click Continue to proceed.

Step 8: Provide Construction Pause Request Information

1. If you requested a construction pause exception, a Construction Pause Exception page displays.
2. Fill in the fields. All fields are required.
   • Please explain why your work needs to take place during the Construction Pause - Enter the reason why your dates cannot be adjusted or your work paused.
   • Is this work already in progress or new work
     • Select "Continuation" if your work is already in progress and continuing into the pause. 
     • Select "New Work" if your work will start during the pause.
3. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 9: Attach Required Documents

On the Attachments page, some required documents are listed. Some documents are required at application, and some are required later during the review process. 

1. To attach a document, click Select under the Upload Documents section.
2. Select your document:
   1. Click Select in the File Upload popup.
   2. Select your document and click Open.
   3. Click Done in the File Upload popup.
3. Select the document type:
   1. In the Document Type dropdown, select the document type that matches the document you uploaded. For example, select "Right of Way Impact Plan" as your document type when uploading the matching document.
   2. Optionally, enter the Description of the document.
4. Click Save and wait for the upload to complete. Note: It may take a few minutes for your document to fully upload.
5. Repeat steps for each additional document required. When prompted, select the document type that matches the document you are uploading.
6. Click Continue to proceed.
   • If you see a red Attention message, that means you either have not selected the correct Document Type, and/or have missed a required document.
   • If a document is missing, go back to step 1 in this section and upload the missing document.
   • If you selected the wrong Document Type on a document that you have already saved, upload the document again and pick the Document Type that matches the Condition in the Attention message. You may also add a description explaining that you are uploading the document a second time with the correct Document Type.

Step 10: Review and Submit

1. On the Review page:
   • Verify that all information is correct.
   • Make edits as needed by clicking Edit in the relevant sections.
2. Scroll to the bottom. Agree to the certification statement by checking the box.
3. Click Continue to submit.

Step 11: Confirmation Displays

A Thank You page displays along with your application’s Record Number.

• Your record number has a format of SUMAINT0000000.
• Keep this number for future reference.

Congratulations! Your application has been submitted for review. The Street Use team will contact you if additional information is required. For questions or updates, email [e-mail] and include your Record Number in the subject line.

You can log into the Seattle Services Portal at any time to track the status of your application.

Need Help?

Visit the Seattle Services Portal Help Center, email [e-mail], or call [phone].