Point Arena, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Within Point Arena city limits, building permit processing and inspection are handled by Mendocino County, but owners/contractors must begin at Point Arena City Hall so the city can confirm consistency with the Point Arena Municipal Code before the county issues the permit. City Hall: 451 School Street, Point Arena, CA 95468; (707) 882-2122; admin@pointarena.ca.gov.

Department

Mendocino County Department of Planning and Building Services, Building Division

Address

860 North Bush Street, Ukiah, CA 95482; coastal office: 752 South Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437

Phone

(707) 234-6650; Fort Bragg: (707) 964-5379

Email

pbs@mendocinocounty.gov

Website

https://www.mendocinocounty.gov/departments/planning-building-services/building-division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Start with Point Arena City Hall, not the county. The city requires applicants to begin there so staff can check zoning and municipal code compatibility, and identify whether separate city approvals such as a coastal development permit, sign permit, or encroachment permit are also needed.
2. Prepare the county building permit package. Mendocino County's online guidance says required attachments include the building permit application, site map, construction plans, and agent authorization if the applicant is not the deeded owner or licensed contractor. Additional items may be required depending on the project, such as engineering, CalFire materials, fire district approval, sewer/water approvals, school fee letter, smoke/CO self-certification, or stormwater materials.
3. Submit to Mendocino County through eTRAKiT or at the counter. County guidance states online applications are reviewed for completeness within 5 working days, and incomplete applications are placed on hold. The county notes that current plan check processing is about 6 to 8 weeks.
4. Pay initial and final fees. eTRAKiT collects only the prepaid plan check/application portion up front; any corrected fees and remaining balance are due at issuance.
5. Do not start work until the county notifies you that the permit is approved and ready to issue.
6. Schedule inspections through eTRAKiT or the automated inspection line. For Point Arena, the county's coastal schedule lists regular inspection service on Monday and Wednesday.
7. Complete final inspection and city signoff. Point Arena's permit signoff ordinance says the county inspector coordinates the final inspection with the city administrator, and final occupancy is not approved until city conditions of approval are satisfied.

Typical processing time: Completeness review within 5 working days for online submissions; county states current plan check processing is about 6 to 8 weeks.

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

General Requirements

Mendocino County Building Division says a permit is required before erecting, constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, improving, occupying, removing, converting, or demolishing a building or structure, except where exempt under the California Building Code or other county ordinances. Because Point Arena is inside city limits, city review comes first.

Required Documents

• Building permit application
• Site map
• Construction plans
• Agent authorization if needed
• Engineering calculations if required
• CalFire approvals if required
• Local fire authority approval if required
• Sanitation/sewer district approval if required
• Water district approval if required
• School district impact fee letter if required
• Smoke/carbon monoxide self-certification if required
• MS4/stormwater materials if required
• Special inspection form if required
• Mobile home forms if required
• Demolition asbestos clearance if required
• Separate city-level planning or coastal approvals if applicable

Permit validity

County application forms state a permit application is deemed abandoned 1 year after filing if no permit is issued. After issuance, the county inspection procedure says the first inspection must be scheduled within 1 year of issuance, then an approved inspection must be obtained at least every 180 days. A 180-day extension may be requested in writing with fee payment before expiration; expired permits require reinstatement fees.

Building code

Mendocino County adopted the 2025 editions of the California Building Standards Code, with local amendments, by Ordinance 4553 adopted November 18, 2025. The Building Division administers those state and local construction regulations in Point Arena.

Owner-builder

The county application includes an owner-builder declaration tied to California Business and Professions Code sections 7031.5 and 7044. Owners may either contract exclusively with licensed contractors or perform work themselves/through employees if the structure is not intended or offered for sale, subject to the statutory owner-builder limits.

Contractor requirements

County forms state only property owners, licensed contractors, or authorized agents may obtain permits. The county verifies contractor licensing, and the application requires contractor license number and class plus workers' compensation declaration as applicable.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$183 minimum permit or demolition fee

Plan check fee

Standard plan review fee is 75% of the building permit fee; if the county administers the California Fire Code, plan review is 100% of the building permit fee. Additional planning review, stormwater review, and revision review fees may be billed at staff time x weighted rate.

Permit fee formula

Building permit fees are valuation-based under the county master fee schedule; the General Plan Maintenance Fee is 0.65% of job cost valuation for permits with valuation of $17,001 and greater, with a $20 flat General Plan Maintenance Fee for permits valued at $17,000 or less. Issuance fee is $110. Records management, education, building standards, SMIP, and CASp fees also apply.

Reinspection fee

Reinspection fee is $86. Reinstatement or extension fee is $177 plus $86 for each remaining inspection if reinstating an issued permit.

Penalty (no permit)

Violation/penalty fee is listed as 1x, 2x, or 3x under MCC 18.08.030. Returned check fee is $33.50. Permit record update fee is $131. Point Arena is also listed in the county's special inspection/pre-site inspection fee table at $460.

Payment note

County guidance states eTRAKiT fees collected at application are only a portion of the total cost; corrected fees and the balance due must be collected at issuance. Online accounts are required for online fee payment.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory structures up to 120 square feet, other than storm shelters
• Fences not over 7 feet high
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet high unless supporting a surcharge
• Water tanks on grade up to 5,000 gallons if height-to-diameter/width ratio does not exceed 2:1
• Sidewalks and driveways
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work
• Prefabricated swimming pools less than 24 inches deep
• Swings and other playground equipment
• Window awnings projecting no more than 54 inches and not requiring additional support
• Detached decks up to 200 square feet that are no more than 30 inches above grade, not attached to a dwelling, and not serving the required exit door
• Minor listed electrical, gas, and mechanical exemptions identified by the county, such as temporary decorative lighting, minor like-for-like electrical work, portable heating/cooking/cooling equipment, and minor part replacement that does not affect approval or safety

Important: The county says exemptions are determined under CBC 105.2 and adopted California Residential Code exemptions. Exempt work may still trigger other approvals. In Point Arena, city zoning/coastal review may still apply even where a building permit is exempt.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Mendocino County eTRAKiT (online)
• Ukiah automated inspection line: (707) 234-6650 (phone)
• Coastal/Fort Bragg service line: (707) 961-2677 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

3:00 p.m. the day before for automated phone requests.

Inspection hours

Requests may be made online or through the automated phone system during or after office hours.

Time windows

Applicants can call between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on the inspection day to verify whether the inspection will be in the morning or afternoon.

Typical inspection sequence: County guidance says inspections occur through several phases of construction before final inspection. The first inspection must occur within 1 year after permit issuance, then at least one approved inspection every 180 days until final approval. The job copy of the permit/plans must be on site and the address must be posted in 4-inch numbers visible from the road.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Mendocino County adopted the 2025 editions of the California Building Standards Code, with local amendments, by Ordinance 4553 adopted November 18, 2025. The Building Division administers those state and local construction regulations in Point Arena.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Point Arena planning and permitting page
• Point Arena zoning code
• Mendocino County forms and handouts
• Mendocino County regulations page
• County code page with Ordinance 4553
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

Other cities in Mendocino County