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Development Services Department  - Building Services
How to Obtain a Building Permit
APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE to submit an application, issue a permit, and Building Department related activities. Contact Us for an appointment.


NOTE: FEES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE
RESIDENTIAL ACCESSORY STRUCTURES


Obtaining a Building Permit

Accessory structures are small utility buildings and structures associated with a residential parcel. They include but are not limited to:

  • Pool house
  • Shed
  • Pump/well house
  • Carport
  • Guest house/cottage
  • Fence taller than six feet high
  • Decks
  • Gazebo
  • Retaining walls over four feet measured from the bottom of footing to top of wall
  • Water tanks greater than 5,000 gallons

Accessory structures exempt from building permits:

If the accessory structure, with the exception of the guest house, is single story, detached, less than 120 square feet of floor area as measured from outside face of framing, has no electrical or plumbing installed, and used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse, and similar uses, it is exempt from a required permit. California Building Code §106.2

If a deck does not exceed 30 inches above grade at any point, and is not attached to a permitted structure, and does not serve a door or an exitway, it is exempt from permit.

Accessory structures located in the Tahoe Basin:

If the accessory structure is located within the Tahoe Basin, a permit will be required to facilitate the review of TRPA requirements for the proposed structure.

Other structures exempt from permits include:

  • Oil derrick
  • Water tanks on grade less than 5,000 gallons
  • Painting, papering and similar finish work
  • Pre-fab pools entirely above grade less than 5,000 gallons
  • Concrete flatwork
  • Window awnings projecting less than 54"
  • Retaining walls that are not over four feet measured from the bottom of footing to top of wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding a Class I, II, or III-A liquid

Exemption from the permit requirement of the codes does not grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of the codes or county ordinances.

The Permit Process
    1. Building Services permit application:

      a. Complete the three part application and sign where applicable (signature must be verified by office personnel). If you are applying as owner-builder, you must be the owner of record and complete part four of the multi part application. If property ownership was recently changed a copy of the grant deed may be required at time of application.

      b. When other than the owner or licensed contractor is applying for the permit, the second half of part four of the form must be completed, giving authority to sign as the owner's agent.

      c. An owner or their agent must sign a "Deed Restriction Certificate," declaring conformance with any applicable deed restrictions and/or CC&R's for subject property.

      d. If the property is within the architecturally-controlled area of the El Dorado Hills Community Services District or the Cameron Park Community Services District, architectural approval of the plans from the District prior to permit issuance is required. Failure to obtain approval may delay issuance of your permit.

      e. Check with your local association for any restrictions that may affect construction in your area.

      f. Contractors acting as agent for the owner must have a current California state contractors license, worker's compensation coverage, and a current El Dorado County business license.

      2. Submit plans as outlined in Plan Requirements below.

      3. When the property is not served by public water/sewer, the Environmental Management Department will review the site plan for distance to any septic tank or leach field.

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Accessory structure Plan Requirements
and Guideline

BUILDING SERVICES WILL NOT ACCEPT AN APPLICATION FOR A PERMIT UNLESS THE MINIMUM CRITERIA LISTED BELOW ARE MET.

Submit TWO COMPLETE SETS OF PLANS that include the following:

  1. A PLOT PLAN (minimum scale I "=20'). This plan must show the entire parcel and indicate and identify actual distances from all property lines and/or easements to structures, existing and proposed.
    - The plot plan shall also indicate the distances between structures.
    - Locate septic system(s).
    - Indicate slope of lot. Contour lines (@ 1 ',2' or 5' vertical increments) must be shown for the building site and/or disturbed area and extend 20 feet beyond or to the property line, whichever is less. Similar contour lines must also be shown for the full length of a new driveway, if applicable. Any proposed grading is to be delineated in conformance with the County Design and Improvement Standards Manual.
    - If the plot plan, drawn as required above, is too large to fit on a 24" x 36" sheet of paper, a SITE PLAN, drawn to a small scale, shall be provided which locates the area covered by the plot plan on the parcel.
  2. TITLE BLOCK giving: owner's name and mailing address, job site address, and assessor's parcel number. Include a summary of square footage of the structure.
  3. FOUNDATION PLAN with details, indicate all hold-down device locations (if applicable).
  4. FULLY-DIMENSIONED FLOOR PLAN(S) Label all areas and rooms for use. Show braced wall panel locations or engineered shear walls (if applicable).
  5. FRAMING PLAN for structures with details (include deck framing if applicable).
  6. ROOF FRAMING PLAN. If trusses are to be used, supply wet-signed copies of engineered design along with structural plan set submittal. Trusses must be keyed to Roof Framing Plan. The building design professional (project engineer) must review and initial truss specs as being compatible with building design.
  7. ELEVATIONS including front, rear, and both sides.
  8. ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL PLAN identifying all outlets, switches, lights, smoke detectors and main panel ampacity and location. This may be illustrated on the Floor Plan.
  9. Name and wet-signature (original) of the person responsible for preparing plans on the title page of the plan set. (Plans requiring design by a California-Registered Architect or Engineer must bear stamp and license number.) Expiration date must not predate the application date.
  10. Pre-packaged metal structures may require two engineers; one for the structural design and another for the foundation in a particular location. Due to the complexities of a metal building, additional plan check time may be needed for review by the department plan check engineer. This requirement does not include the small prefab tool sheds available at department stores.
  11. Any revisions to the metal building plans will require a review of the structure by the project or building engineer.

