Administrative overview · FIPS 06007
Butte County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Butte County Department of Development Services, Building Division
For a project in or near Butte County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
530-552-3699 (Building Division); 530-552-3700 (main)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
7 County Center Drive, Oroville, CA 95965
Operating hours
Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Review expectation
As of the county's July 2026 plan-check status, staff were checking single-family, commercial, mobile-home, accessory, and solar submissions from approximately three weeks earlier, with rechecks at approximately two weeks; actual time varies by project scope and completeness.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Butte County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Butte County Department of Development Services, Building Division is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 530-552-3699 (Building Division); 530-552-3700 (main).
How long might review take?
As of the county's July 2026 plan-check status, staff were checking single-family, commercial, mobile-home, accessory, and solar submissions from approximately three weeks earlier, with rechecks at approximately two weeks; actual time varies by project scope and completeness.
How are inspections scheduled?
Schedule inspections through the Butte County Accela Public Portal; an account linked to the permit is required. The county also provides a Building Division help line at 530-552-3699 and publishes daily inspection schedules.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Permit applications submitted after December 31, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. are reviewed under California's 2025 Building Standards Codes. The county publishes the 2025 California Building, Residential, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Energy, Fire, Green Building Standards, Historical, and Existing Codes, with applicable county amendments and local ordinances. Butte County's DBP-20 exemption sheet (revised February 18, 2026) lists one-story detached accessory structures up to 120 square feet; qualifying fences; retaining walls up to 4 feet unless supporting surcharge; ground-supported water tanks up to 5,000 gallons meeting the height-to-width limit; qualifying sidewalks and driveways; painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work; qualifying shallow above-ground pools; agricultural shade-cloth structures; playground equipment; qualifying window awnings; movable fixtures and partitions; qualifying detached decks up to 200 square feet; minor electrical repairs; agricultural water-pump work; portable heating, ventilation, and cooling equipment; minor gas-equipment parts; and limited plumbing leak and stoppage repairs. Exempt work must still comply with zoning and other applicable laws; emergency repairs require an application by the next working business day.