Santa Barbara County, CA - 2026 Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Applies to unincorporated Santa Barbara County. Incorporated cities run their own permit systems.

Department

Santa Barbara County Planning & Development, Building & Safety Division

Address

123 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; 624 W. Foster Road, Santa Maria, CA 93455

Phone

(805) 568-2000 / (805) 934-6250

Website

https://www.countyofsb.org/515/Building-Safety-Division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm the correct permit path from the County permitting pages and pull the right packet or checklist from the Planning and Building Permit Applications & Forms page.
2. Prepare the permit application, plans, and supporting materials required by the County's plan-submittal requirements and any case-specific checklist.
3. Submit the application through Accela Citizen Access and upload all required documents.
4. Pay the required permit and plan check fees.
5. Respond to County correction comments if plan check identifies deficiencies.
6. Resubmit revised plans and documents until plan check is cleared.
7. Obtain permit issuance after approvals and fee clearance, then schedule and pass the required inspections.

Typical processing time: The County does not publish one general processing-time commitment for all permit types. A County rebuilding guide says first building plan review for single-family dwellings is about two weeks and accessory structures are about 30 days in that program, but that is not presented as a universal countywide timeline.

Source: Santa Barbara County Planning & Development, Building & Safety Division

General Requirements

County Building & Safety permitting applies to construction, alteration, repair, demolition, and similar regulated building work in unincorporated county areas. Separate planning or zoning review may also be required depending on location, use, coastal status, grading, or other land-use constraints.

Required Documents

• Completed construction permit application
• Project address or APN, owner and applicant information, and project description
• Plans and supporting documents required by the County's plan-submittal requirements and any case-specific checklist
• Designer or licensed professional information where applicable
• Workers' compensation declaration and construction lending declaration where applicable

Permit validity

The County publishes a Permit Extension Request form, but the reviewed public-facing pages did not clearly publish one baseline expiration period for all permit classes. Confirm the issued permit's expiration terms directly with County staff.

Building code

County permit materials track California Building Code and California Residential Code Section 105.2 style permit exemptions and route applicants through current California building-code-family compliance and County ordinance requirements.

Owner-builder

The permit application includes an Owner-Builder declaration and a separate Owner-Builder Acknowledgement and Information form. A property-owner signature verification document is required when the permit is issued.

Contractor requirements

The application requires either a California licensed contractor declaration or a valid owner-builder exemption statement, plus contractor name, license class, license number, and workers' compensation information or a qualifying exemption.

Fees

Plan check fee

Plan review and plan check charges are part of the County fee framework and are tied to the permit class and review path.

Permit fee formula

County fees are a mix of flat fees, deposits, hourly charges, and category-specific permit and plan-check charges.

Reinspection fee

Current fee materials indicate reinspection and recheck charges may be billed hourly with a minimum charge.

Penalty (no permit)

Work performed without required permits can trigger additional enforcement or after-the-fact permit costs.

Payment note

Use County permit and payment workflows through Accela and confirm the live fee schedule immediately before submittal.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses within the stated code size and condition limits
• Fences not over 6 feet high
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, subject to the stated exceptions
• Sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade and not over a basement or story below
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work
• Certain prefabricated swimming pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancies
• Certain window awnings on qualifying occupancies

Important: Exemption from a building permit does not authorize work that violates zoning, grading, coastal, flood, fire, septic, or other county requirements. Project-specific thresholds and exceptions still matter.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Accela Citizen Access (online)
• (805) 568-2000 / (805) 934-6250 (phone)

Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence is permit issuance, required phase inspections tied to the approved plans and permit conditions, correction notice or reinspection if work is not ready or does not pass, and final inspection with permit closeout.

Additional Resources

• Building code: County permit materials track California Building Code and California Residential Code Section 105.2 style permit exemptions and route applicants through current California building-code-family compliance and County ordinance requirements.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Permitting Home
• Planning and Building Permit Application
• Plan Check Process
• Plan Submittal Requirements
• Fee Ordinance Schedules
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• California hub: California Contractor License & Permit Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Barbara County Building Permit FAQ

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

County Building & Safety permitting applies to construction, alteration, repair, demolition, and similar regulated building work in unincorporated county areas. Separate planning or zoning review may also be required depending on location, use, coastal status, grading, or other land-use constraints.

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

Fees are calculated as: County fees are a mix of flat fees, deposits, hourly charges, and category-specific permit and plan-check charges.. Plan check fee: Plan review and plan check charges are part of the County fee framework and are tied to the permit class and review path..

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

1. Confirm the correct permit path from the County permitting pages and pull the right packet or checklist from the Planning and Building Permit Applications & Forms page. 2. Prepare the permit application, plans, and supporting materials required by the County's plan-submittal requirements and any case-specific checklist. 3. Submit the application through Accela Citizen Access and upload all required documents. 4. Pay the required permit and plan check fees. 5. Respond to County correction comments if plan check identifies deficiencies. 6. Resubmit revised plans and documents until plan check is cleared. 7. Obtain permit issuance after approvals and fee clearance, then schedule and pass the required inspections.

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

Typical processing time is The County does not publish one general processing-time commitment for all permit types. A County rebuilding guide says first building plan review for single-family dwellings is about two weeks and accessory structures are about 30 days in that program, but that is not presented as a universal countywide timeline..

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

The following work is generally exempt: One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses within the stated code size and condition limits; Fences not over 6 feet high; Retaining walls not over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, subject to the stated exceptions; Sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade and not over a basement or story below; Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work; Certain prefabricated swimming pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancies; Certain window awnings on qualifying occupancies. Note: Exemption from a building permit does not authorize work that violates zoning, grading, coastal, flood, fire, septic, or other county requirements. Project-specific thresholds and exceptions still matter.

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

Inspections can be scheduled via: Accela Citizen Access, (805) 568-2000 / (805) 934-6250.