San Jose, California Building Permit Guide

The San Jose Building Division, 200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower, 2nd Floor, handles building permits and oversees the Development Services Permit Center and online permitting at SJPermits.org. Questions go to 408-535-3555 or BuildingPermits@sanjoseca.gov. Because of a high volume of applications and staff vacancies, initial and later plan reviews are taking longer than normal.

This guide covers the City of San Jose. The City’s fee schedule could not be read, so no fee figures are given; ask the Building Division. The inspection details below come from SJPermits.org help pages that may describe the older SJPermits system, so confirm them with the Building Division.

What requires a building permit in San Jose?

San Jose splits permits into those issued online and those obtained at the Permit Center at City Hall. Most online permits need no plans: re-roofs, water heater replacements and electrical service changes up to 200 amps, for example. Rooftop solar is the exception; its plan is reviewed at the time of inspection. A permit that is not on the online list must be obtained at the Permit Center.

For an accessory dwelling unit, the City publishes an ADU Universal Checklist and a Preapproved ADU program, and offers a brief, no-cost zoning consultation by email at ZoningQuestions@sanjoseca.gov.

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 San Jose?

The City’s online Application Wizard routes each application to the right department: Building, Fire, Planning or Public Works.

How to get a building permit in San Jose

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

Inspections in San Jose

The SJPermits.org inspection help pages say:

• Inspections are scheduled online with your Customer Identification Number or the Rapid Service Number (RSN) on the Permit Record card. A Customer Identification Number can be obtained from the Building Division at (408) 535-3555.
• Online requests can only be booked on an available day within the next 5 business days, and projects with fees due or unresolved code enforcement violations cannot be scheduled online.
• For single-family permits one “Combination” request schedules building, electrical and plumbing/mechanical inspections together; multi-family and commercial/industrial permits need a separate request for each trade.
• A building inspection not cancelled by 2:00 p.m. two business days before the date is charged for the requested time. After dispatch, call (408) 535-3555 between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. If an inspection will need more than two hours, call the Building Division; booking too much time can bring re-inspection fees.
• For fire and hazardous materials inspections, a fire inspector calls the job site contact the business day before with a time window; cancelling fewer than 2 business days ahead (2:00 PM cutoff) forfeits the whole scheduled time.

Official San Jose permitting resources

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

• San Jose Building Division
• SJPermits.org
• Permits available online
• Development Services Application Wizard
• Inspection scheduling help
• Development Services contacts

Frequently asked questions

Does a re-roof in San Jose need plans?

Re-roofs are among the permits issued online, and most online permits need no plans. Rooftop solar is the exception; its plan is reviewed at inspection.

How long is plan review in San Jose right now?

Longer than normal: the City asks applicants to add 2 to 3 weeks to its published Plan Review Time Frames.

Can one request cover all trades at a house?

Yes. For single-family permits a “Combination” request schedules building, electrical and plumbing/mechanical inspections together.

Simplify San Jose permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Confirm which office has the parcel and which other agencies must sign off before the building permit
• Prepare the application and plans in the format the local portal accepts
• Track plan review, pay fees and schedule inspections against each office’s cut-off

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 San Jose permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.