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CaliforniaSacramento County

Administrative overview · FIPS 06067

Sacramento 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

Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division

For a project in or near Sacramento 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

Building Permits and Inspection information (916) 875-5296; Code Enforcement (916) 874-6444

Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.

Permit counter

Building Assistance Center, 9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, CA 95827; additional service centers include 827 7th Street, Room 102, Sacramento, and 5229 Hazel Avenue, Suite B, Fair Oaks

Operating hours

The current Building Assistance Center is at 9800 Goethe Road. Published county service-center hours are generally Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; East Area and North Area centers publish limited weekday schedules. Confirm current counter hours and holiday closures before visiting.

Review expectation

Certain residential heating/cooling, electrical-panel, re-roof, sewer-line, and water-heater applications can be issued automatically online after payment. No single current general plan-review timeline was published; complete electronic submittals, project type, corrections, and workload determine the review period.

Compliance workbench

Choose the next project decision.

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 Sacramento County

Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?

Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection 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 Building Permits and Inspection information (916) 875-5296; Code Enforcement (916) 874-6444.

How long might review take?

Certain residential heating/cooling, electrical-panel, re-roof, sewer-line, and water-heater applications can be issued automatically online after payment. No single current general plan-review timeline was published; complete electronic submittals, project type, corrections, and workload determine the review period.

How are inspections scheduled?

Schedule online through Accela Citizen Access, call the automated system at (916) 875-5296, or text (855) 280-5383 with SCHEDULE, CANCEL, RESCHEDULE, or RESULTS. Next-day inspections, when available, must be requested by 5:00 p.m. the previous day; requests generally must be filed at least one working day in advance. The county provides online inspection results and today's inspection listings.

Which codes and exemptions should I review?

All Sacramento County projects submitted on or after January 1, 2026 must comply with the 2025 California Building Standards Code and Sacramento County amendments. Current county code materials identify amended Building, Residential, Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, Green, Energy, Swimming Pool, Property and Maintenance, Sign, Historical, Existing Building, and Referenced Standards provisions in Title 16, with the county enforcing the latest California code edition. The county's residential exemption handout lists qualifying one-story detached accessory structures up to 200 sq. ft. under specified enclosure, setback, fire-separation, animal-shelter, or playground conditions; fences up to 7 ft.; retaining walls up to 4 ft. when not supporting a surcharge; grade-supported water tanks up to 5,000 gallons at no more than a 2:1 height-to-diameter ratio; sidewalks and driveways; painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work; prefabricated pools under 18 inches deep; qualifying wall-supported window awnings; unattached decks up to 200 sq. ft. and 30 inches above grade that do not serve an exit door; and qualifying residential-pet or manufactured livestock shelters. Zoning and other agency requirements still apply, and the county FAQ directs applicants to current CBC/CRC Section 105.2 and the Building Division for confirmation.

Before contacting the permit counter

Have the project facts ready.

A productive call starts with a clear description of the property and proposed work. Keep the site address, parcel or assessor number, project valuation, existing occupancy, approximate square footage, structural scope, contractor information, and desired start date in front of you. Those facts help the Authority Having Jurisdiction route the question to building, planning, fire, environmental health, or another reviewing discipline.

Questions worth asking

  • • Is the parcel inside an incorporated city or county service area?
  • • Does this scope require building, trade, zoning, fire, or site permits?
  • • What plans and supporting documents make the submittal complete?
  • • How much lead time is needed for each inspection?