Lassen County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

Building permits for unincorporated areas of Lassen County are handled by the county Planning and Building Services Department.

Department

Lassen County Department of Planning and Building Services, Building Division

Address

707 Nevada Street, Suite 5, Susanville, CA 96130

Phone

(530) 251-8269

Email

landuse@co.lassen.ca.us

Website

https://www.lassencounty.org/dept/planning-and-building-services/permits-and-applications

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm the project site is in unincorporated Lassen County and gather the core application details, including owner name, mailing address, phone, APN, parcel size, and job site address.
2. Prepare the application package with contractor information, license number, owner-builder or contractor signatures, and any required plot plans, health approvals, engineered plans, or manufactured-home documents.
3. Submit the application through the county's accepted channel. The SmartGov portal currently accepts Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Roofing permits; other building permit applications may be submitted by email to landuse@co.lassen.ca.us or by mail to the department.
4. County staff review the submittal for completeness, zoning and land-use consistency, plan check, and outside clearances such as Fire Warden, Road Department, and Health Department review where required.
5. Pay permit and plan-check charges when notified. Portal users receive email prompts for additional information, payment, and electronic signatures; email applicants are contacted for credit-card payment by phone, and permit-number payments can also be made through PayGov.
6. After issuance, post the permit, complete required inspections, and obtain final clearances and any certificate of occupancy before occupancy or closeout.

Typical processing time: The county does not publish a general permit review turnaround. For projects needing final Road, Health, and Fire clearances, the final inspection/certificate of occupancy phase may take up to two weeks.

Source: Lassen County Department of Planning and Building Services, Building Division

General Requirements

The county states that no work should be done on the job site until a building permit is obtained or issued by the county. Lassen County also publishes a separate Work Exempt from Permit handout listing limited exemptions.

Required Documents

• Building permit application
• Owner, contractor, or authorized-agent signatures
• APN and parcel data
• Job site address
• Contractor license information if applicable
• Plot plans
• Health approval forms for septic or well-related projects
• Project-specific plans or engineered documents where required

Permit validity

A permit expires if work is not commenced within 1 year from issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 1 year. One written extension of up to 1 additional year may be granted before expiration, and the permit remains active so long as an inspection occurs before the 1-year period passes.

Building code

Effective January 1, 2023, Lassen County enforces the 2022 California Building Code, 2022 California Residential Code, 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, 2022 California Mechanical Code, 2022 California Electrical Code, 2022 California Plumbing Code, 2022 California Energy Code, 2022 California Existing Building Code, and 2022 California Historical Building Code.

Owner-builder

If no contractor is used, the property owner or authorized agent must sign the application, complete the owner-builder declaration, sign the workers' compensation section, and read and initial the Property Owner's Package required by the State of California.

Contractor requirements

If a contractor is used, the county requires a California-licensed contractor to sign the contractor portion, provide license information, have a current workers' compensation certificate on file, and perform work only within the classification of the license.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$300

Plan check fee

65% of permit fee total for standard building permits; the county process sheet also notes a plan-check fee deposit for projects subject to plan check.

Permit fee formula

General building permit fees are valuation-based, starting at $300 for valuations up to $13,000 and increasing by schedule. The county also lists flat fees for many common permits such as reroofing, siding, window replacement, pools, grading, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical permits.

Reinspection fee

$250 where separately charged; expired permit reactivation is listed as 50% of the permit fee plus $250 for each inspection required to complete the project.

Penalty (no permit)

Reactivation of an expired permit generally requires one-half of the original permit fee if no plan changes are made and the suspension has not exceeded two years; after two years, a new full permit fee applies.

Payment note

Online portal applicants pay after county review and receive electronic-signature instructions. Email applicants are contacted for credit-card payment by phone. Mailed applications must include payment by check. PayGov is available for permit-number payments.

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
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet high unless supporting a surcharge
• Water tanks on grade not over 5,000 gallons, subject to the listed height-to-width ratio
• Sidewalks and driveways
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work
• Prefabricated swimming pools less than 24 inches deep
• Swings and playground equipment
• Window awnings meeting the county handout limits
• Detached decks not exceeding 200 square feet, not more than 30 inches above grade, not attached to a dwelling, and not serving the required exit door
• Limited minor electrical, gas, mechanical, and plumbing repair items listed in the county exemption handout

Important: Exempt work still must comply with the code and other laws or ordinances. Ordinary repairs do not include structural removals, egress changes, or replacement or relocation of water, sewer, drainage, gas, electrical, mechanical, or similar systems affecting public health or safety. Emergency repair applications must be submitted by the next working business day.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• (530) 257-5263 (phone)
• SmartGov Public Portal (online)

Inspection hours

Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Typical inspection sequence: Do not cover work before inspection. All building permits require at least one inspection, and final county inspections may need parallel clearances from the Road Department, Health Department, and Fire Warden before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Effective January 1, 2023, Lassen County enforces the 2022 California Building Code, 2022 California Residential Code, 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, 2022 California Mechanical Code, 2022 California Electrical Code, 2022 California Plumbing Code, 2022 California Energy Code, 2022 California Existing Building Code, and 2022 California Historical Building Code.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Applications and Process Forms
• Building permit process sheet
• Inspection and Expiration of Building Permits
• Design Criteria 2023
• Lassen County Code Title 12
• 2022 Title 24 California Code Changes Guidebook
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement