Building permits in Sacramento County, California
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Sacramento County, 5 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Sacramento County
Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division
- Building Assistance Center, 9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, CA 95827
- Phone: 916-875-5296
- Email: rudolphr@saccounty.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Sacramento County
Sacramento County runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in Sacramento County
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Sacramento County, 5 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | deck area, where the deck is also no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, is not attached to a dwelling, and does not serve a required exit door | See schedule |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Fence Permit | It depends | fence height, measured from the grade on the right-of-way side when the fence sits within 5 feet of the public right-of-way and otherwise from the highest grade on either side | See schedule |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Patio Permit | It depends | floor area of a detached, not fully enclosed patio cover, pergola, arbor or trellis that is also no taller than 12 feet and stands 5 feet or more from the property line | See schedule |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Pool Permit | It depends | depth of water the structure holds; the permit exemption is limited to prefabricated pools | See schedule |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of a one-story detached structure designed for storage with no electrical or plumbing installed | See schedule |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
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Sacramento County permit fees compared with nearby California localities
| California locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento County | See schedule | See schedule | See schedule |
| Alameda County | ...A building permit fee table (for example, '$381.46... | ...Permit 18% of Building Permit Fees, $140.00... | ...Permit 20% of Building Permit Fees, $140.00... |
| Contra Costa County | No deck-specific flat fee is published | ...Schedule S-002 D.6, "Mechanical Permit (Other) $75.00... | ...Schedule S-002 C.6, "Electrical Permit (Other) $75.00... |
| Fresno County | No flat deck permit fee is published | ...Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing each permit... | ...Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing permits $42.77... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that California jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Sacramento County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Sacramento County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Sacramento County, 5 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 5 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Sacramento County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Sacramento County?
- Sacramento County publishes a fee for 10 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Sacramento County?
- Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division issues permits in Sacramento County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 916-875-5296. The Sacramento County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Sacramento County pages were verified. 10 permit types, 8 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Sacramento County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.