Building Permit Information

Building Permit Information

A building permit is required for any new construction, addition, alteration, repair or demolition of a building or structure (including reroofs, fireplaces, swimming pools, carports, etc.)  Only a licensed California contractor or the legal property owner may be issued a building permit. 

A single building permit is issued for each structure where work is proposed.  A building permit can include multiple trades including carpentry, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, etc. 


For further permitting information, click on one of the tabs below:

Permit Application

The Building Division issues residential and commercial building permits for new construction, addition, alteration, repair or demolition of a building or structure. Craft permits are also issued to construction projects including one of the following trades: mechanical, electrical, or plumbing. All construction projects will require a building plan check, unless the work is exempt from building permits.

The Building Division will review the plans for the proposed project to ensure compliance with California Building Standards Codes and other agency requirements. The Building Division coordinates permit applications and construction requests with the Fire, Planning, and Engineering Divisions and other agencies, in order to ensure proper review and approval. For plan submittal requirements please refer to the Handouts webpage and the applicable handout: non-residential or residential handout.

Craft permits and projects that are small or minor in scope and do not require calculations may be reviewed during the application process on a case by case basis and may be issued once fees are paid.

All permit applications should include the following:

• Project name and address
• Owner’s name, address, and phone number
• Architect or engineer of record name, address, and phone number
• Contractor’s name, address, and phone number
• Parcel number
• Type of Construction
• Occupancy type
• Square footage of existing work (per occupancy type)
• Square footage of proposed work (per occupancy type)

Application Fees are calculated based on the size, occupancy and construction type or specific trade.  Plan check review fees are required at the time of permit application/plan submittal.  Building permit inspection, SMIP, BLDST, Fire, Engineering, development, school fees are paid at the time the permit is issued.  Fees for plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits are paid at the time those permits are issued.  For a list of fees for permitting, please review Application Fees on the Development Services webpage.

Plan Review

The plan review process involves the review of all construction drawings, energy documentation, structural calculations, soils reports, CALGreeen checklist, special inspections and any other required documents for verification of compliance with local & state codes. Many projects are also reviewed by the Fire, Engineering and Planning Division as well as outside agencies for conformance to those state and local regulations that they administer. The Building Division will route plans for plan check, if applicable, to the following Divisions: Building, Planning, Engineering, Fire, Santa Rosa Industrial Waste, Public Works, Public Safety and Rohnert Park Disposal.

The Building Division makes every effort possible to process plan reviews and building permit applications in a timely manner. In order to align with Health and Safety Code Sections 17960.1 and 19837, typical turnaround time for review of the initial permit submittal is 29 days. Any additional submittals thereafter will take 20 days for review.

The Building Division contracts with third party plan review firms to provide plan review services. Applicants are required to provide all of the required drawings and application documents directly to the Building Division. The Building Division will select the third party plan review firm and take responsibility for transporting the project documents. The applicant does not contact the third party plan review firm unless the firm first initiates the communication.

Permit Issuance

An application for a building permit for any proposed work shall be deemed to have been abandoned 180 days after the date of filing unless the permit has been pursued in good faith or the permit has been issued. Permit applicants may submit a written request for a one time extension of up to 180 days in order for their permit application  to remain active and not be expired. If this period ends without picking up the building permit,  plan check fees will be lost and a permit application will need to be started.

After the permit has been issued, the building permit is good for 1 year from the date it was issued.  Permit holders may submit a written request for an extension, if need be prior to the six months. All permits must be posted at the job site in plain view from public right of way during the entirety of the construction project.

Appeals Board

The Board of Appeals is used to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of the building standards codes. Typically, the Board of Appeals will hear appeals regarding disabled access issues, retrofit mandates and City requirements made by the Building Official that an applicant feels is unnecessarily costly to a project.

The Appeals Board has no authority relative to interpretation of the administrative provisions of the codes nor does the board have the power to waive requirements of the codes.

The City of Rohnert Park Building Division is currently using the City Council as the Board of Permit Appeals. Permit holders or permit applicants who wish to appeal a decision of the Building Official are asked to contact the Building Division for information regarding the Appeals process.

Permit Research

***For permits prior to January 5, 2001, Building permit record files are subject to availability due to an ongoing records maintenance.***

Visitors can use the Development Services online services portal to check the history of and find information on permit records. The online line database contains information for permits from January 5, 2001 to present. For permits prior to January 5, 2001 please visit the Building Division at City Hall to view archived permit records information.

Please note: All reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the data provided. However, the data may be out of date or inaccurate. The Building Division assumes no responsibility arising from the use of this information. This information and associated data are provided without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Do not make any business decisions based on this data before validating the data with the Building Division.

To search permit records please visit Development Services online services webpage:

Development Services Online Web Portal

Once there, select “Search” under the “Permit” banner. Visitors can use either the property address, permit number or parcel numbers to search for permit record information.