Permit Process

What is the Permit Process?

The permit process is used by the County to examine changes property owners wish to make on or to their property, to provide feedback to the property owner, to ensure that the changes are consistent with neighborhood, community, and County goals, and to protect the interests of the property owner and all other affected parties.





Why is the Permit Process Important?

Before a property owner in the County can make significant changes to either the character or the use of their property, it must be legally "Permitted" by the appropriate authority. The County is the appropriate authority within the Unincorporated Areas (those areas outside of the eight cities in the County). This legal Permit Process is issued to the property owner when they obtain a "Permit" from the County -- this permit is a legal document.

The County issues two general types of permits:  Planning and Building. While there are several different subtypes of these two permits, generally a planning permit simply allows a property owner to do something on their property, while a building permit allows the County to track the progress of the work when the property owner actually makes the change.





What Help is Available?

Several steps are required in order to obtain any permit from the County. One of the most important is to understand what your zoning will allow you to do (learn more about zoning). You can determine your property's zoning by using our Find My Zoning page.

Zoning is not the only thing that affects what can be done with property. The County also guides land development and use through officially adopted policies. Use our Which Policies Apply to My Parcel? pages for help in determing which affect your property.

Obtaining a permit from the County requires you to apply for it. This process typically involves more than just filling out an application; additional materials are often required. Exactly what's required depends on many factors, such as the location and certain special attributes of your property. To help you determine what you'll need when you submit your permit application for a simple project, we've created the Ministerial Project Worksheet. Enter your project information on this page and it will generate the list of required items for you.




Understanding the Permit Process

• Where does the County get the authority to regulate?


• What to know before you apply?


• Who will review your application?


• What is the application submittal & review process?


• Who makes the decision?


• What's left to do after the permit decision?


• What will it cost and how long will it take?


• Where to get more information?






Permit Process Tools

• Permit Applications and Forms


• Ministerial Project Worksheet


• Planner's Guide to Conditions of Approval & Mitigation Measures
  
  

• Parcel Information Lookup (Assessor)


• Permit History by Parcel


• Permit Application Lookup


• Zoning Maps


• Maps and Imagery