Placer County, California Building Permit Guide

Placer County’s building code applies in all the unincorporated areas of the county and is administered by the county building services division; cities issue their own permits. The code is Article 15.04 of the County Code, which Ord. 6345-B rewrote on 11/18/2025, repealing the former Article 15.04.

This guide covers unincorporated Placer County and the City of Roseville, the county’s largest city. The County’s website could not be checked, so the building services office address, hours, phone number, online portal and fee schedule are not given here; contact the County directly for them. The County facts below come from the Placer County Code, TRPA and Caltrans.

What requires a building permit in Placer County?

The County Code exempts one-story detached tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar structures if the floor area is no more than 120 square feet, the height no more than 12 feet and they meet Planning Services zoning setbacks. Any electrical, mechanical or plumbing work in them still needs a permit.

Wire fences up to 12 feet high for residential and agricultural use, and other fences up to 7 feet, are also exempt. Buildings exempted as agricultural still need a setback verification 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

Placer County wind and snow amendments

Article 15.04 sets basic design wind speeds by elevation: 118 mph from 5,001 to 7,000 feet, 127 mph from 7,001 to 8,000 feet, and 136 mph at 8,001 feet and up. Below 5,000 feet the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool is used.

Homes where the allowable stress design ground snow load, Pg(asd), is over 50 pounds per square foot must be engineered. Where Pg is 90 psf or more, required exits, the exit discharge and decks must be protected from sliding snow and ice.

Building in Placer County’s part of the Lake Tahoe Basin

Any construction project in the Tahoe Basin, from a new deck to a commercial development, needs a TRPA permit. Under a permit delegation agreement (MOU), Placer County reviews and issues those permits on TRPA’s behalf.

The buildable IPES score in Placer County’s part of the Basin is 691, so a parcel needs an IPES score of 691 or higher to be developed.

Septic systems and wells in Placer County

Septic: a sewage disposal system permit is needed to install, replace or repair, modify, expand, abandon or change the use of a septic system. The permit is valid for two years, and the approved permit and plans must stay on site until the final inspection.

Wells: a County permit is required to dig, drill, deepen, modify, repair or destroy a water, cathodic protection, observation or monitoring well. On lots of less than two and three-tenths acres, a single-family home cannot be started until adequate domestic water is provided from a compliant well.

County roads and state highways

Digging or excavating in any county road, street, sidewalk or highway needs a permit from the Department of Public Works first (County Code 12.04.010). Work on a state highway needs a Caltrans encroachment permit: Placer County is in Caltrans District 3, whose permit office is at 703 “B” Street, Marysville, CA 95901, (530) 741-4403.

Appeals in Placer County

The building board of appeals has nine members, none of them county officials, appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the chief building official’s decision and carry a non-refundable fee.

Building permits in Roseville

Roseville building permits come from the Building Inspection Division of the Development Services Department, 311 Vernon Street, Roseville, California 95678-2649, (916) 774-5332. The Permit Center offers in-person service by appointment Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to noon and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm; phone hours start at 7:30 am.

All applications are filed through the Online Permitting Services (OPS) Portal in the Building/Fire Systems module, and temporary applications that are not submitted expire after 30 calendar days. Inspections are booked on the Roseville Inspection Scheduler without an account or login and are done Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

How to get a building permit in Placer 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 County building services division on phased or delayed work. Permit validity in California

Official Placer County permitting resources

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

• Placer County Code, Article 15.04 (building code)
• Placer County Code: sewage disposal systems
• Placer County Code: wells
• Placer County Code 12.04: work in county roads
• TRPA: Placer County to process more TRPA permits
• TRPA Permitting Procedure Manual (PDF)
• Caltrans encroachment permit offices
• Roseville Permit Center
• Roseville building inspection FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Does a small shed need a permit in unincorporated Placer County?

Not if it is a one-story detached shed or playhouse of no more than 120 square feet and 12 feet high that meets zoning setbacks. Electrical, mechanical or plumbing work in it still needs a permit.

Does a new deck at Lake Tahoe need a TRPA permit?

Yes. In the Tahoe Basin any construction project, from a new deck to a commercial development, needs a TRPA permit; Placer County reviews and issues it on TRPA’s behalf.

How long is a Placer County septic permit valid?

Two years. The approved permit and plans must be kept on site until the final inspection.

Simplify Placer County permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Check whether the parcel is in a city or on county land, and which county offices beyond Building must sign off
• Line up septic, well, encroachment and fire approvals so they do not hold up the building permit
• File in the county portal, track review rounds and book inspections against 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 Placer County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.