Butte County, California Building Permit Guide

Building permits for unincorporated Butte County are handled by the Building Division of the Department of Development Services, 7 County Center Drive, Oroville, CA 95965 (530-552-3700). The office is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday 8am-4pm and Wednesday and Thursday 8am-3pm. The Building Division’s own line is (530) 552-3699, and in-person appointments are booked through the County’s appointment link. Permits are applied for and tracked in the County’s Accela Citizen Access portal (aca-prod.accela.com/BUTTECO).

This guide covers the Building Division’s area: unincorporated Butte County plus Biggs and Gridley. The City of Oroville issues its own permits; its contacts are below.

What requires a building permit in Butte County?

• Work already started: work begun without a permit is charged a Building Permit Investigation Fee of 2X the permit fee.
• Manufactured homes: a manufactured single-family dwelling has its own permit fee plus an HCD 433A form filing fee (see the fees below).
• Wells: in Butte County all wells must be drilled and constructed under an Environmental Health permit.
• Road right-of-way: any work in the County right-of-way needs a Public Works encroachment permit.

California builds on one statewide code, Title 24, whose 2025 edition took effect on 1 January 2026; the editions in effect when the application is submitted apply, and cities and counties may adopt local amendments only with findings filed with the state (new residential amendments are largely frozen until June 2031). Title 24 and local amendments

Who handles permitting in Butte County?

Besides the unincorporated county, the Building Division serves two cities: Biggs says its building permits are provided by the Butte County Building Department, and Gridley says its building inspection services are performed by the County’s Building Division in Oroville.

Butte County permit costs and fees

Building fees are set in the Butte County Master Fee Schedule, effective October 1, 2025. Sample building fees:

• Residential reroof $234; non-residential reroof $312; water heater $234; demolition $234 per structure.
• Manufactured single-family dwelling $1,965, plus a $201 HCD 433A form filing fee.
• New residential construction: $2,128 base fee for up to 250 sq ft. A General Plan Maintenance Fee of 15% is added to new-construction permit fees, and a Technology Investment Fee of 5% to all construction fees.
• Permit renewal (1-year maximum): $134. Work started without a permit: investigation fee of 2X the permit fee.

Fees collected for other departments (such as Environmental Health, Public Works and Fire) and County impact, drainage, school and park fees are extra. A fee estimate can be requested with the Fee Estimate Worksheet; the minimum charge is .5 hours at the Building Division hourly rate. The Public Works encroachment permit fee is $440.00 as of October 1, 2025.

How to get a building permit in Butte County

A building permit carries a validity period and can expire if work does not start or stalls between inspections; confirm the expiry with the Butte County Building Division on phased or delayed work. Permit validity in California

Inspections in Butte County

Inspections are scheduled through the Butte County Accela public portal, and a portal user account linked to the permit is required; for help with the portal call the Building Division at (530) 552-3699. Because of staffing, inspections are currently booked 3 days out and next-day inspections are not available. Work must be complete, exposed and accessible on the scheduled date.

The County posts each day’s inspection list with estimated times; inspectors may arrive up to one hour before or after the posted time. Public Works encroachment inspections are requested online or at 530-538-7681.

Building permits in Oroville

The City of Oroville, the county seat, issues its own building permits through its Community Development Department Building Division, 1735 Montgomery Street, Oroville (530-538-2401), open Monday-Thursday 8:00AM-5:00PM and Friday 8:00AM-12:00PM. Since November 5, 2024 all of its applications and permits are online through the Civic Access website, and a 6% Technology Fee is added to all permits under Municipal Code Section 17.08.130.

Official Butte County permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Butte County Building Division
• Butte County inspections
• Butte County building fees
• Master Fee Schedule (PDF)
• Environmental Health land use and wastewater
• Public Works encroachment permits
• City of Oroville Building Division

Frequently asked questions

Does Butte County issue permits in Biggs and Gridley?

Yes. Both cities say their building permits or building inspections are handled by the County’s Building Division in Oroville.

Can I get a next-day inspection in Butte County?

Not at present. Because of staffing the Building Division is booking inspections 3 days out.

Can I phone in a Butte County inspection request?

Inspections are scheduled in the Accela public portal with a user account linked to the permit; (530) 552-3699 is the Building Division’s help line for the portal.

Simplify Butte County permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Confirm whether the parcel is in the County’s area or inside a city, and which County offices must sign off
• Prepare the application, plans and forms in the format the County portal accepts
• Track plan review, pay fees and book inspections within the County’s cut-off times

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in California. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Butte County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.