Cupertino, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 16.04.050 (CBC Section 105)
- Application contents
- Description, valuation, legal description, applicant signature
- Application lapse
- Deemed abandoned 180 days after filing without pursuit
- Permit expiration
- Invalid if work not started within 12 months
- Posting requirement
- Permit copy posted on site visible from street
Summary
Any owner who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building, or to install regulated electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, must first apply to the Building Official and obtain a permit. A limited list of minor work is exempt. Unused permits expire after 12 months, with extensions available for cause.
[A] 105.1 Required. Any owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be performed, shall first make application to the Building Official and obtain the required permit. ... [A] 105. ... 5 Expiration. On or after January 1, 2019, every permit issued shall become invalid unless the work on the site authorized by such permit is commenced within 12 months after its issuance, or if the work authorized on the site by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of 12 months after the time the work is commenced.
Full Breakdown
050. 1 requires any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any regulated electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, to first file an application with the Building Official and obtain the permit before starting work. 3 requires the written application to identify and describe the work, describe the land by legal description or street address, state the valuation of the proposed work, and be signed by the applicant or an authorized agent, along with construction documents required under Section 107.
An application is deemed abandoned 180 days after filing unless pursued in good faith or a permit is issued, though the Building Official may grant extensions of up to 90 days each on written request showing justifiable cause. 5 unless work commences within 12 months, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 12 months after starting; the Building Official may grant extensions of up to 180 days each for justifiable cause. 7.
Violations & Fines
Work done without a required permit, or continuing under a permit issued in error or on incomplete information, exposes the owner to permit suspension or revocation under Section 105.6 and to the general unlawful-acts and violation-penalty provisions of Section 114, adopted at Chapter 16.04.130. The Building Official can also issue a stop-work order under Section 115 requiring the work to cease immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Cupertino require a building permit?
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What happens if my permit application sits unfiled?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cupertino
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Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle building permits.