Madera County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

Madera County states its Building Division regulates buildings and structures within the unincorporated area of the county; unincorporated Madera County relies on this county department for building permits.

Department

Madera County Community and Economic Development Department, Building Division

Address

200 W. 4th Street, Suite 3100, Madera, CA 93637

Phone

(559) 675-7821

Email

mcbuilding@madera-county.com

Website

https://www.maderacounty.com/government/community-economic-development-department/divisions/building-division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm the project scope and parcel constraints first. County permit requirements say Planning, Environmental Health, Fire Marshal, Engineering, and Road or Public Works review may all be needed depending on zoning, setbacks, septic or well issues, fire access, flood zone conditions, grading, and driveway access.
2. Prepare the permit package. County materials require a completed permit application, plot plan, floor plan, elevations, project valuation, owner or contractor information, and any required authorization forms. Depending on scope, the county also requires an operational statement, plan sets, civil or grading drawings, and other supporting construction documents.
3. Submit through the county's online permit system when the permit type is available there, or submit directly to the Building Division for project types that are handled outside the standard online flow. The county's public pages state in-person submittals are accepted Monday through Friday and some project-specific applications instruct applicants to submit directly to mcbuilding@madera-county.com.
4. Pay required application or plan review fees. County materials indicate applicants are invoiced or charged at submittal depending on permit type, and permit issuance does not occur until required fees and outside-agency sign-offs are complete.
5. Respond to correction comments if the plan review identifies deficiencies. The county states applicants are notified after all reviewing departments complete compliance review.
6. Receive permit issuance, keep the approved plans and job card at the site, and schedule required inspections as construction progresses.
7. Pass final inspection before occupancy or project closeout.

Typical processing time: The county does not post a single general turnaround for all building permits on the main Building Division pages reviewed. Project-specific county forms give a 1 to 3 business day goal for qualifying expedited EV charging permits and about 2 to 6 weeks for swimming pool permit review.

Source: Madera County Community and Economic Development Department, Building Division

General Requirements

Madera County states it is unlawful to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, relocate, or convert buildings and structures in the unincorporated county without first securing a permit, and the county specifically calls out buildings, pools, electrical work, plumbing, heating and cooling facilities, mobile home installations, and demolition of structures over 120 square feet. The county's exemption handout also says that for projects other than the listed exemptions, a permit is likely required.

Required Documents

• Completed permit application
• 11 x 17 plot plan, floor plan, and elevation drawings
• Project valuation
• Owner or contractor contact information
• Contractor or owner authorization form
• Plan sets or construction documents needed for review
• Operational statement where required
• Civil or grading drawings where required
• Environmental health clearance where required
• Fire review items where required
• Residential plan submittal information such as occupancy data, design criteria, utility material specifications, and design professional information where required

Permit validity

County-published materials are not fully consistent. A current swimming pool permit application says a permit expires if work does not commence within one year of issuance, and also expires if work stops for more than 180 days from the last valid inspection unless a one-time extension is timely requested. A separate county owner-builder and grading form says the permit becomes null and void if work is not commenced or if no inspections are called for within 180 days of issuance. Applicants should confirm the currently enforced expiration rule with the Building Division before relying on either form.

Building code

Madera County states it has adopted the California Building Code as mandated by the State of California. Current public county plan-submittal documents also reference California residential, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, green building, and energy code requirements, but the main public pages reviewed do not clearly identify the exact currently enforced Title 24 edition year.

Owner-builder

Madera County publishes an owner-builder permit package explaining that owner-builders are exempt from licensure in limited circumstances, but must complete and return the owner-builder notice and acknowledgment before permit issuance. The county warns that the property owner, not an agent, must execute the required owner-builder acknowledgment and that owner-builders assume legal and financial responsibility for the project and for verifying contractor licensing and workers' compensation coverage where applicable.

Contractor requirements

Madera County's permit requirements state contractors must have a current Madera County business license and a current California Contractors State License Board license. The owner-builder packet also states contractors are required by law to be licensed and bonded in California and to list their license numbers on permits and contracts.

Fees

Plan check fee

Required where plan review applies, but the county does not publish a current general public dollar schedule on the pages reviewed. County application materials indicate applicants are invoiced or charged at submittal depending on permit type.

Permit fee formula

Mixed. County permit applications require project valuation for standard permits, while the county's online permit page states reroof and swimming pool permits use flat fees and some OTC permits use streamlined or flat-fee processing.

Reinspection fee

A reinspection fee of a minimum one hour at the current rate may be assessed when work is incomplete or corrections are not made. The demolition section on the Building Division page also notes reinspection fees may be charged for jobs not ready for inspection, missing permit cards or plans, failure to provide access, or deviations from approved plans.

Payment note

The county's online permits page says the portal accepts MasterCard, Visa, and American Express. County materials also indicate payment timing varies by permit type: some applications say fees are collected at submittal, some say fees are invoiced, and permit issuance waits for required fees to be paid.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory buildings such as tool sheds, storage sheds, and playhouses not exceeding 120 square feet
• Fences not over 6 feet high
• Oil derricks
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet high, measured from bottom of footing to top of wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding certain liquids
• Water tanks supported directly on grade if capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the height-to-diameter or width ratio does not exceed 2:1
• Sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, not over a basement or story below, not part of an accessible route, and not within the public right-of-way
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops without sinks, and similar finish work
• Temporary motion picture, television, and theater stage sets and scenery
• Prefabricated above-ground pools accessory to single-family residences that are less than 24 inches deep and do not exceed 5,000 gallons
• Shade cloth structures for nursery or agricultural purposes, excluding service systems
• Swings and other playground equipment accessory to detached one- and two-family dwellings
• Window awnings on Group R-3 and Group U occupancies that project no more than 54 inches and do not require additional support
• Nonfixed and movable fixtures, cases, racks, counters, and partitions not over 5 feet 9 inches high

Important: The county exemption sheet says separate planning approval may still be required for location, especially for sheds, fences, retaining walls, and tanks. It also states that if otherwise exempt work includes plumbing, electrical, or mechanical work, separate trade permits will still be required.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• (559) 675-5206 (phone)
• (559) 675-7821 (phone)
• POSSE permit portal (online)

Scheduling deadline

Inspection requests should be made at least 24 hours in advance. County EV charging guidance says inspection requests received before 5:00 PM can usually be scheduled for the following inspection day.

Inspection hours

Field inspectors' office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Typical inspection sequence: The county's inspection handout gives a rough order that includes ground plumbing and setbacks, foundation, concrete block where applicable, floor framing, sub-floor sheathing, roof and shear wall nailing, framing with rough plumbing, mechanical, and electrical, sewer or septic connections, Title 24 insulation, lath or drywall nailing, shower pan, gas test, gas piping, electrical meter set, and final inspection. Certificate of occupancy is issued after satisfactory final inspection.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Madera County states it has adopted the California Building Code as mandated by the State of California. Current public county plan-submittal documents also reference California residential, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, green building, and energy code requirements, but the main public pages reviewed do not clearly identify the exact currently enforced Title 24 edition year.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Owner-builder rules: View rules
• Building Division documents
• County Code Online
• County Permits Online
• Permit Application Requirements
• Work Exempt from Permits
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement