Town of Tiburon, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Applies within the incorporated Town of Tiburon. The Town notes it is not a full-service city and some projects also require review or fees from outside agencies such as local fire districts, sanitary districts, water districts, and school districts.

Department

Town of Tiburon Building Division, Community Development Department

Address

1505 Tiburon Boulevard, Tiburon, CA 94920

Phone

415-435-7380 (Building Division inspection/application line); Community Development main line 415-435-7390

Email

building@townoftiburon.org

Website

https://www.townoftiburon.org/524/Building-Division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm whether the project needs Design Review or Planning Commission approval before building permit submittal. If required, wait until the land-use approval is complete and the 10-day appeal period has run. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/507/Start-Your-Project
2. Prepare the building permit package: building permit application, permit drawings meeting Tiburon's minimum plan submittal requirements, and relevant supporting documents. Commercial applicants must also address accessibility/disability requirements. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/510/Apply-for-a-Building-Permit and https://www.townoftiburon.org/DocumentCenter/View/1309/Minimum-Plan-Submittal-Requirements
3. Submit the application online by emailing the required documents to building@townoftiburon.org and include the site address in the subject line. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/510/Apply-for-a-Building-Permit
4. Building Division staff confirms receipt, performs initial review, and contacts the applicant when initial review is complete and permit fees are due. The Town does not publish a general plan-check turnaround on the main permit page. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/510/Apply-for-a-Building-Permit
5. Pay permit fees. Tiburon says payment may be dropped off or mailed to Town Hall, and credit cards are accepted in office with a 3% surcharge; the forms page also directs users to eTRAKiT to apply, search permits, and pay fees online. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/524/5541/Frequently-Asked-Questions?activeLiveTab=widgets and https://www.townoftiburon.org/156/Helpful-Forms-Documents
6. After permit issuance, call the inspection line at 415-435-7380 to schedule inspections and complete all required inspections through final. A project is not complete until final inspection. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/515/Building-Inspections and https://www.townoftiburon.org/507/Start-Your-Project
7. If the project is an eligible residential rooftop solar job by a licensed contractor, Tiburon offers SolarAPP+ automated review; those permits are issued instantly after permit payment is complete. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/636/Solar-Permitting-with-SolarAPP

Source: Town of Tiburon Building Division, Community Development Department

General Requirements

Tiburon states that, with few exceptions, permits are required for construction involving electrical, mechanical, plumbing, reroofing, drainage work, fences or walls, window replacements, kitchen or bath remodels, storage sheds, and similar work. Its single-family handout also lists bathrooms, kitchens, garages/carports, patio covers, enclosures, decks, stairs, retaining walls, fences, garage conversions, additions, reroofing, doors/windows, skylights, pools/spas, termite or dry-rot repair, siding, antennas/satellite dishes, HVAC work, gas piping, irrigation systems, water heaters, service/subpanels, solar systems, EV receptacles, and added branch circuits.

Required Documents

• Building permit application
• one electronic set of plans
• site/floor plan showing location of work
• address and detailed scope of work
• plan preparer name/signature, and if prepared by a licensed architect/engineer, stamp, signature, license number, and expiration date
• room dimensions/square footage if applicable
• sprinkler note
• manufacturer's installation instructions
• and ICC-ES/evaluation reports when required. Additional agency review may be required from Planning, Public Works, local fire districts, sanitary districts, and others

Permit validity

Building permits expire 18 months after issuance. Design Review approvals expire 3 years from approval.

Building code

Tiburon says it adopts and issues building permits in line with the California Building Code under Tiburon Municipal Code Chapter 13. Its current minimum plan submittal sheet expressly cites the 2022 California Residential Code, including CRC Sections R106.1.1, R106.1.2, and R104.11.

Owner-builder

Tiburon defines an owner-builder as a property owner acting as the general contractor. The work site must be the owner's principal residence occupied for 12 months before completion, and the homeowner cannot construct and then sell more than two structures during any three-year period. The permit application also requires either a licensed contractor declaration or an owner-builder declaration.

Contractor requirements

The application requires a licensed contractor declaration unless the applicant qualifies as an owner-builder. Tiburon also notes that if a contractor is doing work requiring a building permit in Tiburon, the contractor's local business license is included in the building permit; subcontractors working under someone else's permit do not need an additional Tiburon business license for that permitted work.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Building permit fee schedule Table 1 starts at $60 for projects valued from $1 to $2,000. Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits each list a $60 minimum fee unless otherwise stated.

Plan check fee

Plan check fee is 65% of the building permit fee shown in Table 1. If plans are incomplete or changed, Tiburon may charge an additional plan-check/review fee at $75 per hour, with a one-hour minimum, plus any outside plan-checking costs incurred by the Town.

Permit fee formula

Building permit fees are primarily valuation-based under Table 1 of the Building Division fee schedule. If valuation is not provided, Tiburon assigns minimum valuation schedules by occupancy/work type, such as dwellings, apartment houses, retaining walls, decks, patio covers, greenhouses, reroofs, pools/spas, and miscellaneous work.

Trade permit fee

Building permit fee schedule Table 1 starts at $60 for projects valued from $1 to $2,000. Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits each list a $60 minimum fee unless otherwise stated.

Reinspection fee

Reinspection fee is $75 per hour, with a one-hour minimum; inspections outside normal business hours are $75 per hour with a two-hour minimum

Penalty (no permit)

inspections without a specified fee are $75 per hour with a one-hour minimum. Work started without a required permit is subject to a penalty under the Town's administrative fines resolution, and the Town's permit page states penalties range from $250 for minor projects under $5,000 up to $1,000 plus 4x the permit fee for projects over $50,000. The fee schedule also states an after-the-fact permit penalty equal to 100% of the regular filing fee for fee-schedule applications and a long-range planning/general plan maintenance fee surcharge of 10% of building permit fees.

Payment note

Building Division staff contacts the applicant when fees are due. Tiburon's FAQ says payments may be mailed or dropped off at Town Hall, credit cards are accepted in office with a 3% surcharge, and credit card information is not accepted by phone. The Helpful Documents page also directs applicants to eTRAKiT to apply/search permits and pay fees online.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Detached play structures that do not exceed 120 square feet, do not exceed 12 feet above grade, and do not contain plumbing, electrical, heating, or cooling appliances
• Painting, wallpapering, tiling, carpeting, countertops that do not include sinks or lavatories, and similar finish work
• Prefabricated above-ground swimming pools that are less than 24 inches deep and hold less than 5,000 gallons
• Swings and other playground equipment accessory to detached one-family or two-family dwellings

Important: Tiburon states the handout is only a partial list, other items not listed may still require a permit, and separate Design Review approval may still be required for some otherwise permit-exempt exterior work. Generally only cosmetic improvements are exempt, and applicants are told to contact the Building Division or Planning Division for clarification. Sources: https://www.townoftiburon.org/DocumentCenter/View/1252/Building-Permits-Required--Single-Family-Homes and https://www.townoftiburon.org/507/Start-Your-Project

Inspections

How to Schedule

• 415-435-7380 (phone)
• Schedule by calling the inspection line at 415-435-7380 and leaving a message with site address, permit number, inspection type, preferred date, AM/PM preference, and contact name/phone. Source (online)

Inspection hours

Inspections are scheduled Monday through Thursday. Tiburon posts "Today's Inspections" after 8:30 a.m. on inspection days. As of October 6, 2025, Tiburon states it no longer calls with two-hour inspection windows; sites assigned an 8-10 a.m. window still receive a call before the first inspection of the day. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/515/Building-Inspections

Time windows

Inspections are scheduled Monday through Thursday. Tiburon posts "Today's Inspections" after 8:30 a.m. on inspection days. As of October 6, 2025, Tiburon states it no longer calls with two-hour inspection windows; sites assigned an 8-10 a.m. window still receive a call before the first inspection of the day. Source: https://www.townoftiburon.org/515/Building-Inspections

Typical inspection sequence: Depending on scope, Tiburon lists preliminary inspection before permit issuance if required, footing/foundation, concrete slab and under-floor, frame and close-in (mechanical/electrical/plumbing), energy efficiency, lath and gypsum board, special inspections where required, other inspections required by the Building Official, and final inspection. Reinspection note: The fee schedule sets general reinspection fees at $75/hour with a one-hour minimum. Residential resale reinspection is separately listed at $75.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Tiburon says it adopts and issues building permits in line with the California Building Code under Tiburon Municipal Code Chapter 13. Its current minimum plan submittal sheet expressly cites the 2022 California Residential Code, including CRC Sections R106.1.1, R106.1.2, and R104.11.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Building Division landing page
• Apply for a Building Permit
• Helpful Forms & Documents
• Forms & Fees
• Building Inspections
• FAQ
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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