Contra Costa County Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

Contra Costa County Building Permits, Inspections & Permit Help

If you are planning a remodel, addition, ADU, new home, electrical upgrade, grading work, solar installation or another construction project in Contra Costa County, the first thing to confirm is which building department actually serves your property. That one check can save a surprising amount of time.

Start Here: Is Contra Costa County Your Building Department?

Contra Costa County has both incorporated cities and unincorporated communities. The County Department of Conservation and Development is the planning agency for unincorporated areas, but its Building Division also performs building permit and inspection work for five contract cities and towns.

How to check your jurisdiction

1. Open the County’s CCMAP property map.
2. Search your street address or parcel.
3. Confirm whether the parcel is inside an incorporated city or an unincorporated area.
4. If it is one of the five contract cities above, contact that city’s Planning Department first when planning approval is required.
5. Use the County ePermits system for the building permit when Contra Costa County is the building authority.

Contra Costa County Building Department Contact Information

For a project-specific question, have your property address, permit/application number if one exists, and a short description of the work ready before calling. It helps staff identify the correct permit path much faster.

Do You Need a Building Permit?

Contra Costa County states that almost all construction projects require some form of permit. Common examples include new structures, additions, remodels, demolition, grading, electrical work, panel upgrades, plumbing and gas work, decks, garages, pools, ADUs, solar systems, battery storage and backup generators.

Work that may be exempt

The County currently links a residential “work not requiring a building permit” handout. Examples in that handout include certain small detached accessory structures, limited fence work, cosmetic finish work, qualifying low decks and some minor site improvements.

• One-story detached accessory structures within the stated size limits.
• Certain fences within the applicable height limit.
• Painting, wallpaper, tile, carpet, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work.
• Certain detached residential decks that meet size, height and attachment restrictions.
• Some sidewalks, driveways and small retaining walls when all stated conditions are met.

How to Apply for a Contra Costa County Building Permit

Contra Costa County uses a 100% digital permit application process for Building, Planning and Public Works applications. You normally submit the building application, plans and supporting documents through the County’s ePermits Center instead of delivering a paper plan set to the counter.

1. Confirm the correct jurisdiction.
   Check CCMAP first. If your property is inside an incorporated city that does not use County building services, stop and use that city’s permit process.
2. Complete required planning approval first.
   New residential units, ADUs, new buildings, changes of use and many exterior changes need planning review before building-permit processing.
3. Prepare the complete project documents.
   Collect the plans, structural information, Title 24 documents, CALGreen information and project-specific reports required for your scope.
4. Create or sign in to your ePermits account.
   Open the official Contra Costa County ePermits Center.
5. Start the correct Building Permit application.
   Enter the project address, applicant information, project description and other requested details.
6. Upload your plans and documents.
   Make sure the files represent the complete proposed scope. Missing sheets are a common reason an application cannot move cleanly into review.
7. Watch for the completeness review.
   Staff may ask for missing information. Respond through the assigned permit process rather than starting a duplicate application.
8. Pay plan-check fees when invoiced.
   Once the application is sufficiently complete, an official permit record is created and applicable review fees are invoiced.
9. Respond to plan-check comments.
   Upload corrected plans and written responses when requested. Keep revisions coordinated so plans, calculations and supporting documents agree with one another.
10. Pay issuance fees and download the approved permit documents.
    Do not begin regulated construction until the permit has actually been issued.

Residential Plan Documents You May Need

The County’s residential plan-submittal checklist is detailed. Not every item applies to every project, but a full residential submission may require much more than a basic floor plan.

• Site / plot plan: property lines, north arrow, setbacks, streets, easements, existing and proposed structures and nearby trees.
• Floor plans: room uses, dimensions, walls, doors, windows, stairs, decks and landings.
• Roof plan and elevations: roof configuration, pitch, exterior materials and building height.
• Mechanical information: HVAC equipment, registers and return-air locations where applicable.
• Electrical information: outlets, lights, switches, panels, amperage and smoke-alarm locations.
• Plumbing information: water heaters, sinks, toilets, showers, tubs and other fixtures.
• Building sections and construction details necessary to explain the work.
• Title 24 energy compliance documentation when required.
• CALGreen documentation for applicable new construction, additions or alterations.
• Structural drawings and calculations when engineered design is required.
• Foundation and framing plans for structural work.
• Soils / geotechnical information when required.
• Septic approval from Environmental Health when the property uses a septic system.
• Fire-district review when the project triggers local fire requirements.
• Drainage, stormwater or grading documents when the site or project crosses the applicable thresholds.
• Floodplain or encroachment approval when Public Works requirements apply.

The checklist also notes that specific school districts may collect impact fees for qualifying new dwellings or larger additions. Other agency charges and approvals can therefore be separate from the basic building permit.

Drainage, Grading, Fire and Other Approvals

A building permit does not always stand alone. Depending on the site, scope and location, your project may need review from several agencies before permit issuance or final approval.

