Building permits in Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto (Santa Clara County) follows California's statewide codes, but runs its own permit intake, forms, fees, and review timelines through its building department. Here's the general picture for the trades — and where to confirm the specifics.
Palo Alto is all-digital: every permit submittal goes through the Accela Citizen Access (ACA) portal — no paper plan sets — with a dedicated Project Coordinator assigned to each application and the Development Center counter available for appointments. The city adopted the 2025 California Building Code with local amendments via Ordinance 5674 (October 2025), and building fees follow the FY 2026 Adopted Municipal Fee Schedule. Minor projects can qualify for instant building permits, and a new pilot covers over-the-counter residential MEP permits.
Verified local data — Palo Alto
Every fact below is sourced from a public City of Palo Alto document or portal page. Each carries the source URL and the date we last verified it.
- Permit portal
- Accela Citizen Access (ACA)
verified Aug 10, 2026 · source · The city's online permitting portal — all permit submittals go through ACA. Inspection scheduling, permit-history search, and fee payment are available on the portal without logging in
- Submission methods
Online
verified Aug 10, 2026 · source · All-digital application and plan review — the city no longer accepts paper plan submittals; the Development Center counter offers appointments for assistance (Monday–Thursday in person, Fridays virtual only)
- Adopted code edition
2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) with Palo Alto amendments
verified Aug 10, 2026 · source · Ordinance No. 5674 (passed October 20, 2025) adopts the 2025 California Building Code, Title 24 Part 2, Volumes 1 & 2, by reference with local omissions, amendments, exceptions, and additions
- Fee schedule
- Building Fees — FY 2026 Adopted Municipal Fee Schedule (Planning and Development Services)
verified Aug 10, 2026 · source · Linked as "Building Fees (PDF)" on the Building Permit Forms page; the citywide FY 2026 Municipal Fee Schedule was adopted by the City Council on June 16, 2025. No FY 2027 building-fee schedule was posted as of retrieval — re-check when the city posts one
Other local notes
Development Center hours: Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM–4:30 PM, Friday 8:30 AM–4:30 PM virtual only, closed 12:30–1:30 PM; (650) 329-2496 (option 1 for a Building Project Coordinator) · building@paloalto.gov.
verified Aug 10, 2026 · source
All documents upload through the ACA portal and all payments are made in the portal — the city does not accept payments through third-party applications. A dedicated Project Coordinator is assigned to each application; first response within 2–3 business days.
verified Aug 10, 2026 · source
Some minor projects qualify for an instant building permit (e.g. the Heat Pump Space Conditioning Systems Instant Permit), and a new Over-The-Counter Residential MEP Permit Pilot Program covers qualifying residential mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits.
verified Aug 10, 2026 · source
Official building department
City of Palo Alto Planning & Development ServicesVerified Palo Alto specifics are shown above. For project-specific fees, timelines, and counter staff, this department is the authority.
Permits by trade in Palo Alto
Electrical permits
Service panel upgrades · Rewires and circuit additions · EV charger installs →
Plumbing permits
Water heater replacement · Repipes · Sewer line repair →
HVAC permits
AC / furnace changeouts · Heat pump installs · Mini-split systems →
ADU permits
New detached ADU · Garage or accessory-structure conversion · Junior ADU (JADU) within the existing home →
Solar permits
Rooftop solar PV systems · Battery energy storage (ESS) · Solar + storage retrofits →
Roofing permits
Full roof replacement (tear-off) · Re-roof / overlay where allowed · Structural sheathing or deck repair →
Common jobs in Palo Alto
Each job below is combined with Palo Alto's verified permit data — portal, fee schedule, and adopted code edition.
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