City of Martinez

Martinez requires building permits for construction projects in the city and states the Building Division issues permits to homeowners and licensed contractors to regulate construction within city limits. The city currently accepts only a limited set of residential permit types online; all other building permit types are submitted in person.

• Exempt Martinez repealed its prior local "Exempted Work" amendment when adopting the 2025 code package, so exempt work now follows the California Building/Residential Code rather than a Martinez-specific amended list.
• Exempt Martinez's current published fee schedule expressly states that building permits are not required for fences less than 7 feet tall.
• Exempt Even where a building permit is not required, zoning, historic, floodplain, fire, utility, or other agency approvals may still apply.
• Exempt Because Martinez no longer publishes a separate local exempt-work list in the municipal code excerpt reviewed, applicants should confirm any claimed exemption with the Building Division before starting work.

Building code

Effective January 1, 2026, Martinez adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Code by reference, including the 2025 California Building Code, Residential Code, Electrical Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Energy Code, Wildland-Urban Interface Code, Fire Code, Existing Building Code, and CalGreen.

Permit validity

Martinez now relies on the adopted California codes for permit administration. California Building Standards Commission materials explain permit expiration changed from 180 days to 12 months under state law, with written extensions available unless work is abandoned.

Owner-builder

Martinez accepts owner-submitted permits and publishes owner forms, including "Authorization to Act as Agent for the Property Owner" and "Owners Acknowledgement and Verification of Information." Owner-builders should confirm project-specific obligations directly with the Building Division before submittal.

Contractor requirements

The city states building permits are issued to homeowners and licensed contractors. Martinez also requires a City business license for contractors doing work in the city.

1. 01
   Confirm whether your project is one of the limited permit types Martinez accepts online: residential mechanical permits for AC/furnace/HVAC replacement, residential electrical service panel replacement or upgrade not exceeding 200A, water heater replacement, re-roof permits, and eligible solar through SolarAPP+. All other building permit types should be submitted in person at City Hall.
2. 02
   Prepare the application package. Martinez publishes project-specific handouts and checklists; for larger residential projects the city requires drawings such as plot/site plans, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing plans, plus supporting items such as structural calculations, Title 24 energy forms, soils reports where applicable, and sanitary district approval stamps where required.
3. 03
   Submit the permit application online through Accela if the project type is eligible, or submit it over the counter during permit hours at City Hall. The city states that plan check and permit fees are determined at intake/submittal.
4. 04
   Pay applicable fees, including permit, plan review, Title 24 plan-check add-ons where applicable, the California Building Standards Commission fee, and the city technology fee.
5. 05
   If applicable, complete outside-agency or related compliance steps. Martinez materials indicate some projects also need sanitary district review, planning/engineering coordination, or C&D waste compliance through Green Halo.
6. 06
   After issuance, post and keep the permit available on site, complete work, and call the Building Inspection Request Recorder at (925) 372-3596 by 4:00 p.m. the prior business day to schedule inspections.
7. 07
   Obtain final inspection approval before occupancy or project closeout.

Typical processing time: Martinez does not publish a single citywide review timeline for all building permits. For SolarAPP+ permits, the city says qualifying residential solar permits are processed within 72 hours, generally less than 24 hours. A city-published solar checklist also says best efforts are made to review complete residential solar applications within 1 business day and commercial/non-single-family solar applications within 10 business days.

Effective July 1, 2025, the city charges a 3% fee on credit card transactions. The building fee schedule also adds a $65 technology fee per permit or project application effective July 1, 2025.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

• (925) 372-3596 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

the day before the requested inspection.

Inspection hours

Requests must be called in no later than 4:00 p.m. the day before the requested inspection. Applicants may request morning or afternoon preference, but the city does not guarantee the requested window.

Time windows

Requests must be called in no later than 4:00 p.m. the day before the requested inspection. Applicants may request morning or afternoon preference, but the city does not guarantee the requested window.

Typical sequence: Martinez does not publish a single universal sequence on the main permit page. The sequence depends on scope, but applicants should expect inspections at the major construction stages applicable to the permit before final approval. Reinspection note: The fee schedule lists construction re-inspection as an hourly charge.