Skip to main content
PermitBase

Redwood City building inspections

Verified

Inspection sequence, scheduling, and re-inspection fees for building permits in Redwood City, California.

Verified 2026-09-20 · Source

How to schedule

Inspections are requested through the building department below.

Address
1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone
(650) 780-7350 (Building Division direct); fax (650) 780-7348; (650) 780-7361 (inspection line, being phased out but still taking cancellations); (650) 780-7577 (Code Enforcement Hotline)
Email
permits@redwoodcity.org
Office hours
THE COUNTER HAS TWO DIFFERENT SPANS DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU TURN UP OR DIAL IN, and the virtual one is wider. "Building Counter Hours (Except Legal Holidays) - In person: Monday - Thursday from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Code Enforcement Services: Please call to schedule an appointment). Virtual: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m." That is 24 hours a week in person against 45 virtually. The city explains why: "Majority of counter staff is working remotely to continue to provide electronic permitting services." Walk-in service is "available on first come first service basis based on staff availability and open appointment slots", and the city "strongly encourage[s] electronic submittals."
Website
Official site

Published scheduling rules

  • INSPECTIONS ARE BOOKED THREE TO EIGHT DAYS AHEAD, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT PLANNING PROBLEM FROM A CUT-OFF TIME. Most cities in this corpus ask you to request by some hour for the next business day; Redwood City publishes a lead time instead - "Online requests are currently scheduled between 3- 8 days in advance." A trade that finishes on Monday may not be inspected until the following week, and the spread between three days and eight is itself a week of uncertainty. The word "currently" is doing real work: it is a workload figure, not a policy. (General)
  • THE INSPECTION PHONE LINE IS BEING RETIRED MID-TRANSITION, and one function outlives the rest: requests move to eTRAKiT, but "Until the transition is complete, cancellations can be made by calling the Inspection Line at (650) 780-7361." A contractor who has been cancelling by phone for years can keep doing so - for now - while booking has already moved. (General)

Inspection sequence

Applies to: Building Permit

  1. 1

    Booked three to eight days ahead, not next day

    "Online requests are currently scheduled between 3- 8 days in advance." This is a lead time rather than a cut-off, and it is far longer than the next-business-day pattern common elsewhere. The word "currently" suggests it moves with workload.

  2. 2

    The phone line is being retired

    "Notice: Transitioning to Online Inspection Requests. We are phasing out the Building Inspection Phone Line. Please submit all inspection requests through the Online Inspection Portal linked here: eTRAKiT." One exception survives: "Until the transition is complete, cancellations can be made by calling the Inspection Line at (650) 780-7361."

  3. 3

    Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

    "Inspection Availability - Monday-Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. No inspections on City holidays."

  4. 4

    No AM or PM guarantee, and the city tells you who to ask instead

    "We are unable to guarantee AM or PM inspections at this time. Please coordinate directly with your inspector after scheduling." The route to a time is the inspector, not the booking.

  5. 5

    A posted time on the day, and a two-hour rule around it

    "Please check Todays Building Inspections after 9 am on the day of your inspection for your estimated inspection time. Inspections will occur within two hours of the posted time." That converts an all-day wait into a four-hour window once the list is up.

Redwood City building permits

Redwood City building permitsBuilding Permit

Get alerts for Redwood City

We'll email you when Redwood City's fees, documents, or codes change — not often.

We only use your email to send permit updates. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. Privacy.