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Private school certification inspections
King County conducts the health and safety inspections of private and independent K-12 schools as part of the Washington State Board of Education’s approval process. K-12 schools must meet minimum reasonable standards to ensure the health and safety of all students, which are outlined in the Washington State Board of Health's Chapter 246-366 WAC.
Our inspections cover the school buildings, classrooms, portables, and playgrounds These inspections differ from other inspections (such as permitted school kitchens, pools, fire safety, and childcare licensing) that may also be required for your school.
We take a collaborative and educational approach to our inspections and work with schools as partners to promote healthy and safe learning environments for all students.
When do I need an inspection?
In King County, private schools should receive an updated inspection every three (3) years. Although the State Board of Education has an annual approval process for private schools, this does not mean you need an annual inspection.
You may also need an inspection if:
- Your school does not have a record of a past inspection.
- Your school has gone through major renovations (buildings, classrooms, portables, playgrounds) since the last inspection.
- Your school has moved to a new location or building.
We will reach out directly to private/independent schools that do not have a recent health inspection or will need an updated renewal inspection soon. Once they have submitted a request form and paid for the initial fees, we will prioritize them for inspections.
How do I request and receive an inspection?
IMPORTANT NOTE: Currently, you cannot apply for a school inspection in the Public Health Permit Center. Please use the request form below. However, you must still register an account in the Public Health Permit Center to receive the invoice(s) and the inspection report(s).
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Submit a request form
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Create an account
Create an account in the Public Health Permit Center (if you do not already have one). Make sure to use the same email address that you provide in your request form. You do not need to provide a home phone number or home address for registration.
Please do not use this system to request or apply for school inspections. We will handle this setup in the system.
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Pay for the initial base fees in the Public Health Permit Center
After reviewing your request form, we will issue an invoice in the Public Health Permit Center for the base fee. You can pay the invoice via invoice link or send it to another contact to pay using the invoice number.
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Schedule inspection
Once payment is received, our inspector will contact you via email to schedule an inspection date.
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Receive inspection report after paying for additional fees (if any)
After the inspection is completed and all invoices paid, we will email a notification with your approval to all contacts listed on the application. All inspection reports can be found in your account with the Public Health Permit Center. Go to My Work, then My Permits, then select the Permit Number, and view Attachments.
How soon will I get an inspection?
After we have received and received your request form and fee payments have been made, we should be able to schedule and conduct the inspection within 2 to 6 weeks.
What other assistance can Public Health provide to support school environmental health?
We can offer free educational consultation, technical assistance, or respond to complaints related to environmental health and safety in schools. Please contact SchoolEHS@kingcounty.gov or submit a "School Complaint” at King County’s Service Request Access.
Resources
- The Environmental Health & Safety Inspection Checklist (245 KB) covers the state's standards and guidance for health and safety in K-12 schools. Note that some standards may not be applicable for your specific school.
- Washington DOH and OSPI K-12 Health & Safety Guide (2025) covers various environmental health and safety requirements and guidelines for schools.
- Washington State's Chapter 246-366 Primary and Secondary Schools contains the reasonable health and safety standards for K-12 schools. The State Board of Health is currently proposing a new school health and safety rule: 2024-2025 School Rule Review Project, SBOH.
- Washington's WAC 180-90-160 requires that schools must retain documentation of health inspections on file in the school or district administrator's office.
- Washington State Board of Education (SBE) private school approval process.