Cattaraugus County Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

Cattaraugus County Building Department: Quick Information

Information reviewed October 2026. Municipal contacts, fees, submission procedures, and office hours can change.

How to Find the Correct Building Department

Building permits in Cattaraugus County depend on the municipality where the construction site is physically located. A mailing address alone does not always identify the correct government jurisdiction.

1. Identify your property’s location. Have your complete street address, ZIP code, and tax parcel information ready.
2. Find the municipality. Use the Cattaraugus County Real Property & GIS Services website to access property information and mapping resources.
3. Check whether the parcel is inside a village. A village may have separate permitting and zoning procedures from the surrounding town.
4. Locate the municipal code enforcement officer. Open the official 2026 County Directory and find your town, city, or village.
5. Confirm responsibility before applying. Ask whether that office accepts your type of building permit and whether additional zoning or environmental approvals are necessary.

For property owners unable to reach their local code enforcement officer, the county’s Clerk’s FAQ recommends contacting the municipality’s supervisor or town clerk.

Local Building Inspector Contacts and County Offices

Cattaraugus County includes the cities of Olean and Salamanca, along with numerous towns and villages. Their permitting contacts are not interchangeable.

Selected local code enforcement contacts

The following information is drawn from municipal resources and the county’s 2026 officials directory. Verify the contact is still responsible for your specific property and permit type before submitting documents.

These are selected contacts, not a complete countywide inspector list. Sources: 2026 Cattaraugus County Officials Directory and the Village of Cattaraugus official website. Verify assignments before relying on them.

General county government contacts

Important: These are general county government facilities, not centralized construction permit counters. For a building permit, use the municipal office responsible for your property.

General county contacts are available through the official county contact page.

Which Building Permits Are Required?

The exact permit requirement depends on the type of work, adopted construction rules, and local ordinances. Confirm your proposed project with the municipal code enforcement officer before construction begins.

How to Apply for a Building Permit in Cattaraugus County

Because municipal governments issue permits, the exact form and submission method depend on the property’s location. The following process reflects the practical steps applicants commonly need to complete.

1. Confirm your municipality and project classification. Identify whether the property is in a city, town, or village and describe the work accurately.
2. Check building and zoning requirements. Ask the municipal office about setbacks, permitted land use, floodplain restrictions, accessory buildings, and required zoning approvals.
3. Request the correct permit form. Obtain the municipality’s current building permit application. Ask whether electrical, plumbing, mechanical, demolition, or other permits require separate forms.
4. Prepare construction documents. Supply drawings, measurements, specifications, site plans, and other materials relevant to the proposed work.
5. Complete the application. Enter the property location, parcel number if required, owner’s information, contractor details, estimated project cost, and scope of construction.
6. Submit to the authorized office. Use the municipality’s approved submission method. Do not submit an ordinary municipal building permit application to the county Buildings & Grounds office.
7. Complete plan review and corrections. The inspector may request missing drawings, engineering details, or revised plans before approval.
8. Pay applicable fees and obtain your issued permit. Confirm the permit has been approved and any required conditions satisfied before starting regulated construction.
9. Schedule construction inspections. Request each required inspection at the appropriate stage and keep covered work accessible until accepted.
10. Obtain final approval. After required inspections and documentation are completed, obtain the applicable certificate of occupancy or compliance.

Building Permit Documents Checklist

Not every project requires every document. Your municipal inspector determines the submission package appropriate to the work.

Example: New Home in a Rural Town

A homeowner proposing a new house on undeveloped land may need to address building plans, the driveway entrance, zoning setbacks, water supply, onsite wastewater treatment, foundation design, and energy compliance before a building permit can be issued.

A small interior renovation may require a substantially shorter package. Always match the documentation to the actual scope of work.

Building Permit Fees and Processing Times

There is no single verified countywide construction permit fee schedule covering every city, town, and village in Cattaraugus County.

Each responsible municipality establishes its own fee arrangements, which can vary by permit type and project.

How to Get an Accurate Fee Quote

1. Identify the municipality handling your permit.
2. Describe your project and its approximate dimensions.
3. Request the current building permit fee schedule.
4. Ask whether zoning, electrical, plumbing, inspections, or certificates involve additional charges.
5. Ask whether plan review fees are refundable or separate from the final permit fee.
6. Confirm the payment amount and accepted payment methods before submitting.

A published fee schedule is more reliable than an estimate based on another town’s charges. Likewise, do not assume a municipality guarantees permit approval within a specific number of days unless it publishes that standard.

Building Inspections: Scheduling and Approval

Building inspections help verify that construction follows approved plans, the New York State codes, and applicable local requirements.

Who schedules the inspection? The property owner, contractor, or authorized representative generally contacts the municipal office that issued the permit, following that office’s instructions.

Common Inspection Stages

The required sequence varies by project. Not every building permit requires every inspection listed above.

