Who is responsible for sidewalk repair in Seattle?

In Seattle, the owner of the property next to the sidewalk is responsible for repairing it. You need an SDOT permit before the work starts — and if the damage is caused by City infrastructure, such as a City-owned street tree or sewer line, the City takes on the repair instead.

The rule: the sidewalk in front of you is yours to fix

SDOT’s Sidewalk Repair Program page puts it plainly, and the guide it publishes for property owners names the chapter of the code behind it, SMC Chapter 15.72:

That covers more than cracks. SDOT’s Property Owners’ Responsibilities page says owners maintain “the sidewalk and planting strip, or the roadway shoulder if unimproved.” Its repair guide lists the signs that need action: wide cracks, sections raised by tree roots, missing or broken pieces, and standing water after rain.

If the fix is breaking out and replacing a root-lifted sidewalk panel, SDOT’s guide says you are responsible for the cost, the permits and hiring qualified contractors, and that the finished repair must meet City standards.

When the City pays instead

There is one big exception, and it is the first thing to check before you spend anything. The same SDOT page says:

Two cautions. First, damage caused by other City agencies or public utilities is, in SDOT’s words, “forwarded on to the appropriate agency for repair.” Second, City responsibility does not mean a quick fix. SDOT says it has “a significant backlog of locations” and ranks repairs by factors like arterial streets, transit stops and nearby schools.

To ask SDOT to look at a damaged sidewalk, use the Find It, Fix It app, the online form, or call (206) 684-ROAD (7623). Investigating complaints and deciding who is responsible are both listed among the program’s jobs.

Tree roots: find out whose tree it is first

SDOT’s repair guide says raised or broken sidewalks are often caused by tree roots. Because the City only takes on repairs caused by City infrastructure, such as a City-owned tree, ownership of the tree decides who pays. SDOT’s repair program page says City-planted street trees are typically maintained by SDOT or the Parks Department, while trees planted by residents “with or without a street tree permit are the responsibility of the abutting property owner to maintain to City standards.”

To check, open SDOT’s Seattle Tree Inventory Map. Click a tree and it shows the party responsible for maintenance. The map covers roughly 40,000 inventoried city-maintained trees out of about 130,000 along Seattle streets, and SDOT says it is “for general information purposes only,” so a tree missing from the map is not proof it is yours. Call (206) 684-TREE to confirm.

The root rule matters even when the tree is yours. Before cutting roots, SDOT says you must get an arborist involved:

SDOT’s Street Tree Permits page sets a separate requirement with a slightly different threshold: a Pruning Permit is needed for “branches or roots that are 2 inches or more in diameter.” That permit asks for a pruning plan, a site plan and a Registered Tree Service Provider. SDOT’s repair guide goes further and says to contact an SDOT arborist before starting any work where a street tree caused the damage, so call before anyone cuts.

Which permit you need, and what it costs

SDOT’s repair program page is clear that “the property owner or the contractor must obtain a Permit” before repairing a sidewalk. Its repair guide sets the permit type by the size of the area:

On cost, SDOT’s 2026 Street Use fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026, lists “Sidewalk or Driveway Maintenance or Repair (less than 100 sq. ft.)” under Uses with No Base Permit Fee. That does not guarantee it is free. SDOT says an application may incur its hourly rate for inspection and review, billed separately, and the same schedule sets that 2026 rate at $367 an hour.

For a Maintenance permit, SDOT asks for a Right of Way Impact Plan, plus a Traffic Control Plan if the work affects people using the street or sidewalk. You apply through the Seattle Services Portal. SDOT did not publish a base fee for the larger Construction permit on the pages we checked, so ask (206) 684-5253 before you budget.

The repair process, step by step

Put together from SDOT’s repair guide, its permit pages and Washington State’s contractor rules, this is the order that avoids paying for work the City should have done:

The broken concrete has to go somewhere, too. Seattle’s own transfer stations do not accept it, so it pays to have the job include hauling the old slabs to a recycler. If you are doing the break-out yourself, our guide on which yards around Seattle take broken concrete, and what they charge lists the options.

Sidewalk panel lifted or cracked? Send us the rough size and a couple of photos, and we’ll pass your details to one local concrete removal company that can quote the break-out and haul-away. Get a price range →

What to do next

• Before spending anything, check the tree map and report the damage. If a City tree or sewer line is the cause, the repair is the City’s.
• If it is yours, measure the area. That sets the usual permit, though SDOT says its size guidelines are not fixed and it may require a different permit type.
• If roots are involved, call (206) 684-TREE before anyone cuts.
• If the driveway apron is broken too, it is worth pricing replacing the driveway section at the same time, since it is also work in the right-of-way.

This page quotes the rules; it is not legal advice. Your situation depends on the tree, the pipe and the exact lot line, so confirm yours with SDOT at (206) 684-5253 before work starts. We cover neighborhoods across Seattle and can put you in touch with one local company when you are ready.

The rules above come from the SDOT Sidewalk Repair Program and the other City and state pages listed under sources.