Plumas County, CA - 2026 Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Building permits for unincorporated areas of Plumas County are handled by the Plumas County Building Department. The county's parcel query tool specifically helps users determine whether a parcel is within the City of Portola or in county jurisdiction.

Department

Plumas County Building Department

Address

555 Main Street, Quincy, CA 95971

Phone

(530) 283-7011

Email

michaelcoelho@countyofplumas.com , sidneymcintosh@countyofplumas.com

Website

https://www.plumascounty.us/77/Building-Department

Application Process

1. Confirm parcel constraints before preparing the application. Plumas County directs applicants to verify snow load, fire hazard, parcel jurisdiction, zoning, and related site constraints through its parcel query and mapping tools.
2. Prepare the correct permit application and supporting plans. For a single-family dwelling, the county requires a completed application, plot plan, construction drawings, structural calculations, fire sprinkler documents if applicable, energy compliance documents, photovoltaic documents if applicable, roof truss calculations if applicable, and the plan check fee at submittal.
3. Submit a complete package to the Building Department. The county states incomplete submittals can be rejected initially or later during review, and an incomplete resubmittal goes to the end of the review queue as a new submittal.
4. Obtain related approvals required before issuance. Depending on the project, Plumas requires items such as water and sewer will-serve letters or environmental health permits, driveway encroachment approvals or waivers, fire-safe driveway permit, grading permit, design review approval where applicable, detailed jobsite directions, and any special inspection approvals.
5. Respond to plan check corrections and resubmit if necessary. Plumas states the plan check fee covers the initial review and one back-check; additional back-checks are billed hourly.
6. Pay remaining fees and obtain permit issuance.
7. Schedule inspections as work progresses by calling the county inspection request line and keep approved plans, permit card, and any required field reports on site for the inspector.

Typical processing time: A complete submittal takes an average of 2 to 4 weeks, depending on workload; corrections and revisions add time.

Source: Plumas County Building Department

General Requirements

Plumas County uses permit applications for new single-family dwellings and duplexes, additions and remodels, garages, decks and porches, structural repairs, reroofing, demolition, grading, fire-safe driveways, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, signs, photovoltaic systems, temporary structures, EV charging stations, and other miscellaneous construction. The county also posts a no-fee application for storage sheds or accessory buildings under 200 square feet and certain agricultural buildings, so applicants should not assume small detached structures are permit-exempt locally without confirming with Building Services.

Required Documents

• Completed signed application with owner and design-professional email addresses
• Plot plan
• Construction drawings
• Structural calculations
• Automatic fire sprinkler documents where required
• Energy compliance documents
• Photovoltaic documents where applicable
• Roof truss calculations where applicable
• Plan check fee at submittal
• Contractor designation or owner-builder paperwork before issuance where required
• Water and sewage approvals where required
• Encroachment approval or waiver where required
• Fire-safe driveway permit where required
• Grading permit where required
• Special inspection approvals where required
• Detailed jobsite directions
• Design review approval where applicable
• Payment of remaining fees

Permit validity

A building permit application expires 12 months after filing unless issued or extended. Once issued, a building permit expires 24 months after issuance and becomes invalid if work does not commence within 180 days or if work is suspended or abandoned for more than 180 days. The county may grant written 180-day extensions, generally with an administrative fee of $66.25 per extension under the published policy.

Building code

Plumas County states in its adopted Housing Element that its ordinance is written to automatically adopt new state code editions without a county ordinance update every three years and that it has not made local amendments to the listed state building codes. Based on that county statement and the California Department of Housing and Community Development's published notice that the 2025 California Building Standards Code became effective January 1, 2026, Plumas County should now be enforcing the 2025 California Building Standards Code cycle for current applications, but applicants should confirm any project-specific local policies with the Building Department.

Owner-builder

The county application package includes owner-builder declarations and cautionary notices. Owner-builders must sign the required declarations, and if they hire workers who are not properly licensed contractors with their own workers' compensation coverage, they may become the employer responsible for insurance and labor-law compliance.

Contractor requirements

The permit application requires either a licensed contractor declaration or a valid owner-builder exemption statement. County forms state any licensed contractor must have a current active California contractor license, must provide the license number on permits, and must maintain workers' compensation coverage where required.

Fees

Plan check fee

Required at submittal; the county says the plan check fee covers the initial plan check review and one back-check, is non-refundable, and additional back-checks are billed at the current department hourly rate of $147 per hour under the posted policy.

Permit fee formula

The active public formula was not posted in the county materials reviewed. County planning documents publish example all-in fee estimates instead of the calculation table; for example, Plumas estimated total building permit fees of $6,173.90 for a model 2,000-square-foot dwelling unit package in a June 27, 2025 county planning document.

Reinspection fee

Reinspection fees may be charged if work is not ready, if required approved plans are not on site, or if jobsite directions are inadequate. The county materials reviewed do not publish a current flat reinspection amount on the public webpage.

Penalty (no permit)

$66.25 administrative fee for permit extension requests under the published permit-expiration policy

Payment note

Plumas accepts Building Department fee payments through GovPayNet online or by phone 24/7. The county instructs payers to use Pay Location Code 7440 and notes that GovPayNet charges a non-refundable service fee paid by the customer.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Ordinary finish work such as painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work may be exempt under the California state code adopted by the county.
• Small detached accessory structures should not be treated as permit-exempt without checking first, because the county publishes a no-fee permit application specifically for one-story detached accessory structures used as tool sheds, wood sheds, playhouses, or similar uses when the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet.
• Applicants should review the currently effective California Building Code and California Residential Code exemption sections for trade-specific minor work, because Plumas states it follows the state code cycle without local amendments to the listed codes.

