Yes. Get the Permit Before You Install.
2026 fee: 2026 schedule: mechanical permit $54, miscellaneous appliance $24, plan review 65% may apply. Confirm the exact line items with the city. Fee source
Rough total for one appliance: ≈ $78–$129
Rules that apply everywhere in Cowlitz & Clark County:
- Certified only. New or used, the unit needs an EPA certification label and must meet WA limits (2.0 g/hr crib wood / 2.5 g/hr cord wood; 7.5 g/hr for factory fireplaces). No uncertified used stoves. Exceptions: wood cook stoves and pre-1940 antiques. (WAC 51-51-0303, WA Ecology)
- Not the only heat in a new home. Primary heat in new or substantially remodeled homes in urban growth areas can't depend on a wood stove (WAC 51-51-0303, R303.10.2).
- Manufactured / mobile homes: WA L&I issues the permit and inspects. The stove must be listed for manufactured homes, and listed CO alarms are required. (L&I)
- Pellet stove circuit: a new outlet or circuit needs a separate electrical permit: from the City of Vancouver inside Vancouver city limits, from WA L&I everywhere else in Cowlitz and Clark County. (L&I city list)
- Clearances: follow the listing and manual. Unlisted generic clearances (Clark County handout) are 36" above, 36" to the sides and rear, and 18" for the connector. Hearth extension 16" in front and 8" to the sides. Sheetrock is not a heat shield. (Clark County)
- Selling a house: you don't have to remove an uncertified stove, but you can't sell the stove by itself.
- Insurance: Battle Ground warns that an unpermitted install "may invalidate your fire insurance policy." Tell your insurer about the new stove.
- Burn bans (SWCAA): Stage 1 allows only certified stoves and pellet stoves. Stage 2 allows no burning. Both apply unless the stove is your only adequate heat source. (WAC 173-433-150, current bans)
- Grants: SWCAA has offered $500 to remove an old uncertified stove and up to $8,000 to replace one. Check that the program is still funded first. (SWCAA)
Frequently Asked Questions (Camas, WA)
1. Do I need a permit to install a wood stove or fireplace insert in Camas, WA?
Yes. City of Camas requires a permit to install a wood stove, insert, pellet stove, or factory-built fireplace. Mechanical permit. The city's FAQ lists fireplace inserts as a "maybe", so call first. The Southwest Clean Air Agency says permits are required for all solid-fuel appliance installs in Clark and Cowlitz County. Manufactured and mobile homes get the permit from WA L&I instead.
2. How much is a wood stove permit in Camas, WA?
2026 schedule: mechanical permit $54, miscellaneous appliance $24, plan review 65% may apply. Confirm the exact line items with the city. Rough total for one appliance: ≈ $78–$129. Fees change. Confirm with Camas Building Division at (360) 817-1568 · permits@cityofcamas.us.
3. Can I install a used wood stove in Camas, WA?
Only if it has an EPA certification label and meets Washington standards. WAC 51-51-0303 (R303.10.3), SWCAA, and WA Ecology all prohibit installing an uncertified used stove. Exceptions: wood cook stoves and antique heaters made before 1940.
4. Do I have to remove an uncertified wood stove when I sell my house in Washington?
No. WA Ecology says you don't have to remove an uncertified stove when buying or selling a house. Selling or giving away the uncertified stove by itself is illegal.
5. Can I use my wood stove during a burn ban in Camas, WA?
Stage 1: only certified wood stoves and pellet stoves may be used. Stage 2: no solid-fuel burning at all. Both apply unless the stove is your only adequate heat source (WAC 173-433-150). Check SWCAA at 360-574-3058 or swcleanair.gov.