Administrative overview · FIPS 06039
Madera 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
Madera County Community and Economic Development Department, Building & Fire Safety Division
For a project in or near Madera 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) 675-7821 (Building Division); (559) 675-5206 (inspection scheduling); (559) 675-7703 (permit portal help)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Community and Economic Development Building & Fire Safety Division, 200 West 4th Street, Suite 3100, Madera, CA 93637; Oakhurst office: 40232 Junction Drive, Oakhurst, CA 93644
Operating hours
Field inspectors: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; general office hours are not separately published on the current permit pages.
Review expectation
Minimum 15 business days for the first plan review and five business days for subsequent reviews, based on the county's ADU permitting guide; complexity and project size may extend those periods.
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 Madera County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Madera County Community and Economic Development Department, Building & Fire Safety 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 (559) 675-7821 (Building Division); (559) 675-5206 (inspection scheduling); (559) 675-7703 (permit portal help).
How long might review take?
Minimum 15 business days for the first plan review and five business days for subsequent reviews, based on the county's ADU permitting guide; complexity and project size may extend those periods.
How are inspections scheduled?
Call (559) 675-5206 at least 24 hours in advance. Requests must provide the job-site address and nearest cross street, contact person and phone, permit number, and inspection type. Requests received after 4:00 p.m. are processed with the following day's calls. Post the inspection card and keep stamped approved plans at the site; inspections proceed through the required ground plumbing/setback, foundation, framing, rough-trade, and final stages.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Madera County applies the 2025 California Building Standards Code (Title 24) for the 2026 cycle, including the California Building/Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, Energy, Green Building, and related state codes, together with applicable county amendments and Wildland-Urban Interface requirements in unincorporated areas. The county's 2025-code exemption sheet lists one-story detached accessory structures up to 120 square feet; fences up to 7 feet; retaining walls up to 4 feet without surcharge; grade-supported tanks up to 5,000 gallons with a 2:1 height-to-width limit; sidewalks and driveways; ordinary finish work; pools under 24 inches; playground equipment; qualifying wall-supported awnings; detached decks up to 200 square feet and 30 inches above grade; temporary decorative lighting; limited receptacle/overcurrent-device work and low-power wiring; minor electrical, gas, and mechanical repairs; portable appliances; minor equipment parts; leak stopping and stoppage clearing that does not replace or rearrange piping; and ordinary repairs that do not affect structure, egress, utilities, public health, or general safety. Emergency repairs require an application by the next business day, and other zoning or trade requirements can still apply.