Danville, California Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

Danville, California · Contra Costa County · 2026 permit guide

Danville Building Permits, Inspections & Permit Center: 2026 Guide

If you are planning a remodel, addition, new home, ADU, roof replacement, electrical upgrade, HVAC replacement, pool, commercial improvement, or another construction project in Danville, the Town of Danville Building Division is the local office that handles building permits, plan review, inspections, and building-code compliance for properties inside Town boundaries.

The part that often causes confusion is knowing where to start. A Danville mailing address does not always guarantee that the property is inside the Town’s permit jurisdiction, and some projects need Planning, Engineering, sanitary district, fire, utility, or other approvals before a building permit can move forward. This guide puts the important steps in one place so you can prepare first and use the official system when you are ready to submit.

First: Make Sure the Property Is Actually in Danville’s Jurisdiction

This is worth checking before you prepare plans or pay anyone to submit a permit. The Town specifically tells applicants to verify that the project address falls within the Town of Danville boundary. If the property is outside Town limits, Contra Costa County or another city may be responsible instead.

1. Confirm the job-site address.
   Have the complete street address ready, not only the ZIP code or subdivision name.
2. Check the Town boundary.
   Use the jurisdiction resources linked from the official Danville Permit Center, or call the permit desk at (925) 314-3330.
3. If the address is outside Town limits, stop before applying.
   A permit submitted to the wrong jurisdiction can cost time. Verify whether Contra Costa County or another municipality handles the parcel.

Building requirements can change quickly between nearby jurisdictions. For example, the permit process used by Antioch’s building department is different from Danville’s even though both communities are in Contra Costa County. The same principle applies across the East Bay, including cities such as Berkeley and Alameda.

Do You Need a Building Permit in Danville?

The Town states that permits are required for most construction and repair projects. The exact permit type depends on the scope, but you should expect to check with Building before starting work involving structural changes, utilities, new floor area, major alterations, or new equipment.

How to Apply for a Danville Building Permit

Danville accepts most residential, commercial and encroachment permit applications through its online portal. The Town also maintains project-specific submittal checklists, which are useful because a complete application moves much more smoothly than a generic upload of drawings.

1. Check zoning and setbacks first.
   Confirm where you are allowed to build. For zoning or setback questions, the Planning Division can be reached at (925) 314-3310.
2. Choose the correct project type.
   Open the Permit Center directory and find your project: new home, ADU, addition, remodel, retaining wall, windows, electrical, plumbing, pool, reroof, solar, HVAC, commercial work, demolition or another category.
3. Read the project-specific submittal requirements.
   Download the Town checklist for your project and prepare every required drawing, calculation, form and supporting document before uploading.
4. Check whether Central San approval is needed.
   Danville identifies Central Contra Costa Sanitary District review for several types of work, including new construction or additions and projects that alter sewer-connected fixtures, expand the building footprint, add certain detached structures, or involve some generator and ground-mounted solar work.
5. Complete the Town’s building permit application.
   The current form asks for the project address, owner and applicant information, valuation, work description, contractor or owner-builder information, permit type, building use, project area and applicable electrical, plumbing, mechanical or solar details. Open the official Building Permit Application PDF ↗
6. Check outside-agency approvals.
   Depending on the project, approvals may involve the sanitary district, fire district, air-quality district, environmental health, school district, utilities or another agency.
7. Create an online portal account.
   Open the Danville Citizen Self Service portal, choose Register if you do not already have an account, and complete the account setup.
8. Submit the permit application and plans.
   Select the appropriate permit type, enter the requested project information and upload the required documents using the Town’s electronic-file requirements.
9. Watch your permit status and email.
   The Town may invoice initial fees, request missing material or route the project to Building, Planning and Engineering reviewers.
10. Respond to corrections completely.
    If the status becomes Requires Resubmit, upload a complete corrected plan set and a response-to-comments letter rather than replacing only a few individual sheets unless the Town instructs otherwise.
11. Pay final fees and obtain issuance.
    Once the project is approved, complete signatures, contractor information and any remaining pre-issuance requirements. Do not treat “Approved” as permission to begin work; wait until the permit status is Issued.