Contra Costa County Building Permit Fees

There is no single flat building permit price. Contra Costa County states that building permit fees are generally tied to the project’s valuation, while other charges depend on the type of review and agencies involved.

Possible charges include:

• Plan-check fees
• Building permit and inspection fees
• Electrical, mechanical and plumbing fees
• Energy and accessibility review charges
• Grading permit and grading inspection fees
• Drainage review and inspection
• Construction/debris recovery charges
• Land-development surcharges
• Fire district, school district or other agency impact fees when applicable

For a project-specific estimate, the County directs applicants to its current permit status, fee and payment page or to the Application and Permit Center at 925-655-2700.

Online payment convenience fees

The County’s current payment page states that online credit-card payments are subject to a 2.75% convenience fee with a $1 minimum, while e-check payments have a $2.50 convenience fee. These processing charges are separate from County permit fees. In-office cash or check payment can avoid the online convenience fee.

How to Check a Building Permit Status

1. Open the official ePermits Center.
2. Select the Building area.
3. Choose the application/record search option.
4. Search using the project address or building permit/application number.
5. Open the matching record and review current workflow, fees, permit history and inspection information.

County building permit record numbers commonly use a BI prefix. When contacting staff, include the exact permit number whenever possible.

How to Schedule a Contra Costa County Building Inspection

Building inspections can be scheduled online through ePermits or by using the County’s automated inspection phone system.

The County states that online inspection scheduling does not require registration. The ePermits record can also display inspection status and permit history.

What must be ready on inspection day

• Building permit available at the job site.
• Reviewed and approved/stamped building plans available.
• A representative age 18 or older present to meet the inspector.
• The requested work completely ready for inspection.
• Earlier correction items fixed.
• Clear access to the area being inspected.

If the inspector cannot inspect because work is not ready, plans are missing, corrections remain unresolved or access is unavailable, a reinspection fee may be assessed.

Which Building Codes Apply in Contra Costa County in 2026?

For the 2026 code cycle, Contra Costa County adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Code with applicable County changes, additions and deletions through Ordinance No. 2025-19. The statewide 2025 code cycle became effective January 1, 2026.

Depending on the project, applicable Title 24 parts can include:

• California Building Code
• California Residential Code
• California Electrical Code
• California Mechanical Code
• California Plumbing Code
• California Energy Code
• California Wildland-Urban Interface Code
• California Fire Code
• California Existing Building Code
• California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen)
• Contra Costa County Title 7 and applicable local ordinances

For a plain-English explanation of the statewide 2026 code cycle, see our 2026 California Building Code and Title 24 guide. Local amendments and project-specific County requirements still need to be checked after the statewide code.

Permit Expiration, Extensions and Renewals

Permit deadlines are easy to overlook, especially when construction is delayed. Contra Costa County currently publishes the following building-permit timelines:

• Plan-check application: an application may be considered abandoned after 180 days from filing unless it has been pursued in good faith or a permit has been issued.
• Issued building permit: the County states that a permit can expire 365 days after issuance without an approved required inspection.
• A permit can also expire when 365 days pass between approved required inspections.
• If you need an extension, the County instructs applicants to submit the request 30 days before expiration.

If a permit has already expired, stop regulated work and review the County’s permit-renewal process before continuing.

Common Reasons a Permit Gets Delayed

For ADUs, Remodels and Home Improvements

Homeowners often arrive at the Building Department website thinking they only need a permit form. In practice, the bigger issue is usually knowing which approvals need to happen before that form.

For an ADU, for example, planning approval comes before the building permit. Septic properties may need Environmental Health review, and fire or utility requirements can also affect the design. A remodel can be simpler, but once structural walls, electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC or exterior changes are involved, the permit scope grows quickly.

For California projects outside the County’s service area, use the building department responsible for that city rather than submitting to Contra Costa County. You can browse other local building department guides on USBuilding.org to find the correct permitting authority.

Before You Submit: 60-Second Checklist

• Confirm the property jurisdiction.
• Check zoning and planning requirements.
• Identify every part of the project—not only the main construction work.
• Use the current 2026 code cycle.
• Prepare site, architectural, structural and trade plans as required.
• Include Title 24 energy and CALGreen documents where applicable.
• Check grading, drainage, floodplain and Public Works requirements.
• Check fire district requirements early.
• Get septic or Environmental Health review when applicable.
• Upload a complete digital package through ePermits.
• Save your application / permit number.
• Watch email and ePermits for correction notices and invoices.

Contra Costa County Building Department FAQs

Official Contra Costa County Building Resources

• Permit Information & Permit Process
• Building Permit Applications, Forms & Checklists
• Contra Costa County ePermits Center
• Building Inspection Scheduling & Daily Schedule
• Permit Status, Fees & Payments
• Building Codes & Ordinances
• Department Contact, Location & Hours

Information reviewed for the 2026 permit and code cycle. USBuilding.org is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with Contra Costa County. Permit requirements, fees, office procedures and project-specific approvals can change. The responsible government agency makes the final determination for each property and project.