Before you break ground in Santa Clara County, California, you’ll probably need to pull the right permit. From a small residential remodel to new construction or an HVAC upgrade, this guide gives you a practical roadmap of when you need a permit, average permit fees, and which offices to reach out to so you can avoid delays and stay compliant.
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Who issues permits in Santa Clara County?
The Santa Clara County Building Department handles permits for unincorporated areas (e.g., San Martin, Stanford Land). If your project is within a city like San Jose, Palo Alto, or Santa Clara, you’ll need to apply through that city’s permit portal.
This guide focuses on permits issued by Santa Clara County’s Planning & Development Office.
What requires a building permit in Santa Clara County?
In Santa Clara County, you must get a building permit before you do any of the following:
- Construct: Build any new building or structure
- Enlarge / add on: Room additions, second stories, new garages, larger decks, etc
- Alter: Remodels that change walls, openings, structure, or systems
- Move: Relocate an existing structure on or to a new site
- Replace / repair / improve: Significant repairs or replacements (roof structure, structural members, major rebuilds)
- Convert: Change from one use to another (e.g., garage → living space, barn → ADU)
- Demolish: Partial or total demolition of a building or structure
- Change occupancy: E.g., residential → commercial or storage → office
- All retaining walls supporting a surcharge (road, structure, hillside, etc.) need a permit, regardless of height
What doesn’t require a permit in Santa Clara County?
Santa Clara County gives examples and then points you to CRC R105 and CBC 105 for the full list.
- Small accessory structures: One-story detached accessory buildings (sheds, playhouses, similar) with floor area <120 sq ft
- Fences: Fences not over 7 ft high
- Low retaining walls: Retaining walls <4 ft high (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall) that do not support a surcharge
- Small water tanks on grade: Capacity <5,000 gallons and height-to-width ratio <2:1
- Sidewalks and driveways: Private sidewalks and driveways (encroachment permits may still be needed in the public right-of-way)
- Cosmetic interior finish work: Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work
- Very shallow prefab pools: Prefabricated pools <24" deep
- Play equipment: Swings and other playground equipment
- Small window awnings: Supported by an exterior wall, projecting <54" and not needing extra supports
- Low, small decks: Decks <200 sq ft, <30" above grade, not attached to a dwelling, and not serving the required exit door
Santa Clara County building permit fees
Permit fees are calculated using the valuation-based fee table, which considers labor and materials cost. Other variables include plan check, inspection, technology surcharges, and impact fees.
Residential building fees
To get more information on valuation fees and other type-related fees, refer to the building fee schedule and building fee valuation table.
Santa Clara County trade permits
Plumbing permits
Required for any new or modified drainage, venting, water, or gas piping systems.
Plumbing as part of a building permit
Plumbing system-only permits
Electrical permits
Covers panel changes, new circuits, service upgrades, or EV charger installs.
Electrical as part of a building permit
Electrical system-only permits
HVAC permits
Applies to mechanical installations, change-outs, or ductwork modifications.
Mechanical as part of a building permit
Mechanical system-only permits
How long do building permits last in Santa Clara County?
Most permits are valid for 1 year from the issue date. Construction must begin before expiration. You may request an extension for active projects (typically 6–12 months).
Inactive or expired permits may require resubmittal and re-review.
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How to get a building permit in Santa Clara County
Step 1: Prepare your documents
Before you submit, gather the information the County specifically asks for:
- Completed Development Services Intake Form (not just a generic “building permit application”)
- Site plan with parcel outline, setbacks, access, parking, sewer/septic, nearest hydrant, etc
- Architectural & structural plans (floor plans, elevations, sections, framing, roof plan, construction details)
- Structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and Title 24 energy calculations, as applicable (CF-1R/ENV-1, CALGreen checklist, etc.)
- Geotechnical report for new structures or additions >1,200 sq ft (unless exempt per Office Policy B-001)
- Contractor / design professional credentials: Stamped/signed plans by licensed engineer/architect; contractor license and insurance where required
- Valuation (estimated construction cost): Used to calculate building, plan check, and impact fees
Step 2: Submit your Santa Clara County building permit application
Santa Clara County uses the Public Permit Portal (Accela Citizen Access) for development permits.
You will:
- Create a Public Permit Portal account (free)
- Complete the Development Services Intake Form and upload it
- Upload your plans and documents as PDFs that meet the Digital Submittal Requirements:
- PDF only, grayscale, 300 dpi, max 100 MB per file, flattened (no layers), consistent naming
- Follow the County’s file naming conventions and separate plans by discipline (architectural, structural, civil, landscape)
After you submit, a permit technician verifies completeness and creates a permit application number, and you’ll get an invoice link for initial fees.
Step 3: Plan review process
Once accepted, your application is routed internally:
- Building Division: Checks compliance with California Title 24 codes and county amendments
- Planning: Verifies zoning, setbacks, General Plan consistency, and any special overlay/design districts
- Fire Marshal, Land Development Engineering, Environmental Health, and other agencies may also review for things like fire access, grading, stormwater, wells/septic, and habitat
The County’s FAQ says that normal processing takes four to six weeks, depending on workload and project complexity.
Step 4: Pay remaining fees and receive your permit
When all reviews are approved:
- Staff will finalize fees based on valuation, size, and use (building, inspection, SMIP, possible encroachment, geologic, septic, etc.)
- You will have to pay any remaining building permit fees through the Public Permit Portal or at the Permit Center
- The County will then issue:
- Your Building Permit (development permit record), and
- Any associated trade permits (plumbing, mechanical, electrical) if they’re being pulled at the same time
You’ll receive digital permit documents and must print/post the permit card on site.
Step 5: Start construction and schedule inspections
After permit issuance, you can start work as shown on the approved plans.
Inspections are required for all permitted work and are normally next-day if requested before 3 p.m. on a regular workday (you can schedule up to 5 days in advance).
You can schedule inspections in one of three ways:
- VuSpex GO mobile inspection app (recommended)
- Public Permit Portal (Accela)
- Inspection request phone line: (408) 299-5700
Have ready:
- Permit number
- Inspection code(s) you’re requesting
- Contact person’s name and phone number
Typical sequence:
- Foundation/footings (after forms and rebar installed, before pour)
- Underground utilities (electrical, plumbing, etc.)
- Rough framing, rough MEP (before insulation/drywall)
- Insulation & lath
- Final inspections (building + all related trade permits)
Many inspections (simple reroofs, water heaters, small remodels, etc.) may be done virtually at the inspector’s discretion.
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Santa Clara County permitting resources
- Santa Clara County Planning & Development – Building Division
- Address: 70 West Hedding Street, East Wing, 7th Floor, San Jose, CA 95110
- Phone number: (408) 299-5700
- Fax: (408) 289-9198
- Email: e-permits@pln.sccgov.org
- Santa Clara County permit search page
- Access Public Portal
- Schedule an inspection
- Apply for a building permit
- Development services intake form
- Digital submittal requirements
- Naming conventions
- Green building requirements
- Erosion control checklist
- Fees:
- Mechanical, plumbing, electrical worksheet
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Permitting in Santa Clara County means navigating multiple, independent systems across Silicon Valley. San Jose operates one process, while cities like Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale each enforce their own requirements. Unincorporated areas add another layer entirely.
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