Seattle’s Records Vault Closes Dec. 15: Get Your Side Sewer Card, Then Scope the Line
October 29th, 2026
Seattle Sewer & Utility News
Seattle, WA · October 29, 2026
By The Drain Authority · Reviewed by Shane Caldwell, Owner & Lead Drain Technician · WA Contractor Reg. #DRAINDA756MA
Seattle Public Utilities announced Thursday that its Engineering Records Vault, the archive behind decades of city sewer and street records, will close from December 15, 2026 through August 1, 2027. If you are buying a house, planning sewer work or chasing a recurring backup, the record most homeowners need, the side sewer card, is already online. What the card can’t tell you is the bigger story.
The short answer
Can I still get my side sewer card in Seattle?
Yes. SPU lists side sewer cards among the Vault’s digitized records, and the city’s free Side Sewer Cards and Map tool finds them by address. The closure mostly slows requests for records that have not been scanned yet. A card shows where the pipe was permitted to run, not what shape it’s in now. A sewer camera inspection shows that.
Dec. 15
Vault closes to visitors and most requests
Aug. 1, 2027
Planned reopening after renovation
47th floor
Seattle Municipal Tower, where the Vault sits
2 days
SPU’s turnaround for a free SeaDIR records license
What SPU announced
In an October 29 post, SPU said the Vault will be closed while it is renovated and that staff “will not have consistent access to all collections while work is underway.” SPU will coordinate with contractors to pull un-digitized engineering records as needed, but warns that “turnaround times may be considerable.” When it can, SPU will send scans from microfiche or microfilm instead.
SPU’s advice is short: plan ahead. “If you know you will need a record for a project in 2027, ask before December 15.” Requests go to SeaDIRSupport@seattle.gov.
Now to Dec. 14, 2026
Request any paper-only record you’ll need in 2027. Pull your side sewer card online and save a copy.
Dec. 15, 2026
Vault closes for renovation. Staff access to collections becomes inconsistent.
Closure period
Un-digitized records are retrieved case by case. Scans from microfiche or microfilm are sent when available.
Aug. 1, 2027
Planned reopening, per SPU.
Where your Seattle side sewer card lives, and what is already online
The Records Vault page lists what has been scanned into Seattle Digital Infrastructure Records (SeaDIR). Side sewer cards are on that digital list, along with water tap cards, street improvement plans and historic sewer and drainage maps. For a single house, the faster route is the city’s Side Sewer Cards and Map tool, which returns lateral maps, aerial photos and the card for a parcel inside Seattle city limits.
Record
Online now?
What the closure means
Side sewer card
Yes: Side Sewer Cards and Map tool and SeaDIR
Little change for most homeowners
Water tap card
Yes: SeaDIR
Little change
Historic sewer and drainage maps
Yes: SeaDIR (free license)
Little change
Inspector notebooks, field books
No: paper only
Slow or delayed until reopening
Geotechnical, slide and soil boring reports
No: paper only
Slow or delayed until reopening
City aerial photos, 1929 to 1993
No: physical holdings
Slow or delayed until reopening
Source: SPU Records Vault digital and physical holdings inventory. Some digitized records tied to critical infrastructure need extra permission in SeaDIR.
How to pull your Seattle side sewer card in five minutes
SPU’s tip: you only need the street number and name. “600 Pine” returns both 600 Pine St. and 600 E Pine St., so pick the right one.
03
Download the card and the lateral map
Save both. The card is a scan of the original permit drawing, often hand-drawn.
04
Look for a shared line or easement number
SPU says an easement recording number may appear on the front or back of the card. Shared side sewers mean shared repair responsibility from the point where the pipes join.
05
Missing or unreadable? Ask now
Email SeaDIRSupport@seattle.gov before December 15. During the closure, answers on paper-only records may take much longer.
