Building Safety

COVID-19 Notice

During a Special Meeting held on January 19, 2021 in response to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases within the County of Lake, the BOS voted to close the Courthouse to the public effective immediately while ensuring that the delivery of services will continue via electronic methods. The CDD has immediately enacted a COVID-19 Response Action Plan to ensure that all CDD services can be seamlessly transitioned to electronic and teleconferencing. That Action Plan includes the following but is not limited to:

  • Using email, telephone, and video conference services as much as possible
  • Updating this website in real-time to address any changes and provide guidance on how to access these electronic services

Building Permit Application Process              

(CLICK HERE FOR OUR BUILDING CITIZEN ONLINE PORTAL-- APPLY FOR A PERMIT/ CHECK APPLICATION STATUS/ REQUEST INSPECTIONS)     


Please note: to apply for a building permit ,  you must download the Building Permit Application in step 2 below, fill it out and submit it to the county in-person or by uploading it along with other required documents. 


The steps below are a complete list of tasks/documents needed to apply for a permit.  All required documents must be submitted to the County and all related procedures followed or we will not be able to process your application.

  1. Check your Zoning
    • Check your Base Zoning and Full Zoning using our GIS viewer and our Zoning Ordinance
    • Your Zoning Ordinance article(s) will tell you what you can build, where you can build, how high you can build, etc. on your parcel.
    • For example, if the GIS Viewer has your Base Zone as "R1" and Full Zone with "SC" and "WW" you would read R1 (PDF), SC (PDF), and WW (PDF) in the Zoning Ordinance to figure what you can do on your property.
    • For more information on what you can and cannot do on your property, please visit our Planning Division page.
  2. Fill out a Building Permit Application (PDF)
  3. Gather your plans!
    • Two Copies of Site Plan
    • Two Copies of Construction Plans/Supporting Documents
    • Two Copies of Fire Suppression System Plans
    • Two Copies of Photovoltaic System (Solar)
    • Stormwater Control Plan MS4 (if within Community Growth Boundaries and over 2,500 square feet of impervious surface)
  4. Send your plans around to Lake County departments for approval.
    • See the Department Key under item 10 below
      • Some of these Departments require separate fees and permits. Once their requirements have been met, a representative from each will sign-off on the Building Permit form. When you have all your needed sign-offs proceed to Step 5.
  5. Determine whether or not the site of interest is located where a Home Owners Association has jurisdiction.
      • Make sure to get their stamp of approval on your plans.  We cannot approve permits until this HOA stamp is on plans.
  6. Gather the rest of your plans.
  7. Submit all your documents to the Community Development Department - Submit all your Plans along with the Building Permit form to our Building Citizen Online Portal. Please include-
    • Application Name
    • Project Description
    • Project Address
    • Property Owner Name
    • Property Owner Address
    • Parcel Number
    • Contact Email
    • Contact Phone
  8. Planning Clearance
    • Once we receive your documents through the Portal, your application will be assessed on whether your project meets the zoning requirements. Please allow up to 10 business days to ensure your application submission request matches the appropriate Zoning Clearance fees. Applications without a legible email address and phone number will not be processed.
  9. Building Permit Processing
    • Your application will next move on for full processing. A member of our Community Development Department team will reach out to request the appropriate fees collected for your Building Permit. Please do not remit payment until you receive a communication from us indicating the correct fees.
  10. Pick up your completed Building Permit

Note: Until further notice, the Community Development Department will be operating under the above transitional plan for Building Permit submittals. Please be advised a full digital submission and approval process is upcoming.

Department Key

  1. Sewer/Water District (Special Districts – dealing with public water and sewer systems. Fees collected.)  If you will be creating a new connection to a sewer system or will be connecting to a utility water service, you must submit your building permit application to the Special Districts Department who will sign-off on the permit application.  
    You will then take your application to other departments for sign-off and then take it to the building department.
  2. Environmental Health (well water and septic systems. Fees collected.) If you will have a new septic system or well water system, you must take your permit application to this office to get their sign-off before your eventual submission of your application to the building department.  
    You must also get sign-off from this department for any planned new structure, expansion or addition to a structure.
  3. Local Fire District (fees collected on new structures and expanded structures.)  Any new/expanded structure requires fire district fees.  Identify the fire department of the building site address, take your permit and plans to them, and they will collect fees.  
    Do this before submitting your permit application to the county building department. Here are links to some of the fire districts:
  4. Local School District (Fees collected on structures)
  5. Lakebed Management (Proposed improvements on lake-abutting properties. Fees collected and permits issued.)
  6. Department of Public Works or CALTRANS (Driveway encroachments on public/highway/county-maintained roads. Fees collected and permits issued.)
  7. Water Resources (Assesses properties in flood zones, and determines possible base flood elevation.)
  8. Lake County Air Quality Management District (Concerned with dust creation in the construction process of commercial and asbestos properties.)

Contact Us

For a faster turn-around of your question, please use our informational pages under the Building drop-down menu above.

If you have additional Building questions, please email our team.

Building technicians are available to answer your land use questions via email, between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Please note, that a building technician will respond within 10 business days depending on the nature of your inquiry.

To expedite the process, please leave complete information related to your inquiry. Include pertinent property, permit, and owner information.