Unincorporated San Bernardino County

The County states permits are required to build, alter, repair, move, or demolish buildings, and for electrical, plumbing, heating, solar, air-conditioning, grading, reroofing, demolition, erosion control, pools/spas, walls/signs, and many other construction activities. Current County permit guidance specifically lists new buildings over 120 square feet, solar, patio covers, enclosed patios, EV charging stations, additions/alterations, pools/spas, carports/garages/barns, fences/block walls over 6 feet, retaining walls over 4 feet measured from the bottom of footing or any wall supporting a surcharge, onsite grading of 100 cubic yards or more, demolition, erosion control, and wall/monument signs.

• Exempt One-story detached tool sheds, storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses up to 120 square feet, if they have no utilities, stay within minimum setbacks, and are under 14 feet in height
• Exempt Fences or block walls 6 feet high or less are treated by the County's permit pages as outside the listed permit threshold
• Exempt Retaining walls 4 feet high or less are treated by the County's current permit page as outside the listed permit threshold if not supporting a surcharge
• Exempt Onsite grading below 100 cubic yards is outside the threshold listed on the current permit page

Note: County sources say all setbacks still apply whether or not a permit is required. Accessory structures must remain accessory to a legally established primary structure or use with the same owner. The County's public pages are not fully consistent on retaining walls: an older FAQ says permits are required over 3 feet, while the current permit page says over 4 feet measured from the bottom of footing or where supporting surcharge, so applicants should verify the current threshold with Building and Safety for any wall near that range.

Building code

For permit applications submitted after January 1, 2026, the County requires compliance with the 2025 California Building Standards Code. The County code adopts the 2025 California Building Code for unincorporated San Bernardino County, and Building and Safety also enforces the California Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy, and Green Building standards in Title 24.

Permit validity

County FAQ states issued permits expire if work is not commenced within 12 months after issuance or if work is suspended/abandoned for 12 months; a written 180-day extension may be granted. County extension forms currently state plan review applications are valid for 180 days from application and issued building permits are valid if work starts within 360 days and is not suspended for more than 180 days. Because the County publishes both standards, applicants should confirm the controlling timeline for the permit type with Building and Safety before relying on an extension.

Owner-builder

Property owners may pull permits, but must provide ID, proof of ownership if needed, and a Notice to Property Owner / Owner-Builder acknowledgment; if the owner is not present at issuance, the signature must be notarized. Agents for owners need notarized authorization.

Contractor requirements

State of California licensed contractors may pull permits with photo ID and proof of current California contractor license and classification; agents for contractors need authorization on contractor letterhead or a notarized authorization. Tenants cannot pull permits unless acting as agent for the owner or contractor.

1. 01
   Confirm the property is in unincorporated San Bernardino County, verify zoning and setbacks, and identify the correct permit type in EZOP before preparing submittal documents.
2. 02
   Register for an EZOP account, start the appropriate Building application, and upload the required forms, plans, calculations, and supporting documents.
3. 03
   County staff reviews the application and plans for code compliance; if corrections are issued, revise and resubmit through EZOP.
4. 04
   After approval, pay the invoiced permit fees online or through County payment channels, then obtain permit issuance before starting work.
5. 05
   Keep the County-approved plans on site, request inspections through EZ Inspect, EZOP/Accela Citizen Access, or by phone, and obtain final approval/clearance at completion.

Typical processing time: The County does not publish a general turnaround for standard building permits on its main permit pages; published timing notes say inspection requests made by 4:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next work day when capacity allows, and building application/permit extension requests are reviewed in about 5 business days.

Source: San Bernardino County Land Use Services Department, Building and Safety Division ↗

Building permits and plan review fees can be paid online through the County PayHub; the County says users need the permit/activity/invoice number, APN or project name, correct amount due, and a valid MasterCard or Visa.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ (effective July 2025) before budgeting.

• Inspections may be scheduled through EZ Inspect (online)
• through Accela Citizen Access / EZOP (online)
• (909) 387-8311 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

Inspection requests received by 4:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next work day when the schedule is not full.

Time windows

Inspectors are available from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. to discuss issues or request an inspection window, and inspectors call the morning of inspection with a 2-hour arrival window for scheduled field inspections.

Typical sequence: After permit issuance, inspections are requested by phase as work progresses; approved County plans must be on site, corrections must be cleared through reinspection if needed, and final approval is required at project completion.

If corrective work is not complete when a reinspection is requested, the County handout says a $213.00 reinspection fee must be paid before further inspections. Remote locations may have limited in-person inspection days, and the County also offers virtual and self-inspection options for some work.

Source: San Bernardino County Land Use Services Department, Building and Safety Division ↗