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Richmond building permits

Verified

Richmond, California — as published 2026-09-20.

Verified 2026-09-20 · Source

Codes adopted

THE ADOPTING ORDINANCE IS NAMED AND NUMBERED: "ORDINANCE NO. 01-26 N.S. Adopting the 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards Code", carried in Richmond Municipal Code 6.02.030.THE CITY DESCRIBES WHAT IT ADOPTS BY REFERENCE TO THE STATE: "Current edition of the California Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations Title 24) with effective dates and amendments as published by the Building Standards Commission", linking to the Building Standards Commission's own code page and to the 2025 Title 24 California Code Changes.Health & Safety Code 18938(b) provides that building standards in the California Building Standards Code "shall apply to all occupancies throughout the state and shall become effective 180 days after publication."

Permit types & fees

Building Permit

Verified

Richmond schedules inspections by touch-tone telephone or by text message, keeps a permit counter open only in the mornings, and has written a legalization route for unpermitted residential construction into its adopted code.

Verified 2026-09-20 · Source

Requirements

WHEN A PERMIT IS NEEDED: "Building permits are required before you construct, erect, enlarge, alter, move, repair, improve, convert, or demolish any building or structure. The code provided exemptions to this are listed on the Work Exempt from Permits handout."
WHO MAY HOLD ONE: "Permits may only be issued to property owners or their authorized agents and licensed contractors."
CONTRACTORS REGISTER WITH THREE DOCUMENTS: "Licensed contractors must provide a Contractor's State License Card, a Worker's Compensation Insurance Certificate, and a current City of Richmond Business License at the time of registration." The business licence is required at registration, not at issuance.
APPLICATIONS GO THROUGH iMS: "All permit applications can be made electronically via the iMS portal."
THE IN-PERSON ROUTE IS BY APPOINTMENT AND IS FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SUBMIT ONLINE: "Applicants unable to submit electronically may submit their permit applications in person by appointment", arranged online, by calling (510) 620-6868 during counter hours, or by emailing a contact phone number to permittechs@ci.richmond.ca.us. The city warns that "Customers arriving without an appointment may need to wait for openings, if available."
A REROOF NEEDS A PHOTOGRAPH: "Re-roofing requires a photo of the existing roof for Planning Department approval."

Required documents

Optional
Optional
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Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Permit and plan check fees	NOT TRANSCRIBED for this record.	No fee schedule was opened for this record and no fee basis is stated on the pages read, so no amount or basis is asserted.
Development impact fees	Estimated through a published calculator.	The division announces that a "Project Development Impact Fee Calculator is now available", alongside a Development Impact Fees Estimator. The calculator was not run for this record, so no figure is recorded.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-20.

City of Richmond Community Development Department, Building Division — official building department

Online permit portal

City of Richmond Building Division (the iMS portal, the appointment route, telephone and SMS inspection scheduling, the mornings-only counter hours, and the 2025 code adoption with its named local amendment)

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Richmond building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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