Yuba County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

County building and planning enforcement applies to properties in the unincorporated area of Yuba County. City permit processes are separate.

Department

County of Yuba, Community Development & Services Agency Building Department

Address

915 8th Street, Suite 123, Marysville, California 95901

Phone

(530) 749-5440; (530) 749-5430

Email

building@co.yuba.ca.us

Website

https://www.yuba.org/

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Determine whether the work needs permit review. New building and structure work generally requires a permit.
2. Prepare a complete permit package for SelfService submission, including a detailed work description, project location and APN, legal owner contact information, contractor license number if applicable, project valuation, and building construction plans.
3. Submit the application through the portal and pay required fees.
4. County staff reviews the submittal for completeness, conducts technical review, and coordinates with other departments as needed.
5. Respond to revision or resubmittal requests if the submittal is incomplete or corrections are required.
6. After review is complete and fees are paid, the permit is issued and inspections may be scheduled.

Source: County of Yuba, Community Development & Services Agency Building Department

General Requirements

New buildings and structures must obtain a building permit before construction.

Required Documents

• Detailed project description
• Project location and APN
• Legal owner name, address, and phone
• Contractor license number if applicable
• Project valuation
• Building construction plans
• Site plan
• Floor plan
• Elevations
• Structural plans
• Electrical plans

Building code

California State Building Standards Code (Title 24), current adopted edition, plus Yuba County Ordinance Code Title X requirements for building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and fire.

Contractor requirements

Permit applications request contractor license information, and ADU guidance states a licensed contractor is needed for construction coordination.

Fees

Permit fee formula

Building permit and impact fees are tied to project valuation and occupancy or size inputs through the fee-estimate process. For ADUs, there is no development impact fee under 750 square feet, and impact fees apply only to square footage above 750. ADU-related school fees may apply as a per-square-foot development fee for units over 500 square feet.

Reinspection fee

Reinspection fees are assessed when the inspector determines an inspection request is not ready.

Payment note

Building permit record copies are billed at $0.25 per page for 8.5 x 11 black-and-white copies.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory buildings up to 120 square feet with limited features and no services
• Fences 7 feet high or less
• Certain decks, walls, plumbing, electrical, and minor repair categories described in Yuba County Ordinance Code section 10.05.410
• Minor maintenance and non-structural cosmetic work
• Temporary electrical testing and other professional service-related exclusions

Important: Exemption from a building permit does not remove zoning, Development Code, Design Review, or other local or state compliance obligations. Even exempt work can still require other permits or approvals.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• SelfService portal (online)
• (530) 749-5440 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

Request next-day inspections by 4:00 PM the prior business day. Later requests are scheduled two business days out.

Inspection hours

Inspector phone support is typically available from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM.

Time windows

Approximate two-hour inspection time window.

Typical inspection sequence: Typical inspection phases include footing or under-slab, pre-slab, under-floor for raised floors, roof or shear wall, rough frame, insulation, gypsum, miscellaneous, and final.

Additional Resources

• Building code: California State Building Standards Code (Title 24), current adopted edition, plus Yuba County Ordinance Code Title X requirements for building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and fire.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Field Inspection Guidelines
• Request for Permit Records
• Yuba County ADU Handbook
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement