City Building Permits
Fairfield, CA Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Fairfield, California. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Applies to work in the incorporated City of Fairfield. Solano County handles only unincorporated county projects.
- Department
- City of Fairfield Building Safety Division (Community Development Department)
- Address
- 1000 Webster Street, 2nd Floor, Fairfield, CA 94533
- Phone
- (707) 428-7451
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Fairfield BUILD • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Create a Fairfield BUILD account.
- Submit permit applications and plans through BUILD, or use the public kiosks at City Hall for in-person help.
- Upload required plans and supporting documents in non-password-protected digital format.
- City departments review the project based on scope, including Building Safety, Planning, Public Works, and Fire.
- Pay plan check fees at submission and remaining fees at permit issuance.
- After issuance, schedule inspections through BUILD.
Typical processing time: Public Works encroachment permits are currently documented with a 4-6 week approval window.
Source: City of Fairfield Building Safety Division (Community Development Department)
General Requirements
The city states that Building Safety reviews new construction and improvements to existing structures, and Public Works separately lists city-owned right-of-way, grading, transportation, and construction water meter permits.
Required Documents
- Digital plans
- Permit applications
- Required submittal documents
- Project-specific checklists and forms published by Building Safety or Public Works
- Building code
- 2025 California Building Codes effective January 1, 2026
Fees
- Plan check fee
- Payable upon submission of plans.
- Permit fee formula
- The city publishes multiple permit fee schedules by fiscal year and project category.
- Payment note
- The city accepts cash, check, and Mastercard, Visa, or Discover. Credit-card convenience fees apply.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the City of Fairfield Building Safety Division (Community Development Department) to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Fairfield BUILD (online)
- (707) 428-7451 (phone)
- Building@fairfield.ca.gov (email)
- Inspection hours
- Indexed city bulletins note modified counter hours around the BUILD transition, including planning counter closure on Mondays from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM and building counter closure on Wednesdays from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM during that period.
Typical inspection sequence: Projects move from plan submittal to departmental review, permit issuance, inspection scheduling in BUILD, and final inspection completion.
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2025 California Building Codes effective January 1, 2026
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Plan Submittals
- Planning Applications and Forms
- Permit Fees
- License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the City of Fairfield Building Safety Division (Community Development Department) before applying.
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