Martinez, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Applies within Martinez city limits. Work in unincorporated Contra Costa County is handled by Contra Costa County, not the City of Martinez.

Department

City of Martinez Building Division / Permit Center

Address

525 Henrietta Street, Martinez, CA 94553

Phone

(925) 372-3515

Email

buildingpermits@cityofmartinez.org

Website

https://www.cityofmartinez.org/departments/building/permit-center

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Source: City of Martinez Building Division / Permit Center

General Requirements

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

General building permit valuation fee starts at $114 for project valuation of $1 to $1,500, effective July 1, 2025. Separate flat fees apply to many specific permit types.

Plan check fee

General building plan review is 38% of the building permit fee. Energy-calculation plan check is an additional 25% of the plan review fee.

Permit fee formula

Mixed. General building permits are valuation-based; many reroof, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, demolition, and other trade permits use flat or unit-based fees.

Reinspection fee

Construction re-inspection is billed hourly at $182/hour effective July 1, 2025. After-hours inspection is $362 minimum for 2 hours. Additional plan review for building permits is $238/hour, and revisions to building permits are $190/hour. The fee schedule also includes a California Building Standards Commission surcharge and other project-specific fees.

Payment note

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. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• 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.
• Martinez's current published fee schedule expressly states that building permits are not required for fences less than 7 feet tall.
• Even where a building permit is not required, zoning, historic, floodplain, fire, utility, or other agency approvals may still apply.
• 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.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• (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 inspection 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.

Additional Resources

• 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.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

Other cities in Contra Costa County