Lafayette, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

In Lafayette, applicants generally start with City zoning plan check. After City approval, required outside-agency approvals are collected if applicable, then the County handles building permit intake, plan review, issuance, and inspections under contract with the City.

Department

City of Lafayette Planning & Building Department; building permit plan check, issuance, and inspections are performed for Lafayette by the Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development, Building Inspection Division / Application and Permit Center

Address

City of Lafayette Planning & Building Department, 3675 Mount Diablo Boulevard, Suite 210, Lafayette, CA 94549; County Application and Permit Center, 30 Muir Road, Martinez, CA 94553

Phone

City Planning (925) 284-1976; County APC (925) 655-2700

Email

planner@lovelafayette.org

Website

https://www.lovelafayette.org/city-hall/city-departments/planning-building/building-permits

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Submit plans to the City of Lafayette for zoning plan check through the City's GeoCivix portal. A complete digital architectural plan set is required, and some projects also need drainage information; Lafayette's handout also says to include a completed Contra Costa County building permit application with the City submittal.
2. Obtain outside-agency approvals if the project triggers them. Lafayette's permit handout specifically calls out the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and Central Contra Costa Sanitary District.
3. After City approval, submit the building permit application digitally through Contra Costa County's ePermits Center. The County reviews the submittal for completeness first.
4. If the County deems the application complete, it assigns an official permit number and, for larger projects, collects initial plan-check fees before plan review starts.
5. Respond to County correction comments as needed. The County says the review may take multiple iterations by email or phone depending on project scope and submittal completeness.
6. Pay final fees when notified, then download the issued permit card and approved plans from the County portal. Printed approved plans and the permit card must be kept at the job site.
7. Schedule required inspections by phone or online with the County.

Typical processing time: County initial completeness review is about 4 to 5 business days. No universal total approval timeline is published; the County says overall processing depends on project scope and completeness.

Source: City of Lafayette Planning & Building Department; building permit plan check, issuance, and inspections are performed for Lafayette by the Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development, Building Inspection Division / Application and Permit Center

General Requirements

Lafayette states almost all construction and remodel projects require a building permit unless a County building official confirms the work is exempt. Contra Costa's general examples include new buildings, additions and alterations, new or replacement windows, reroofs, solar PV, pools/spas, signs, replacement piping, water heaters, furnaces or AC units, bathroom remodels, kitchen remodels, parking lot reconstruction, and demolition.

Required Documents

• Typical submittals include a complete digital plan set, completed permit application, any project-specific checklist, and required supporting forms. Depending on scope, the County may require geotechnical reports, CalGreen debris recovery documentation, drainage plans, septic/well approvals, and other outside-agency approvals. Lafayette also flags Waste Management Plan holds and USA North 811 documentation for digging projects.

Permit validity

If the applicant or design professional does not respond to County review comments within 180 days, the application is deemed abandoned. An application also expires 12 months after notice that the permit is ready to issue if it is not picked up. Once issued, the permit expires if work is not commenced within 12 months of issuance or if 180 days pass after the most recent approved inspection.

Building code

As of January 1, 2026, County building review for Lafayette uses the 2025 California Building Standards Code set, including the 2025 California Building Code, Residential Code, Electrical Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Energy Code, Existing Building Code, CALGreen, and related parts, together with Contra Costa County Code Title VII and applicable City ordinances.

Owner-builder

County permits may be issued to property owners, California licensed contractors, or authorized agents. Owner-builders must complete the Owner Builder Acknowledgement and Verification of Information form; if an agent is pulling an owner-builder permit, the County also requires an Authorization of Agent form and owner identification.

Contractor requirements

The County requires proof of a current California contractor license to issue contractor-held permits. Lafayette is listed by the County as not requiring a city business license for contractors at this time.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

No single universal Lafayette building-permit minimum is published because total fees are assembled from multiple County fee components by project type and valuation. For general building projects up to $2,000 valuation, the County fee schedule starts with permit processing at $19, plan review at $49, and building inspection at $75, before applicable discipline/code fees and surcharges.

Plan check fee

Valuation-based under County fee code S-001. For projects up to $2,000 valuation, plan review starts at $49 plus $8.94 for each additional $1,000 or fraction above $2,000, with higher brackets for larger valuations.

Permit fee formula

Mostly valuation-based for standard building permits, plan review, permit processing, inspection, energy, access, and many trade fees; some permit types are flat-fee. The County also applies a 40% land development surcharge on all building permit fees.

Reinspection fee

County miscellaneous reinspection fee is $150 per inspection trip.

Penalty (no permit)

Work started without permit triggers an investigation fee equal to two times required permit fees, with a $300 minimum. Expired-permit renewal charges also apply, including a $250 final-inspection renewal fee and percentage-based renewal fees for other expired permits.

Payment note

County online payments through ePermits accept credit cards and e-checks; credit cards carry a 2.75% convenience fee with a $1 minimum, and e-checks carry a $2.50 convenience fee. Lafayette states City e-payments are available on request and include a 2.9% convenience fee; the City also accepts cards, cash, and checks.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory structures not over 120 square feet
• Fences not over 7 feet high under the building code; Lafayette notes local fence-height limits can be lower within setbacks
• Certain retaining walls not over 3 feet under the County exemption list, or under 4 feet for Lafayette's zoning-plan-check exemption list, subject to slope/surcharge conditions
• Sidewalks and driveways within the code exemption limits
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work
• Prefabricated above-ground pools within the code exemption limits
• Swings, playground equipment, and some window awnings
• Minor electrical, mechanical, gas, and plumbing repairs listed in CBC/CRC permit exemptions
• Lafayette zoning-plan-check exemptions such as termite/dry-rot repair without area/plumbing expansion, many bathroom and interior remodels without added conditioned space, in-kind window replacement in existing openings, residential reroofs under 5,000 square feet, flush-mounted rooftop solar on qualifying detached single-family homes or duplexes, private-property EV chargers, in-kind deck repairs/demolition, like-for-like siding replacement, and some single-family HVAC, water-heater, pool/spa-equipment, seismic, and foundation work

Important: Exempt work still must comply with code and other laws. Lafayette's handout says exemptions can be lost when a Waste Management Plan is required, including for many new buildings, demolition-only projects, projects increasing conditioned area/volume/size, residential additions or alterations of 1,000 square feet or more, residential projects valued at $50,000 or more, and all nonresidential projects.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• (925) 646-4108 (phone)
• https://epermits.cccounty.us/CitizenAccess/ (online)

Scheduling deadline

Same-day phone scheduling is accepted until 5:30 a.m.

Inspection hours

Same-day phone scheduling is accepted until 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. The County posts the current business day's inspection schedule after 8:45 a.m. Monday through Friday, and inspection time frames are given in 3-hour windows.

Time windows

Same-day phone scheduling is accepted until 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. The County posts the current business day's inspection schedule after 8:45 a.m. Monday through Friday, and inspection time frames are given in 3-hour windows.

Typical inspection sequence: The exact sequence depends on scope and permit type. The County's published inspection codes include setbacks, piers/forms/slab, shear nailing and framing, rough plumbing/mechanical/electrical, insulation, lath/drywall, and final inspections including `120 Building`, `320 Plumbing`, `420 Electrical`, and `520 Mechanical`. Reinspection note: The County warns that a reinspection fee may be charged if work is not ready, prior deficiencies remain uncorrected, access is unavailable, approved plans or permit card are missing onsite, or an adult representative is not present. The County fee schedule lists the standard reinspection fee as $150 per trip.

Additional Resources

• Building code: As of January 1, 2026, County building review for Lafayette uses the 2025 California Building Standards Code set, including the 2025 California Building Code, Residential Code, Electrical Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Energy Code, Existing Building Code, CALGreen, and related parts, together with Contra Costa County Code Title VII and applicable City ordinances.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Lafayette Planning & Building overview
• Lafayette Municipal Code
• County permit overview
• County inspections
• https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1619
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

Other cities in Contra Costa County