City Building Permits

San Mateo, CA Building Permit Guide

How to apply for a building permit in San Mateo, California. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

California San Mateo County Updated March 2026

Permit Authority

Applies to projects inside the incorporated City of San Mateo.

Department
City of San Mateo Building Division (Community Development/Building Department), also referenced as Building Permit and Building Inspection services.
Address
330 West 20th Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94403
Phone
(650) 522-7172
Website
https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/3933/Building-Permits

Online Permit Portal

Open Customer Self-Service (CSS) Online Permit Center

Platform: Customer Self-Service (CSS) Online Permit Center • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online or in-person

Application Process

  1. Submit construction drawings, permit form, and required fees.
  2. Plans reviewed by Building Plan Checker; revisions may be requested.
  3. For over-the-counter/virtual minor-project workflow: submit requirements, get contacted within one business day for review scheduling, permit issued within one business day of fee payment.
  4. Standard plan check pathway is described as up to 20 working days (with additional rounds as needed), then permit pickup/issuance.

Typical processing time: Up to 20 working days for plan check; city permit review may require correction/resubmission cycles.

Source: City of San Mateo Building Division (Community Development/Building Department), also referenced as Building Permit and Building Inspection services.

General Requirements

building, enlarge, alter, repair, demolish or remove structures.

Required Documents

  • application form, construction drawings/plans, supplemental documents (structural, utility, code-based), and fees.
Permit validity
City code indicates permit applications expire by limitation after 180 days of filing if no permit issued; may be extended in limited circumstances.
Building code
City uses adopted California Building Codes (Title 24 family) with local amendments; City page notes 2025 code effective Jan 1, 2026.
Owner-builder
A separate owner-builder declaration is required for owner-builder filings; owner-builder permits are possible with legal declarations and responsibilities acknowledged.
Contractor requirements
Licensed contractors generally required when work is not performed solely by owner; owner can do work themselves, but owner and hired workers must comply with workers’ compensation and contractor requirements.

Fees

Minimum permit fee
not explicitly available in the publicly visible HTML snippets used for permit pages (fees are established by City Council resolution/Comprehensive Fee Schedule).
Plan check fee
part of permit fee structure; valuation-based and project-type based per adopted city fee resolution.
Permit fee formula
valuation-based for most building permits; additional itemized fees for specific permit classes (electrical/mechanical/plumbing/sign/life-safety).
Reinspection fee
city inspection page warns of reinspection fee risk if a job site is not ready and for late/near-term cancellations; exact amounts in adopted comprehensive schedule.
Payment note
credit/debit cards incur processor fees; cash/check/e-check avoid those fees; one business day window for certain VOTC scheduling.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

  • one-story detached accessory buildings <=120 sq ft
  • rear fences <=7 ft/front fences <=3 ft
  • certain retaining walls <=4 ft
  • 200 sq ft platform/decks (non-attached, certain conditions), temporary stage sets, painting/papering/finish work, etc.

Important: Exempt categories are narrow; if any structural change, plumbing/electrical, or code-driven issues exist, permit review may still be required.

Inspections

How to Schedule

Scheduling deadline
inspections normally during normal business hours (typically 8:00-5:00), with 2-hour windows, no same-day scheduling, and 3pm deadline for next-day schedule request; inspector may contact by 9:00 AM before inspection.
Time windows
inspections normally during normal business hours (typically 8:00-5:00), with 2-hour windows, no same-day scheduling, and 3pm deadline for next-day schedule request; inspector may contact by 9:00 AM before inspection.

Typical inspection sequence: not fully enumerated in the municipal permit pages; however all required inspections are tied to permit scope and requested in CSS.

Additional Resources

Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the City of San Mateo Building Division (Community Development/Building Department), also referenced as Building Permit and Building Inspection services. before applying.

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Important: This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from the permit authority listed above. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.

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