Sacramento building permits
Building permits in Sacramento are issued by the City of Sacramento Community Development Department, Building Division1. You can apply and request inspections online through aca-prod.accela.com2.
On this page
- Building department contacts
- Building codes in force in Sacramento
- Sacramento building permit fees
- How to get a building permit in Sacramento
- Permit expiration and extensions
- Inspections in Sacramento
- Building without a permit in Sacramento
- Doing the work yourself (owner-builder)
- California rules that also apply in Sacramento
- Sources
Building department contacts
City of Sacramento Community Development Department, Building Division1
Building permits
- Website
- cityofsacramento.gov1
- Apply online
- aca-prod.accela.com2
- Phone
- (916) 808-53183
- [email protected]2
- Address
- 300 Richards Blvd, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 958114
- Inspections
- Online via Public Permit Portal or by phone (916) 808-7622 (IVRS), 24 hours a day5
City of Sacramento Community Development Department, Planning Division6
Zoning and planning
- [email protected]6
City of Sacramento Department of Public Works, Development Engineering8
Public works and right-of-way
- [email protected]7
City of Sacramento floodplain management (contact [email protected])1
Floodplain
- [email protected]1
City of Sacramento Community Development Department, Code Compliance Division3
Code enforcement
- Apply online
- citizenserve.com4
To look up permits already issued for an address (useful before you buy, or to check a contractor's work), use the city's official permit search: aca-prod.accela.com4.
Building codes in force in Sacramento
These are the model codes Sacramento enforces, with the edition and the date it took effect. Plans are reviewed and work is inspected against them. For the state framework, see California building codes.
| Code | Title as adopted | Model edition | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Building Code (IBC) | California Building Code, 2025 Edition9 | 20249 | 9 |
| International Residential Code (IRC) | California Residential Code, 2025 Edition9 | 20249 | 9 |
| National Electrical Code (NEC) | California Electrical Code, 2025 Edition9 | 20239 | 9 |
| Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) | California Mechanical Code, 2025 Edition9 | 20249 | 9 |
| Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) | California Plumbing Code, 2025 Edition9 | 20249 | 9 |
| International Existing Building Code (IEBC) | California Existing Building Code, 2025 Edition9 | 20249 | 9 |
| Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) | California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, 2025 Edition9 | 202410 | 9 |
| State code | California Energy Code, 2025 Edition9 | – | 9 |
| State code | California Green Building Standards Code, 2025 Edition9 | – | 9 |
| State code | California Historical Building Code, 2025 Edition9 | – | 9 |
| State code | California Referenced Standards Code, 2025 Edition9 | – | 9 |
Adopted by: Sacramento City Council, Ordinance 2025-0031 (adopted December 2, 2025)9.
Sacramento building permit fees
Fees come from the City of Sacramento Fees and Charges database (Building Permit Fees) with Building Division Fee Detail Tables A, B.1 and B11, effective 12.
How valuation is set. Valuation determined by the Chief Building Official13.
Each line is worded as in Sacramento’s schedule; formulas are not added up into a total (how permit fees work).
| Fee | Type | As the schedule states it |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee (calculation methods) | Based on project valuation | This fee can be calculated in three possible ways. They are as follows; by project valuation (See Table A, Commercial and Residential), by billing hourly for staff hours expended during field inspection, or as a flat fee (see Table B.1).13 |
| Building Permit Fee, Table A, valuation $999 or less | Based on project valuation | $999 $75 $7512 |
| Building Permit Fee, Table A, valuation $100,000 to $2,999,999.99 | Based on project valuation | $2,999,999.99 $1078 + $0.006787 each $1 > $100,000 $1078 + $0.006787 each $1 > $100,00012 |
| Plan Review Fee - Building Division | Plan review | The first and most common method utilizes the estimated value of the project and the Plan Review Fee Schedule (Table B, see attached) to calculate the Plan Review Fee.13 |
| Plan Review Fee, Table B, valuation $999 or less | Plan review | $999 $29 $3214 |
| Bathroom Remodel Non-Structural (flat building permit fee) | Flat fee | Bathroom Remodel Non-Structural $320 N/A12 |
| Kitchen Remodel Non-Structural (flat building permit fee) | Flat fee | Kitchen Remodel Non-Structural $425 N/A12 |
| Site Built Patio cover (building permit fee / plan review fee) | Flat fee | Site Built Patio cover $288 $16412 |
| Pre-Engineered Patio Cover (flat building permit fee) | Flat fee | Pre-Engineered Patio Cover $250 N/A12 |
| HVAC Cut-in or change-out (flat building permit fee) | Flat fee | HVAC Cut-in or change-out $175 N/A12 |
| Residential Minor Electrical Work (flat building permit fee) | Flat fee | Wiring of new branch circuit $105 N/A12 |
| Re-Roof (flat building permit fee) | Flat fee | Re-Roof $175 N/A12 |
| Water heater (new installation, replacement or move) (flat building permit fee) | Flat fee | Water heater (new installation, replacement or move) $75 N/A12 |
| Wrecking Permit (residential, flat building permit fee) | Flat fee | Wrecking Permit $175 N/A Total removal of a residential structure12 |
| Staff Hourly Rate - Building Division | Flat fee | This rate is relevant to all divisional fees which are charged in increments of Staff Hourly Rate. Fee Amount: $21613 |
| Plan Review - Expedited Fee | Expedited review | 50% of the Plan Review fee plus the regular Plan Review fee; for projects paying plan review hourly this can make this fee difficult to calculate until review and approval is complete.13 |
| Emergency Inspection Fee (Building) | After-hours inspection | Staff hourly rate with a minimum of two hours at 1.5 times the staff hourly rate (minimum of $648).13 |
| Reinspection Fee (Building) | Re-inspection | Staff hourly rate with a minimum of one hour.13 |
| Permit Renewal Fee (Building) | Flat fee | $216/hour, minimum three hours13 |
| Permit Extension Fee | Flat fee | The Permit Extension Fee is $216 per hour with a minimum of 1.5 hours or $324.13 |
| Estimating Fee | Flat fee | $216 for projects with a valuation under $1 million and $648 for projects with a valuation of $1 million and more.13 |
| Strong Motion and Instrumentation Fee (SMI) | State surcharge | Group R occupancies of one to three stories in height, except hotels and motels, pay $0.00013 x the project's valuation.13 |
| City Business Operations Tax | – | $0.40 per $1,000 of project valuation (Maximum limit of $5,000.00 per calendar year per contractor).13 |
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (Building) | Flat fee | Fee Name: Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (Building) Description (Short): Granted by the Building Official (or designee) and allows for the conditional approval and move-in of merchandize/supplies and/or personnel. Fee Amount: $54013 |
How to get a building permit in Sacramento
- Check whether the project needs a permit6
- Plan review (where plans are required)7
- Submit plan review applications online (paper plans not accepted)3
- Pay all fees before issuance9
- Inspections before work is covered16
- Final acceptance by city inspection staff16
- Apply online
- Yes15
- Over-the-counter permits
- Minor permits (no plans): water heaters, residential HVAC (1-2 family), re-roofs, residential minor electrical and plumbing, non-structural kitchen/bath remodels2
- Posting the permit
- Keep the permit and City-approved plans on site16
Permit expiration and extensions
- How long a permit lasts
- 180 days17
- Extensions
- Renewed building permits may be extended up to 180 days; applications up to 90 days13
Inspections in Sacramento
Sacramento’s inspection stages, in order. Do not cover work until the stage has passed (how inspections work).
- Foundation (slab on grade or raised floor)17
- Shear and Roof-ply Nail17
- Framing (above floor)17
- Insulation17
- Final17
- Virtual inspection (required for residential web permits: Minor HVAC, Minor Water Heater, Solar/PV, EV Chargers)16
- How to schedule
- Requests before 6:00 p.m. scheduled next work day; online, virtual, or IVR (916) 808-76225
- Re-inspection fee
- Staff hourly rate with a minimum of one hour.13
- After the final inspection
- No certificate of occupancy for residential structures; C of O for commercial work17
Building without a permit in Sacramento
| Consequence | Applies to | As the city states it |
|---|---|---|
| Higher permit fee | Work for which a building permit is required started without first obtaining a permit13 | 3X the building permit fee (when the building permit fee is under $250), plus the standard fee13 |
| Civil penalty | Work for which a building permit is required started without first obtaining a permit13 | $500 penalty fee (when the building permit fee is over $250), plus the standard fee13 |
For how unpermitted work is usually legalized, see how to legalize unpermitted work.
Doing the work yourself (owner-builder)
- Homeowner may pull a building permit
- Yes18
- Sale or rental limits
- Owner-builders may not build single-family structures with intent to sell unless all work by licensed subcontractors (max 4 per calendar year) or under a licensed general building contractor19
- Affidavit or declaration
- Yes19
California's statewide owner-builder and licensing rules are on the California permit guide.
California rules that also apply in Sacramento
- Deadlines for permit decisions and inspections in California
- Contractor licensing in California
- Selling a home with unpermitted work in California
- Private plan review and inspections in California
Sources
- Building DivisionCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Minor PermitsCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Public Counter Information & AppointmentsCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- FAQs (Permit Services)City of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Schedule an InspectionCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Required Building PermitsCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Plan ReviewCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Building Division ContactsCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 6, 2026
- Ordinance 2025-0031 (Title 15 local amendments, 2025 California Building Standards Code)City of Sacramento, City Council (Ordinance 2025-0031)Adopted December 2, 2025Checked November 7, 2026
- Guide to Title 24, 6th EditionCalifornia Department of General Services, Building Standards CommissionPublished July 2025Checked November 7, 2026
- Building FeesCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Building Division Fee Detail: Table A (valuation) and Table B.1 (flat fee building permits)City of Sacramento (Fees and Charges database, Community Development Department)Revised July 19, 2025Checked November 7, 2026
- City of Sacramento Fees and Charges database: Building Permit FeesCity of Sacramento (Fees and Charges database, Community Development Department)Last updated November 1, 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Table B Plan Review Fee Schedule (based on valuation)City of Sacramento (Fees and Charges database, Community Development Department)Effective July 1, 2016Checked November 7, 2026
- Permit ServicesCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Building InspectionsCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Inspections FAQsCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- Who May Apply for a Building PermitCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
- CDD-0220 Information for Owner-Builders / Owner-Builder Acknowledgment formCity of Sacramento, Community Development Department, Building DivisionRevised December 9, 2025Checked November 7, 2026