Important: Permit exemptions do not remove zoning, fire-safe, encroachment, environmental health, WUI, or other county review requirements. Plumas also applies local policies such as fire-safe driveway, grading, design review, and detailed jobsite-direction requirements where triggered.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• (530) 283-6001 (phone)
• Inspection request page (online)
• (530) 283-7011 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

Inspection requests must be received by no later than 3:00 PM on the working day before the requested inspection. Requests left on a weekend are scheduled for the following Tuesday, and holiday requests are scheduled for the second day after the holiday.

Inspection hours

Building Department office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and closed to the public on Fridays.

Time windows

The public inspection calendar is not finalized until 8:30 AM on the day of inspection, and the county asks applicants to allow one hour before and after the estimated time.

Typical inspection sequence: Request the first inspection before work is covered. Examples in the county FAQ include foundation or pier inspections after excavation, forms, and reinforcing steel are ready; underground plumbing or electrical inspections after trenches and conduits or pipes are installed; rough framing, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical inspections before insulation or sheetrock; and final inspection at completion. Re-roof projects require an ice dam underlayment inspection, a nailing inspection if roof decking is replaced, and then a final inspection.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Plumas County states in its adopted Housing Element that its ordinance is written to automatically adopt new state code editions without a county ordinance update every three years and that it has not made local amendments to the listed state building codes. Based on that county statement and the California Department of Housing and Community Development's published notice that the 2025 California Building Standards Code became effective January 1, 2026, Plumas County should now be enforcing the 2025 California Building Standards Code cycle for current applications, but applicants should confirm any project-specific local policies with the Building Department.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Building Department
• Permit applications and structural design documents
• Inspection request
• Inspection FAQs
• GovPayNet payment page
• Plumas County Code
• California approved building standards information
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• California hub: California Contractor License & Permit Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

Plumas County Building Permit FAQ

Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Plumas County, CA?

Plumas County uses permit applications for new single-family dwellings and duplexes, additions and remodels, garages, decks and porches, structural repairs, reroofing, demolition, grading, fire-safe driveways, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, signs, photovoltaic systems, temporary structures, EV charging stations, and other miscellaneous construction. The county also posts a no-fee application for storage sheds or accessory buildings under 200 square feet and certain agricultural buildings, so applicants should not assume small detached structures are permit-exempt locally without confirming with Building Services.

How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Plumas County, CA?

Fees are calculated as: The active public formula was not posted in the county materials reviewed. County planning documents publish example all-in fee estimates instead of the calculation table; for example, Plumas estimated total building permit fees of $6,173.90 for a model 2,000-square-foot dwelling unit package in a June 27, 2025 county planning document.. Plan check fee: Required at submittal; the county says the plan check fee covers the initial plan check review and one back-check, is non-refundable, and additional back-checks are billed at the current department hourly rate of $147 per hour under the posted policy..

How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Plumas County, CA?

1. Confirm parcel constraints before preparing the application. Plumas County directs applicants to verify snow load, fire hazard, parcel jurisdiction, zoning, and related site constraints through its parcel query and mapping tools. 2. Prepare the correct permit application and supporting plans. For a single-family dwelling, the county requires a completed application, plot plan, construction drawings, structural calculations, fire sprinkler documents if applicable, energy compliance documents, photovoltaic documents if applicable, roof truss calculations if applicable, and the plan check fee at submittal. 3. Submit a complete package to the Building Department. The county states incomplete submittals can be rejected initially or later during review, and an incomplete resubmittal goes to the end of the review queue as a new submittal. 4. Obtain related approvals required before issuance. Depending on the project, Plumas requires items such as water and sewer will-serve letters or environmental health permits, driveway encroachment approvals or waivers, fire-safe driveway permit, grading permit, design review approval where applicable, detailed jobsite directions, and any special inspection approvals. 5. Respond to plan check corrections and resubmit if necessary. Plumas states the plan check fee covers the initial review and one back-check; additional back-checks are billed hourly. 6. Pay remaining fees and obtain permit issuance. 7. Schedule inspections as work progresses by calling the county inspection request line and keep approved plans, permit card, and any required field reports on site for the inspector.

How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Plumas County, CA?

Typical processing time is A complete submittal takes an average of 2 to 4 weeks, depending on workload; corrections and revisions add time..

What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Plumas County, CA?

The following work is generally exempt: Ordinary finish work such as painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work may be exempt under the California state code adopted by the county.; Small detached accessory structures should not be treated as permit-exempt without checking first, because the county publishes a no-fee permit application specifically for one-story detached accessory structures used as tool sheds, wood sheds, playhouses, or similar uses when the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet.; Applicants should review the currently effective California Building Code and California Residential Code exemption sections for trade-specific minor work, because Plumas states it follows the state code cycle without local amendments to the listed codes.. Note: Permit exemptions do not remove zoning, fire-safe, encroachment, environmental health, WUI, or other county review requirements. Plumas also applies local policies such as fire-safe driveway, grading, design review, and detailed jobsite-direction requirements where triggered.

How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Plumas County, CA?

Inspections can be scheduled via: (530) 283-6001, Inspection request page, (530) 283-7011. Inspection requests must be received by no later than 3:00 PM on the working day before the requested inspection. Requests left on a weekend are scheduled for the following Tuesday, and holiday requests are scheduled for the second day after the holiday..