Fresno Building Permit Office
Fresno
City of Fresno
559-621-8084
In-person appointments generally Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
2600 Fresno Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3043, Fresno, California, 93721
For property inside the incorporated City of Fresno, building permits are handled by the City of Fresno Planning and Development Department through its Building and Safety Services. The division processes permit applications, performs plan review and conducts construction inspections. Fresno County operates a separate Building & Safety program, so properties outside the city boundary should be checked for county jurisdiction before an application is submitted.
City of Fresno or Fresno County?
A Fresno mailing address does not by itself establish which building department has authority over a property. Projects within the incorporated City of Fresno generally go through the City Building and Safety process. Fresno County Public Works and Planning maintains its own Building & Safety team for properties under county jurisdiction.
The City of Fresno and Fresno County use separate permit systems and review offices. Confirming jurisdiction first can prevent an application from being sent to the wrong agency.
From Planning Review to a Fresno Building Permit
Determine whether Planning approval comes first
Some projects need a Planning Division action before or alongside building review. Fresno uses processes such as Zone Clearance, Development Permit, Conditional Use Permit, sign review and other land-use approvals depending on the property and proposed work.
Planning approval is particularly relevant when a project changes land use, involves a new development, requires an entitlement or is subject to a project-specific zoning review. The City states that Development Permit applications are required for new structures other than single-family residences.
Prepare the permit application and project plans
The City’s building permit process requires an application appropriate to the proposed work. Projects requiring plan review must provide plans that show the scope of construction clearly enough for Plan Check staff to evaluate compliance.
The current City building permit application covers work including commercial, multifamily and residential construction as well as plumbing, mechanical, electrical, grading, site utilities, commercial solar and other permit categories. Project details requested on the form include the project address, description, construction type, occupancy information when applicable, project value and affected trades.
Submit through Fresno Accela Citizen Access
Planning and building applications can be submitted electronically through Fresno’s Accela Citizen Access portal. The online system also supports application searches, status information, review comments, due dates, backcheck and addendum submissions, invoices, fee payments and inspection scheduling.
Complete plan review and corrections
Plans that require technical review are evaluated by the applicable City staff. Depending on the work, a project may involve Building, Planning, Fire, Public Works, Public Utilities, structural or trade-related review. Corrections or revised documents can be returned through the City’s electronic process when required.
Permit issuance and construction inspections
After the permit application documents have received the required approvals, Building and Safety permit staff can issue the permit after applicable fees are paid. Construction covered by the permit is then subject to City inspections at the required stages of work.
Fresno Accela Handles More Than Application Intake
The City’s Accela Citizen Access system functions as the main online permit workspace rather than only an application form. Applicants can use it throughout review and construction.
Submit and Search Records
Create applications, submit records and search existing applications through the online portal.
Track Review Activity
Application status, comments and due dates are available through the system, along with functions for backchecks and addendums.
Fees and Inspections
The portal provides access to invoices and fee payment functions and can also be used to schedule inspections.
Building Review and Zoning Review Are Not the Same Step
Fresno’s Planning Division handles land-use and zoning matters, while Building and Safety handles permit processing, plan review and construction inspection. A building permit therefore does not replace a required Planning approval.
- Zone Clearance
- Development Permit
- Conditional Use Permit
- Variance
- Rezone or Plan Amendment
- Planning sign review
- Building permit processing
- Building plan check
- Electrical permits
- Mechanical permits
- Plumbing permits
- Construction inspections
The relationship between the two reviews can affect application timing. For example, Fresno requires Planning review before a building permit for certain project types. The City also allows concurrent submission of a building permit with a planning entitlement under its concurrent-submittal procedure. In that situation, changes resulting from Planning review can require corresponding revisions to the building plans, and the building permit cannot be issued until applicable Planning requirements have been satisfied.
Use the Fresno Requirements for the Specific Permit Type
Fresno publishes separate applications, worksheets, checklists and technical documents for different kinds of construction. The required package therefore depends on the project rather than a single universal document list.
- Building Permit Application for projects entering building plan review.
- Plans describing the proposed construction when plan check is required.
- Permit Signature Affidavit when applicable to the submission.
- Project-specific documents for work such as reroofing, demolition, solar construction or grading.
- Planning forms or entitlement documents when the project requires Planning Division review.
- CALGreen or other code-compliance documents when required for the project category.
The City’s forms library includes separate materials for residential, commercial and multifamily work, as well as specialty applications and compliance forms. Using the current City form for the exact project type helps avoid submitting a package intended for a different permit process.
Scheduling Fresno Construction Inspections
After a permit has been issued, Construction Inspection Services performs field inspections as construction progresses. Fresno assigns inspectors to areas of the city and provides electronic inspection scheduling through Accela Citizen Access.
The City also uses an automated voice-response service called Voice Permits for inspection scheduling and inspection-status information. Work should remain accessible for each required inspection and should not be covered before the applicable inspection has been completed.
The City’s permit information states that an approved inspection demonstrates continuing work for permit-expiration purposes. A permit generally becomes invalid when authorized work is not started within 180 days after issuance or when work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after it begins, subject to the City’s rules for extensions and expired permits.
Some Fresno Projects Use a Different Review Path
Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing
Building and Safety lists same-day express permitting for qualifying electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits among its in-person services. Projects that involve broader construction or plan review may follow the regular application process instead.
SolarAPP+ and City Processing
Fresno provides SolarAPP+ for eligible instantly approved residential solar permits. Solar projects that do not qualify for that pathway remain subject to the applicable City permit process.
Accessory Dwelling Units
The City maintains a separate ADU program with permit information and pre-approved plans. Fresno currently states that pre-approved and custom ADU plans can be submitted directly for a building permit without a separate Zone Clearance.
Planning Review Before the Building Permit
Permanent signs are reviewed by Planning staff before the related building permit is obtained. Sign applicants should therefore complete the applicable Planning sign-review process before treating the project as a building-only application.