CHECK OUR PLAN REVIEW GUIDELINES FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE PLAN CHECK PROCESS. The guideline, while not all-inclusive, is intended to help you prepare residential plans that are essentially "complete".

NOTE: PLEASE USE A SCALE COMMON TO INDUSTRY PRACTICE (1/4 PER FOOT DESIRED). Plans and specifications shall be drawn to scale upon substantial paper and shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of the codes and all relevant laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.

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Fees
  • PLEASE NOTE: The Development Services Department DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY CREDIT CARD PURCHASES at this time. Personal or bank draft checks accepted as well as US currency.

  • ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FEES
    Rural parcels may require a well and septic system. Your parcel may be in an asbestos area and a review and associated fee will be required by Air Quality.  Please contact Environmental Management (530-621-5300) for information concerning permit requirements and fees.

  • OTHER AGENCIES & DEPARTMENTS
  • BUILDING & PLANNING FEES
    • For permits not subject to the 2004 General Plan Traffic Impact Mitigation (TIM) Fee Program, fees shall be determined by the valuation shown on the Valuation Table as published annually in the August issue of Building Safety Journal with a fee of $.0125 per $1.00 valuation of the work proposed. 
    • If a new driveway encroachment to a County-maintained road is proposed, a $273.00 fee will be charged.
    • Projects necessitating a Grading Permit require a $435.00 permit fee.
    • One-half of the Building Permit Fee is collected at time of Permit application. The remainder of the building permit fee and other agency fees will be collected at the time of permit issuance.
    • For all fees relating to Building Services see resolution # 180-2007
    • Note: The minimum fee for any Building Services permit is $100.00. Other agency fees may apply.

    Worksheet for Calculating Estimated Permit Fees

    Use Type Area Sq Feet
    X
    Cost per Sq. Ft.
    =
    Valuation
    Dwelling Living Area  
    X
    $123.34
    =
    $
    Garage/Shop Area  
    X
    $35.55
    =
    $
    Unfinished Space  
    X
    $35.55
    =
    $
    Cov'd Porch Area  
    X
    $35.55
    =
    $
    Deck Area  
    X
    $35.55
    =
    $
    Total Valuation

    To Calculate Building Services Fee:

    Also for calculating remodels, repairs and other projects not adding square footage, use contract price for valuation. See DOT for determination of TIM fee requirements. Generally remodels, repairs, additions and residential accessory buildings are not subject to TIM fees.

      Total Valuation Calculated X .01 = Estimated Building Services Fee
    If Subject to TIM fees $
    X
    .0106
    =
    $
    If NOT Subject to TIM fess $
    X
    .0125
    =
    $

CALIFORNIA STATE SMIP FEES - Effective 4/1/91
The State of California requires a fee, established in 1972, to be collected for the state seismic instrumentation program for the study of earthquakes.

Strong Motion Instrumentation Program
Total Valuation Calculated X 0.0001 = State SMIP Fee
$
X
0.0001
=
$

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How Long Do I Have?
  • The Application
    The permit application is valid for 365 days. You should keep track of the date to avoid problems as the expiration date approaches. Once expired, the permit application is not renewable; you simply start over.  Extension of the application may only be granted if a delay is caused by a governmental agency and only for the amount of time the application was delayed by that agency. There may be fee building service credits for an reapplication if within 6 months and the first permit application was ready to issue. All plans and documents will be destroyed within 180 days from submittal date if not picked up from Development Services.

  • The Plan Review
    We review plans in the order received. As a result, our turnaround time will vary. At the time of submittal, we ask you to review a checklist of required information and sign that all documentation is present. Having all of the necessary information at the time of plan review is a must for us and ensures that your application will experience no unnecessary delay in being reviewed. If the application is incomplete in any way, you will be notified by mail and your place in line forfeited. When we receive all of the required information, you will once again be included in the plan review order, but the operative date will be the date of the new submittal.

  • The Permit
    The permit is valid for two years from the issuance date (three years in the Tahoe Basin). If you find you cannot finish your project within the prescribed time, you may renew your permit two times only for a period of one year each if construction has proceeded in a timely manner showing progress with approved inspections. There will be a renewal fee based on the percentage of progress that has occurred. If four years are not sufficient for construction, the permit may be reactivated with a new permit number and review of the projects progress.

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