The Department of Building and Safety now offers 17 different types of building permits obtainable through the mail. These permits do not require plan review and for the most part have standard set fees. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see if the permit you are interested in obtaining is listed. Click on the item that you are interested in to see the specific requirements for that type of permit. If you do not meet the specific requirements or the permit you are seeking is not listed, then you must submit an application in person at one of our Permit Assistance Centers.

Before getting started you should first consider if you are going to do the work yourself or hire a licensed contractor to do the job. We recommend that you hire a qualified licensed contractor and require the contractor to obtain the building permit as part of the project agreement. This is simply because the permit holder is the party responsible for the work and complying with the codes and regulations. Also, under certain conditions the permit holder may be required to maintain workers compensation insurance coverage on all his/her employees should they become injured on the job. You can verify a contractor's license and registration at the California Contractors State License Board web site.

Start by printing the Mail-In Permit Application and carefully read the entire form before continuing. The cost of your building permit can be found by clicking on the List of Permit Fees. Complete and sign the application and mail (or deliver) the form along with a check payable to the "County of Riverside" to:

Department of Building and Safety
C/O Mail-In Permits
P.O. Box 1629
Riverside, CA 92502-1629

Please be aware that the submission of an application does not guarantee permit approval. Personnel in our Riverside or Palm Desert offices will process your application and hold the permit receipt, job card (and plot plan if applicable) for the inspector to bring to the job site at the time of the first inspection. Our staff will require 24 hours to process your application once received. Therefore, please do not call for inspections prior to that time.