Mono County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

Mono County Community Development provides planning, building, and code-compliance services for the unincorporated areas of Mono County.

Department

Mono County Community Development Department, Building Division

Address

Mammoth Lakes Office, 1290 Tavern Road, Ste 138, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546; Bridgeport Office, Annex 1, 74 N. School St., Bridgeport, CA 93517

Phone

760-924-1800; Building Permit Center: 760-924-1823 or 760-932-5420; Inspection Hotline: 760-924-1827

Email

commdev@mono.ca.gov

Website

https://monocounty.ca.gov/community-development ; https://monocounty.ca.gov/building/page/building-permit-applications-0

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm the project type with the Building Permit Center and use the correct county form: full building permit application for new residences, new commercial buildings, additions, and detached structures; minor permit application for smaller non-OTC work; or OTC application for qualifying over-the-counter work.
2. Assemble the application package with owner, applicant, contractor or owner-builder, APN, scope, valuation, and plan-check contact information. Full and minor permit forms direct applicants to contact the Permit Center for project-specific submittal requirements.
3. Include all required declarations, including the licensed contractor declaration or owner-builder declaration, workers' compensation declaration, construction lender information, and agent authorization where applicable.
4. Obtain prerequisite County approvals before permit issuance where applicable. Mono County Code Title 15 requires completed reviews for sewage disposal, sewer connection, water supply, public water connection, and other required County department reviews.
5. Submit the application to Mono County Community Development and pay fees. Mono County publishes fillable PDF forms and offers online payment through Heartland, but the reviewed materials did not identify a full online permit-submittal portal.
6. Complete plan review and respond to corrections if required. County forms recommend listing a design professional because corrections and plan sets will be returned only to the designated contact.
7. Receive the permit, perform the work, and call for inspections using the county inspection hotline.

Typical processing time: OTC permits are usually issued the same day upon presentation of a completed application and payment of fees. No general turnaround was publicly stated for full or minor permits.

Source: Mono County Community Development Department, Building Division

General Requirements

Mono County building permit forms are used to construct, alter, improve, demolish, or repair structures in unincorporated Mono County. Mono County Code Title 15 also requires prerequisite County approvals before permit issuance for projects involving sewage disposal, sewer, or water systems.

Required Documents

• Completed permit application
• Project scope
• Assessor parcel number (APN)
• Project valuation
• Owner, applicant, and contractor details
• Plan-check contact information
• Required declarations
• Plans and project-specific supporting documents discussed with the Permit Center
• Site plan
• Floor plans
• Elevations
• Structural details
• Title 24 documents
• Truss information where applicable
• Utility and grading information
• Other technical submittals depending on scope

Permit validity

Plan-review applications become void after 180 days unless pursued in good faith or a permit is issued; a building permit application becomes void after 12 months from application; permits become void 36 months after issuance unless extended; and a permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within 180 days or is suspended or abandoned for 180 days. Written extensions of up to 12 months each may be granted by the Building Official for justifiable cause.

Building code

Mono County adopted the 2025 California Building Codes with local amendments by ordinance approved February 10, 2026. The staff report states the 2025 California Building Standards Code took effect statewide on January 1, 2026.

Owner-builder

Mono County uses California's owner-builder declaration. Owner-builders must sign the required acknowledgment, may be responsible as the employer if using unlicensed labor worth $500 or more including labor and materials, may not legally sell certain owner-builder residential work unless it qualifies under Business and Professions Code section 7044, and must provide identity verification for owner-builder permits.

Contractor requirements

Permit forms require a California contractor license declaration, and Mono County's OTC instruction sheet states that Mono County business licenses are required for all contractors performing work in the county.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Mono County does not clearly publish a single minimum for all building permits in the public materials reviewed. Public fee materials show OTC building permits at $130, and the valuation table starts at $57 for projects valued from $1 to $500.

Plan check fee

Planning-Building Permit Plan Check (small) $103; Planning-Building Permit Plan Check (large) $261.

Permit fee formula

Valuation-based for standard building permits using a published building valuation table, plus state fees such as BSC and SMIP where applicable. Mono County's public fee materials also show cost-per-square-foot valuation factors by building type and elevation band, and flat plan-check fees labeled small and large.

Penalty (no permit)

Expired permits require new application, plan check, and permit issuance under Title 15 if the permit cannot be extended or reactivated.

Payment note

Mono County provides online payments for Building / Planning Permits through Heartland Web Payments.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective July 1, 2025).

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Mono County Community Development Department, Building Division to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• 760-924-1827 (phone)

Typical inspection sequence: Mono County does not publish a standard inspection sequence on the reviewed public pages. Required inspections depend on project type and generally follow applicable California code stages and any permit conditions set by the Building Division.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Mono County adopted the 2025 California Building Codes with local amendments by ordinance approved February 10, 2026. The staff report states the 2025 California Building Standards Code took effect statewide on January 1, 2026.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Community Development
• Building Permit Applications
• Online Payments
• Mono County Code of Ordinances
• 2025 code adoption agenda packet
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement