How to Find and Understand Your Local Building Department’s Requirements

Even a perfect set of residential plans can get delayed or rejected if it doesn’t follow your local building department’s specific requirements. Every city and county has its own rules, forms, and expectations—so knowing where to look and what to check is critical.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to locate your local building requirements, what to look for, and how to avoid the most common oversights.

Step 1: Identify Your Permitting Authority

Your local building department is usually part of the:

• City if your property is within incorporated city limits
• County if the property is in an unincorporated area

Tip: Use your property address in Google along with “building permit” or “planning department” to find the correct jurisdiction.

Step 2: Visit the Official Website

Once you know the city or county, go to their official website. Look for:

• Building Department
• Planning & Zoning
• Permit Center or Development Services

Look for these downloadable resources:

• Submittal checklists
• Permit application forms
• Plan review timelines
• Fee schedules
• Design guidelines or overlays

Step 3: Download the Residential Submittal Checklist

Most departments publish a PDF checklist that outlines exactly what’s needed for plan review. It will include:

• Required drawing types and sheets
• Application and project forms
• Quantity of plan sets or file formats
• Engineering and energy documentation
• Special conditions (fire sprinklers, CALGreen, soils report, etc.)

Example:

The City of Sacramento requires a completed submittal checklist, a permit application, two sets of plans, structural calcs, and Title 24 docs for all residential additions.

Step 4: Check Zoning and Site Restrictions

Before designing, verify your project complies with:

• Zoning use (residential, mixed-use, etc.)
• Setback requirements
• Lot coverage or floor area ratio (FAR)
• Height limits
• Parking and driveway rules

Many cities offer interactive GIS zoning maps online to help with this.

Step 5: Ask Questions Early

If something’s unclear or your project is unusual (like a hillside build or an ADU), don’t hesitate to call or email the building department. Most plan reviewers are happy to clarify:

• Whether you need an architect or engineer
• If digital submittals are accepted
• How long plan review might take
• Whether pre-application meetings are available

Step 6: Watch for Common Variations

No two cities are exactly alike. Some may require:

• Fire sprinklers in homes over a certain size
• Solar panel layouts
• CALGreen checklists (California)
• Flood zone or wildfire defensible space plans

Final Thoughts

Every successful residential project starts with knowing your local requirements. Doing your research early can save you weeks of back-and-forth during the permitting process.

In the next post, I’ll cover the most common mistakes people make when submitting residential plans—and how to avoid them.