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Residential permit rules in California

Representative cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego. Covers 16 common home projects.

Project	Permit?	Authority	Typical fee	Timeline	Go / No-Go	Key notes
🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)	Permit required	city	Permit and plan-check fees set by the local jurisdiction; state law limits impact fees on ADUs. Verify with the city building department.	~3–6 months for full plan review; many cities offer pre-approved plans or over-the-counter review.	Generally allowed	State law (Gov. Code §65852.2) requires cities to approve ADUs ministerially by right in most zones; local design review is limited to objective standards. Local fees, setbacks, and coastal/historic overlays still apply. Exempt: By-right up to 1,200 sq ft (≤800 sq ft for a 1-bedroom unit) under state law.
🪵 Deck / Porch	Conditional	city	Set by the city — typically a flat fee plus a valuation-based fee. Verify with the city building department.	Same-day Over-the-Counter for low decks (SF); 2–4 weeks elsewhere.	Generally allowed	Attached decks and any deck over 30 in above grade need a permit. SF issues Over-the-Counter permits for decks less than 10 ft above grade that meet setbacks. Exempt: Decks over 30 in (760 mm) above grade require a permit; lower decks are often exempt.
🧱 Fence / Wall	Conditional	city	Usually no building permit under the height threshold; zoning setback rules apply. Verify locally.	SF: Over-the-Counter same day for fences over the threshold.	Generally allowed	Height and front-yard limits are set by local zoning; masonry or sight-obstruction fences near intersections may need review. HOA covenants may also apply. Exempt: No permit for fences under ~6 ft in side/rear yards (SF: ≤6 ft side/rear, ≤3 ft front exempt).
🛖 Shed / Outbuilding	Conditional	city	No fee under the exemption; a permit fee applies if over the threshold.	Over-the-Counter / same day where a permit is required.	Generally allowed	Larger or occupied/serviced sheds require a building permit. Check local setbacks and HOA rules. Exempt: One-story detached accessory structure ≤120 sq ft is exempt (CBC R105.2).
🪜 Basement Finish	Permit required	city	Valuation-based building permit fee. Verify with the city building department.	2–6 weeks.	Generally allowed	Finishing a basement adds habitable space and triggers egress requirements (CBC R310); a sleeping room needs a code-compliant egress window. Exempt: N/A
🚗 Garage / Carport	Permit required	city	Valuation-based fee; flat plus per-square-foot. Verify with the city building department.	2–8 weeks.	Generally allowed	A new detached or attached garage requires a full building permit; conversions of an existing, legally established garage may be exempt if no structural change occurs. Exempt: N/A
☀️ Rooftop Solar PV	Permit required	city	Electrical permit fee set by the city; state law requires streamlined review for agencies above 50,000 population.	Streamlined (often 1–3 days via SolarAPP+ where adopted); 2–4 weeks otherwise.	Generally allowed	Rooftop PV requires an electrical permit. California requires local agencies above 50,000 population to provide streamlined solar permitting. Exempt: N/A
🌡️ HVAC Replacement	Permit required	city	Mechanical permit fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department.	1–2 weeks.	Generally allowed	Furnace, AC, or heat-pump replacement requires a mechanical permit and California Title 24 energy compliance. Exempt: N/A
🍳 Kitchen Remodel	Permit required	city	Building + electrical + plumbing permit fees. Verify with the city building department.	2–6 weeks.	Generally allowed	Moving plumbing/electrical or walls triggers permits; California Title 24 appliance and ventilation requirements apply. Exempt: N/A
🛁 Bathroom Remodel	Permit required	city	Building + plumbing + electrical fees. Verify with the city building department.	2–6 weeks.	Generally allowed	Ventilation (Title 24) and waterproofing are required; relocating plumbing needs permits. Exempt: N/A
🏗️ Room Addition	Permit required	city	Valuation-based building permit; impact fees may apply. Verify with the city building department.	3–8 weeks.	Generally allowed	Expanding the footprint requires full plan review, zoning compliance with setbacks, and Title 24. Exempt: N/A
🪟 Window / Door Replacement	Conditional	city	Permit fee if changing the opening; in-kind swap is often Over-the-Counter.	SF: same-day Over-the-Counter in-kind replacement.	Generally allowed	Changing the opening size or adding egress windows requires a permit; replacement must meet the energy code. Exempt: In-kind replacement (same size/location) typically needs no permit.
🏘️ Roof Replacement	Conditional	city	Roofing permit fee set by the city; in-kind shingle re-roof may be Over-the-Counter.	SF: same-day Over-the-Counter reroofing.	Generally allowed	Re-roofing usually requires a permit; structural deck replacement triggers a full building permit. Exempt: Tear-off / re-roof is generally permitted work.
🅿️ Driveway / Parking Pad	Conditional	city	No building permit for private flatwork; a right-of-way/curb cut needs a separate permit.	Varies.	Generally allowed	A curb cut or work in the public right-of-way requires a separate permit from the city / public works. Exempt: N/A
🏊 Swimming Pool / Spa	Permit required	city	Building permit + electrical; fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department.	3–8 weeks.	Generally allowed	Pools require a permit and a compliant barrier (CBC Chapter 42 / Health & Safety Code §115920): self-closing/self-latching gate and alarms. Exempt: N/A
🧱 Retaining Wall	Conditional	city	No fee under the exemption; a permit applies if over the threshold.	2–4 weeks if required.	Generally allowed	Walls over 4 ft or supporting a surcharge (deck, vehicle, structure) require design and a permit. Exempt: Retaining walls ≤4 ft (measured bottom of footing to top), not supporting a surcharge, are exempt (CBC R105.2).

State-wide sources: CA Building Standards Commission — California Building Standards Code (Title 24) · CA Dept. of Housing & Community Development — Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU/JADU)