Tulare County, California Building Permit Guide

Tulare County’s Permit Center is at the Government Plaza Building, 5961 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia, CA 93277 ((559) 624-7100), open Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Permits can be applied for and inspections scheduled online. Depending on the project, Planning, Environmental Health or the local Fire Authority may also need to approve before a permit issues.

This guide covers the County Permit Center, the two cities that say they use it (Exeter and Farmersville) and Visalia, the county seat. County fees and the County’s septic, well and road encroachment rules could not be checked, and the other cities’ permit offices were not checked.

Who handles permitting in Tulare County?

Census population estimates list eight incorporated cities in Tulare County: Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Dinuba, Lindsay, Farmersville, Exeter and Woodlake. Exeter and Farmersville say they use the County:

• Exeter partners with the County of Tulare Building Department for plan check, permitting and inspection, and its building permits are issued by the County at 5961 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia.
• Farmersville contracts with the County Building Department for building plan check and inspection. The City’s Code Enforcement Department is at 909 W Visalia Road (559-747-1243, Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.), and the City issues its own encroachment permits for city streets (City Hall, 559-747-0458).

Both cities’ pages give 559-624-7000 for the County Building Department; the County’s own building page gives (559) 624-7100 for the Permit Center.

How to get a building permit in Tulare 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 Tulare County Permit Center on phased or delayed work. Permit validity in California

Building permits in Visalia

Visalia, the county seat, has its own City Engineering & Building office at 315 E. Acequia Ave., Visalia, CA 93291 (559-713-4444), which provides permit review and inspection services citywide. Request City inspections by calling 559-713-4452 the day before, or online through the Visalia Scheduling website, which requires a valid State contractor license and City Business Tax Certificate. Cancel at 559-713-4346; inspectors can be reached Monday through Friday 7:30 to 8 am at 559-713-4333.

Official Tulare County permitting resources

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

• Tulare County building permits
• City of Exeter building FAQs
• Farmersville building code compliance
• Farmersville licenses and permits
• City of Visalia Engineering & Building
• City of Visalia inspection services

Frequently asked questions

Does Tulare County issue building permits for Exeter?

Yes. Exeter partners with the County of Tulare Building Department for plan check, permitting and inspection.

How do I schedule a Tulare County inspection?

Online or by calling (559) 624-7055.

What if work was done without a permit?

Exeter’s building FAQ says work done without a required permit may need permits at possibly double fees.

Simplify Tulare County permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Check whether the parcel is handled by the County or by a city, and which approvals the project needs
• Assemble and file the application and plans through the County’s portal or counter
• Track review, pay fees and schedule each inspection through to final

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