What Documents Should You Prepare?

The exact package is project-specific, but preparing the basic information below before entering the portal can prevent a frustrating stop halfway through an application.

• Complete job-site address.
• Property owner’s name, address, phone and email.
• Applicant information.
• Clear written description of the proposed work.
• Estimated project valuation.
• Contractor name, license number and license classification, or owner-builder information where applicable.
• Architect and engineer details when the project uses licensed design professionals.
• Site/plot plan when required.
• Floor plans, elevations, building sections and construction details appropriate to the work.
• Structural plans and calculations when required.
• Electrical, plumbing and mechanical information for affected systems.
• California energy-compliance documents where applicable.
• Planning or zoning approvals when required.
• Outside-agency approvals or stamped plans when required.
• Project-specific Town forms such as reroof, special-inspection or other checklists.

Danville’s current building permit application is two pages and asks for much more than a project name. Filling it out carefully before starting an online application makes the portal process easier.

Understanding Danville Permit Statuses

One useful feature of Danville’s system is that the Town explains what each permit status actually means. If your application appears to be “stuck,” the status often tells you who needs to act next.

The Town says a permit in “Received in CAP” should ideally not remain there longer than three business days. Once in plan review, the published explanation says review can take up to five or ten working days depending on scope. Those are workflow descriptions, not a guarantee that every project will be completed in that time.

Danville also warns applicants about inactivity. A required resubmittal that is not answered within 180 days can result in abandonment. After approval, failure to obtain permit issuance within the stated 180-day period can cause the approval to expire. Once issued, the Town’s current status guidance states that the permit holder has 365 days from issuance to complete the work.

How to Schedule a Building Inspection in Danville

After the permit is issued and the work reaches a required inspection point, you can request the inspection online or through the Town’s phone system.

Option 1: Schedule Online

1. Open the Citizen Self Service portal.
2. Sign in to the account connected to the permit.
3. Select View, then My Permits.
4. Open the permit number.
5. Select the Inspections option.
6. Find the inspection that is available to request.
7. Check the applicable inspection in the Action column.
8. Select Request Inspection.
9. Enter the preferred date and time, contact name and phone number.
10. Submit and look for the confirmation page.

Online inspection requests require a registered account. If the permit does not appear in your account, call the Building Division at (925) 314-3330 so staff can help connect the project.

Option 2: Schedule by Phone

Call (925) 314-3333. Before calling, have:

• Your project PIN from the inspection card.
• The inspection code for the inspection you need.
• A callback phone number.

The Town’s automated system confirms the permit and address, lets you select an available inspection date, and allows an AM or PM preference. Keep the confirmation number after the request is accepted.

Online changes and cancellations are not available through the standard request process. Call (925) 314-3330 if you need to change or cancel an already scheduled inspection.

Before the Inspector Arrives

• Make sure the permit has actually been issued.
• Have the approved construction documents available at the job site.
• Keep the work requiring inspection visible and accessible.
• Do not cover framing, wiring, plumbing or other work that requires approval first.
• Provide safe access to the inspection area.
• Review previous correction notices before requesting a reinspection.

For projects subject to special inspection under Chapter 17 of the California Building Code, Danville requires its Special Inspection and Observation Program documentation before the first inspection.

Danville Building Permit Fees in 2026

Danville does not use one flat price for every permit. Some permits have established fees, while larger projects can involve valuation-based building permit fees, plan-review percentages, trade sub-permits and additional agency charges.

The Town’s Fiscal Year 2026/27 Master Fee Schedule was adopted in June 2026, with Development Services fee changes effective August 3, 2026. Selected published Building fees include:

The fee schedule also lists a credit-card processing fee of 2.99% with a $2 minimum. Larger projects may be calculated using construction valuation and can include structural, architectural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical plan-review charges, Planning or Engineering review, state fees, school fees, sanitary fees or other project-specific costs.