How to Schedule an Inspection

1. Check your permit conditions. Identify the inspections required for your project.
2. Contact the issuing municipal office. Use the inspector contact listed on the permit or in the municipality’s official directory.
3. Provide the required information. Usually this includes the property address, permit number, requested inspection type, and contact details.
4. Confirm timing. Ask about the required advance notice, inspection availability, and site access.
5. Keep the work visible. Do not cover work requiring inspection before receiving the necessary acceptance.
6. Address corrections. If the work does not pass, complete the specified changes and arrange reinspection.

Certificate of Occupancy or Compliance

Under New York’s code enforcement requirements, the local authority must provide for certificates of occupancy or compliance for work subject to building permits and for applicable changes of use or occupancy classification.

Final approval may require inspections, completion of corrections, energy-code documentation, and any applicable special inspection or other required reports.

See the New York State guidance on administration and enforcement.

2026 Building Codes in Cattaraugus County

Construction in Cattaraugus County is subject to the applicable New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, the State Energy Conservation Construction Code, and valid local requirements.

Major Code Areas

• Residential construction: Houses, townhouses, additions, and covered residential alterations.
• Commercial buildings: Business, assembly, institutional, industrial, and other applicable occupancies.
• Existing buildings: Repairs, alterations, changes in use, and additions.
• Fire safety: Fire protection, means of egress, fire prevention, and relevant systems.
• Mechanical, plumbing, and fuel gas: Applicable construction and installation requirements.
• Energy conservation: Building envelopes, insulation, equipment, and applicable energy performance standards.

Special 2026 Court-Order Update

The New York Department of State reports that implementation and enforcement of certain 2025 code provisions prohibiting fossil-fuel equipment and building systems in new buildings remain suspended by court order, as described in its July 2, 2026 update.

That suspension does not eliminate other applicable energy, mechanical, fuel-gas, or construction requirements.

For the effective regulatory position and specific affected provisions, consult the New York Department of State’s official code adoption notice.

Do not assume that an earlier code edition applies merely because a contractor previously used it. Also, for previously approved work, confirm which transition provisions apply to the permit.

Zoning, Septic, Floodplain and Other Approvals

A building permit does not automatically authorize every aspect of a proposed development. Some projects need separate land-use or environmental approvals.

When Does the County Planning Board Become Involved?

Under New York General Municipal Law, certain local land-use applications must be referred to the County Planning Board for review.

Examples include qualifying actions involving land within 500 feet of:

• A municipal boundary.
• A state or county highway right-of-way.
• Certain state or county parks and other specified public land.
• Designated farm operations within agricultural districts.
• Specified county streams or drainage corridors.

These referrals are generally initiated by the municipal board responsible for the local application, not directly by a homeowner filing a normal building permit.

See the official Cattaraugus County zoning referral procedures.

Health Department Permits Are Different

Cattaraugus County’s Health Department also regulates certain establishments and facilities, such as public food service operations, campgrounds, mobile home parks, and public swimming facilities.

These operational or environmental health approvals are not substitutes for municipal building permits.

Review the Cattaraugus County Health Department permit categories when your project involves a regulated activity.

How to Search Property Information and Building Permit Records

Property records and construction permit histories are not necessarily kept in the same system.

Find Property and Parcel Information

1. Open Cattaraugus County Real Property & GIS Services.
2. Select the available property search or parcel viewer.
3. Search using the address or other supported parcel identifiers.
4. Review the parcel details and geographic location.
5. Record the tax map or parcel number to use in your permit inquiry.

County parcel tools can help with ownership, acreage, assessment information, and location. They are not a substitute for the municipality’s official building permit file.

Find Existing Building Permits

1. Identify the municipality responsible for the property.
2. Contact its building or code enforcement office.
3. Provide the address, parcel number, and known construction dates.
4. Ask for available building permit, inspection, and certificate records.
5. Confirm whether a formal records request, copying fee, or appointment is required.

If you are buying a property, ask specifically about open permits, unresolved inspection issues, notices of violation, and occupancy documentation. Availability of historical records varies by municipality.

Common Building Permit Problems and How to Fix Them

10 Frequently Asked Questions

Official Government Resources

Before You Start Construction

For a building project in Cattaraugus County, the most important step is finding the correct municipal code enforcement authority. Once you identify the responsible city, town, or village, confirm the permit requirements, prepare your drawings, resolve any zoning or environmental approvals, and submit the application through the approved local process.

Keep a copy of the issued permit and approved plans, schedule inspections before work is covered, and obtain the required final certificate before using or occupying the completed work where applicable.

Independent information notice: USBuilding.org is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with Cattaraugus County or any New York State government agency. Official government offices remain the authority for permit decisions, interpretations, fees, and inspections.

Information review: October 2026. Government rules, contacts, and application procedures may change. Verify project-specific requirements before beginning regulated work.