Administrative overview · FIPS 06019
Fresno 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
County of Fresno Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building & Safety
For a project in or near Fresno 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
(559) 600-4570 (plan check and permits); (559) 600-4560 (building inspection); (559) 600-4131 (24-hour inspection request line); (559) 600-4540 (zoning)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Fresno County Plaza, Annex A and B, 2220 Tulare Street, Fresno, CA 93721
Operating hours
Phone hours Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lobby counter hours Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; offices are closed Friday after 12:30 p.m.
Review expectation
For post-entitlement residential projects covered by California AB 2234, Fresno County must determine application completeness within 15 days and complete review within 30 days for projects of 25 or fewer units or 60 days for projects of 26 or more units. The county does not publish one universal timeline for all building permits; timing depends on project type, completeness, and required outside-agency clearances.
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 Fresno County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
County of Fresno Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building & Safety 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 (559) 600-4570 (plan check and permits); (559) 600-4560 (building inspection); (559) 600-4131 (24-hour inspection request line); (559) 600-4540 (zoning).
How long might review take?
For post-entitlement residential projects covered by California AB 2234, Fresno County must determine application completeness within 15 days and complete review within 30 days for projects of 25 or fewer units or 60 days for projects of 26 or more units. The county does not publish one universal timeline for all building permits; timing depends on project type, completeness, and required outside-agency clearances.
How are inspections scheduled?
Request inspections in the Fresno County Citizen Portal or call the 24-hour line at (559) 600-4131; requests must be called in by 2:30 p.m. the business day before the requested inspection day. Building Inspection can be reached at (559) 600-4560. Outlying-area inspection days vary by community, and inspection results are available in the portal for inspections after June 25, 2025.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The 2025 California Building Standards Code (Title 24) became effective January 1, 2026, including the California Administrative, Building, Residential, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy, Wildland-Urban Interface, Historical, Fire, Existing Building, and Green Building Standards Codes, plus Fresno County Ordinance Code Title 15 and applicable zoning, grading, fire-protection, accessibility, and local requirements. Fresno County adopts the California Building Code exemptions for one-story detached tool, storage, and playhouse accessory structures up to 120 square feet; fences up to 7 feet; oil derricks; retaining walls up to 4 feet unless surcharge or specified liquids apply; qualifying water tanks up to 5,000 gallons; qualifying sidewalks and driveways; painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work; temporary stage sets; qualifying shallow above-ground pools; agricultural or nursery shade cloth; playground equipment; qualifying window awnings; and movable fixtures, cases, racks, counters, and partitions up to 5 feet 9 inches. Fresno County Title 15 also lists flagpoles and radio/TV antennas under 35 feet without receiving dishes, ground-mounted satellite dishes under 12 feet serving R-3 occupancy, transportable agricultural gypsum and fertilizer tanks, and certain detached one-story Group U accessory structures up to 240 square feet of floor/column area and 380 square feet of roof area. The larger local exemption requires a site plan, elevation sheet, operational statement, and owner-builder or contractor information through the portal.