A San Jose building permit must be obtained by every San Jose building or structure before construction or remodeling. The building permit application is used to describe the work proposed, means of execution, and cost.
How To Apply For a San Jose Building Permit – Requirements
NOTE: Before beginning the San Jose building permit review, a planning screening may be required. If more information is needed or your project fails the planning screening, you will be notified within 48 hours of submission with a case number and time frame for reactivation.
Complete the Development Service Intake Form. The application and associated fees will be calculated upon submittal. Plan Check and planning fees are required at the time of application; the other fees can be paid when the permit is issued.
Send all essential papers, including the plans, in a digital format with a sheet size ranging from 18″ X 24″ to 24″ X 36″. File sizes are limited to 100 MB, and they can be divided into many categories, such as architectural, structural, civil, and landscape.
Plans need to contain:
A summary of the project’s work scope.
Existing structure area (square feet), new construction, conversion, remodeling, etc.
Table showing the allocation of points for the San Jose city permit rebuild. If the project is deemed to be a rebuild, it will be categorized as a new home rather than a remodel. A building site permits, annexation into a neighboring city, or other regulations might follow in that scenario.
Map out the Assessor’s Tax Parcel’s boundaries as well as the locations and purposes of all existing and proposed buildings.
The size of the parcel, public streets, easements, required setbacks, the distance between buildings from all property lines, off-street parking, driveways, sewer lines or septic tank locations, the type of fire water system, the location of the closest fire hydrant, the percentage of the lot covered by buildings, the scale of the drawings, and a north arrow.
Include the owner’s name, the location’s address, the Assessor’s Parcel Number, the occupancy type, and the construction category.
Provide elevations of the building’s various sides. Indicate the difference in elevation between the highest point of the structure (excluding antennae, etc.), the highest and lowest ground elevation at the external foundation of the structure, and the height of the building in feet.
Indicate the sizes and depths of each component of the foundation in the bearing soil. Include information about the vents, access, concrete-encased electrode ground, reinforcements, clearances for crawl spaces, and foundation anchoring data.
To completely depict the structure’s layout, provide cross-sections for as many regions as necessary. Include information regarding connections, the location of the insulation, the heights of the ceilings, and/or any other relevant or odd information.
The floor, ceiling, wall, and roof framing plans must be submitted, together with information about the sizes, materials, spacing, and connections of each structural frame member.
Indicate the roof’s design, pitches, slopes, covering, sheathing, and underlayment.
A grading permit is required if the quantities of earth excavation outside the footprint of the proposed building exceeds 150 cubic yards of cut or fill or 5’ vertical cut.
A thorough cross-section of the walls, anchoring, connections between structural members, seismic connections, and other important construction features.
All projects must comply with the County’s Clean Water Program and the State’s Regional Water Boards’ guidelines for storm water quality.
Fire District clearance, if located within San Jose City Fire District jurisdiction for new structures or additions which exceed 500 square feet.
Clearance of Water and Sanitary Sewage (clearances are required before permit issuance)
All new landscaping areas of 500 square feet or larger require permits. The drawings must be created, stamped, and approved by a professional landscape architect if the new proposed landscape area is greater than 2500 square feet.
Fees are determined by the scope, nature, and cost of the construction.
When may I pick up my building permit?
The complexity of your project and the seasonal workload affect how quickly your application will be processed. The plans will be examined for conformity with Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, the Health Code, and other regulations. Four to six weeks are needed for typical processing. Before the issue of the building permit, all outstanding fees, including the San Jose building permit fee, must be paid, together with any applicable school fees. A building permit can be obtained along with plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits if necessary.
San Jose Remodeling Permits Are Required
If a homeowner or authorized agent plans to build, expand, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or if they want to put up, install, expand, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system, they must first apply to the building official and get the necessary permit.
Depending on the nature and scope of the work, you may need a permit to:
Add a deck
Install a fence
Make landscaping improvements (including retaining walls)
Replace siding
The easiest method to guarantee you has the proper permits for any construction work or remodeling is to hire a contractor who is an experienced custom home builder and has gone through the procedure numerous times. A reliable remodeling contractor also handles all of the paperwork, processes, and permits required by local and neighborhood authorities. This way, if your job exceeds the limits of their licenses, they will never let you down by failing to obtain the proper permits.
At Done Right Home Remodeling, we go above and beyond to help our clients achieve their goals. We believe that remodeling should be more than just fulfilling a need; it should also bring joy to your home and family. That’s why we are committed to providing you with superior craftsmanship and friendly service. So when you work with us, you’re not only getting an experienced team of contractors—you’re partnering with a company and people who care about seeing your project through from start to finish.