Building Codes Used in Danville in 2026

Danville’s 2025 California code adoption became effective January 1, 2026. The Town’s current code sheet identifies the following 2025 California codes:

• 2025 California Administrative Code.
• 2025 California Building Code.
• 2025 California Residential Code.
• 2025 California Electrical Code.
• 2025 California Mechanical Code.
• 2025 California Plumbing Code.
• 2025 California Energy Code.
• 2025 California Fire Code.
• 2025 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen).
• 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code.

For a wider explanation of the statewide code cycle, Title 24 parts and 2026 effective dates, see our California Building Code 2026 guide. Danville projects still need to follow applicable local amendments and project-specific requirements in addition to statewide rules.

Danville Design Criteria Worth Knowing

The Town’s current design-criteria sheet identifies Climate Zone 12 for energy design and generally identifies Wind Exposure C unless a site qualifies for Exposure B. It also states that geotechnical reports are required for nonresidential and multifamily projects, while residential applicants should confirm geotechnical requirements with the Building Department.

These technical values are not a substitute for project engineering. Structural designers should use the Town’s current criteria, the adopted codes and project-specific site conditions.

Other Agencies You May Need Before the Building Permit

Not every project needs every agency below. The point is to identify these reviews early, because waiting until the Town asks for an outside approval can delay permit issuance.

The Town publishes an official Outside Agency Checklist. Review it before submitting a large addition, new building or commercial project.

Construction Hours in Danville

Danville’s Permit Center currently lists general construction hours as:

• Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Projects approved through a discretionary review process may have more restrictive conditions. Check your permit, conditions of approval and project documents before assuming the general hours apply.

Danville Building Division & Permit Center Hours

The Building Division publishes general service hours of:

• Monday–Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Lunch closure: 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
• Friday: 7:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
• Second Thursday of each month: closed 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.

Plan-check counter availability is more limited. The Permit Center currently lists plan-check hours of 8:00–11:30 a.m. and 1:00–3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Friday.

If you are making a special trip, confirm the current schedule on the Town Permit Center page first.

How to Search Danville Building Permit History

You do not need to create an account simply to search available permit history for a Danville property.

1. Open the official permit search.
2. Choose the permit search option.
3. Enter the property address. The Town suggests using the street number and street name.
4. Open the matching result to review available permit information.
5. If no result appears, try a less specific address search or contact Building at (925) 314-3330.

This is useful before buying or remodeling a property because it may help you identify prior permitted additions, remodels or other construction. Online history should not be treated as a complete substitute for an official records request when full documentation is important.

Common Ways to Avoid Permit Delays

• Confirm jurisdiction before drawing plans. Do not assume the mailing address tells you which agency issues the permit.
• Check zoning before Building. A technically code-compliant structure can still conflict with setbacks, lot coverage or land-use rules.
• Use the project-specific checklist. Danville publishes separate requirements for additions, ADUs, remodels, retaining walls, pools, solar, HVAC and other work.
• Get outside approvals early. Central San approval is an important example for many additions and new construction projects.
• Upload a complete corrected set. When plan reviewers issue comments, answer each item clearly.
• Watch the portal status. “Invoiced” or “Requires Resubmit” normally means the Town is waiting for you.
• Do not build on “Approved” status. Wait for “Issued” status.
• Schedule inspections before covering work. Concealed work may need to be opened if it was not inspected at the required stage.

Danville Building Department FAQs

Before You Submit

The smoothest Danville permit application usually starts before the portal: confirm jurisdiction, understand the zoning and setback rules, choose the correct permit type, gather the project-specific documents, and obtain any required outside-agency approvals. Once those pieces are ready, the official online portal becomes the final submission and tracking tool rather than the place where you first discover what is missing.

Information reviewed for 2026. Permit fees, forms, staff hours, code interpretations and portal procedures can change. USBuilding.org is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with the Town of Danville. The Town of Danville and other authorized agencies make final permit, inspection and code decisions.