What the card tells you, and what it can’t
A drawing
Side sewer card
Route from the house to the public main, as permitted
Where the line connects at the street
Sometimes: a shared side sewer and an easement number
Permit-era details that hint at the pipe’s age
A condition report
Sewer camera inspection
Roots at joints and cracks
Offset joints, sags and bellies
Grease and debris buildup, by percent of the pipe
Cracks, holes and exposed aggregate in concrete pipe
Footage and distances you can keep
The angle most coverage will miss: a card is a permit drawing, not a condition report
The Vault closure reads like a notice for engineers and planners. In practice, the people who look up side sewer cards most are homeowners and buyers. Seattle-area searches for “side sewer card Seattle” run about 320 a month in Google Ads keyword data we pulled this week, far more than searches for sewer inspections themselves.
That gap is the risk. A card can be accurate about the route and still say nothing about the roots in the joint at 40 feet. SPU’s own guidance treats the card as step one (“know where it is”) and the camera as step three (“get it inspected”), and it adds a line every buyer should read twice: have the side sewer inspected before you purchase a property.
If you own the house, you own the pipe. SPU says the side sewer belongs to the property owner all the way to the public main, including roots up to and within that connection.
A card shows where the pipe was permitted to run. What happened to it underground since then only shows up on camera. Photo: Unsplash.
SPU’s inspection schedule, in one chart
SPU publishes how often a side sewer should be scoped, and how the answer changes once a camera finds a defect. Here it is as the longest interval SPU gives for each case:
How often SPU says to camera your side sewer
Longest recommended interval, in years. Shorter bars mean scope it sooner.
No known problems8 to 10 yrs
Moderate sag (25% to 50% of pipe)2 to 5 yrs
Large trees or shrubs near the line2 to 3 yrs
Moderate crack or fracture1 to 2 yrs
Severe roots (50%+ of pipe) plus cleaning1 to 2 yrs
Sources: SPU, Taking Care of Your Sewer Pipe and Side Sewer Defects & Issues.
What a scope and cleaning cost
Service
SPU homeowner guide
The Drain Authority (Seattle, 2026)
Sewer camera inspection
$230 to $845, depending on condition
$300 to $500
Routine side sewer cleaning
Generally under $1,500; no city permit needed
Main line cable cleaning $450 to $900
Hydro jetting
Not listed
Typical residential $700 to $1,400
Trenchless repair (relining, bursting)
$100 to $170 per foot
Not offered: we inspect and clean, then refer repairs
The Drain Authority’s published 2026 Seattle ranges for standard business-hour service. Access, line length, pipe condition and after-hours timing move the number. Diagnosis trip: $0.
Own the whole line
In Seattle, “if you own your home or building, you own your side sewer to the public sewer main.” That includes clearing roots up to and inside the connection at the main. See SPU: Your Side Sewer.
Can I still get my Seattle side sewer card while the Records Vault is closed?
Yes. SPU lists side sewer cards among the Vault’s digitized holdings, and the city’s free Side Sewer Cards and Map tool searches by street number and name. The December 15, 2026 to August 1, 2027 closure mainly slows requests for records that have not been scanned.
When does the SPU Records Vault close and reopen?
SPU says the Engineering Records Vault on the 47th floor of the Seattle Municipal Tower will be closed from December 15, 2026 through August 1, 2027 for renovations. SPU’s advice is to request any record you need for a 2027 project before December 15.
Does a side sewer card show the condition of my sewer line?
No. A side sewer card shows the permitted route, the connection to the public main and, sometimes, shared lines and an easement number. It does not show roots, cracks, sags, offset joints or grease. Only a sewer camera inspection shows the pipe’s condition today.
How often should I get my side sewer inspected in Seattle?
SPU recommends inspecting your side sewer at least every 8 to 10 years, and at least every 2 to 3 years if large trees or shrubs grow near it. SPU also says to have the side sewer inspected before you buy a property.
How much does a sewer camera inspection cost in Seattle?
SPU’s homeowner guide says a sewer video inspection generally costs $230 to $845 depending on the pipe’s condition. The Drain Authority’s published 2026 Seattle range for a sewer camera inspection is $300 to $500.
The Drain Authority is a drain cleaning, sewer camera inspection and hydro jetting company serving King and Snohomish counties from Ballard. Photos via Unsplash as credited. Search volume is Google Ads data for the Seattle-Tacoma market, retrieved October 29, 2026.
