Davis, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted codes
- 2025 CBC/CRC and related Title 24 codes
- Permit term
- Valid 365 days from issuance
- Enforcer
- Chief building official issues and reviews permits
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor: up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
- Fees
- Set by city council resolution
Summary
Davis adopts the current California Building Code and related Title 24 codes by reference under Article 8.01 of the Municipal Code, rather than writing its own construction standards. That adoption is what triggers the permit requirement, and the chief building official enforces it with a local 365-day permit-validity extension and misdemeanor penalties for skipping the process.
The 2025 Edition of the California Building Code, as adopted and amended by the California Building Standards Commission in the 2025 California Building Standards Code, Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, ... with the amendments set forth in Section 8.01.040. ... It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, remove or demolish, convert, equip, use or occupy, maintain any building or structure, or any portion thereof, in the city contrary to, or in violation of this article, or to cause, permit or suffer violations. ... Any person, firm or corporation violating, or causing or permitting to be violated, any portion of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor offense for each day and every day, or portion thereof, during which any violation is committed, continued or permitted, and upon conviction shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4915048; v22 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
01 of Chapter 8 is the whole of Davis's building permit law: the city adopts the current three-year cycle of Title 24 codes by reference rather than writing its own construction code from scratch. 110. 010(c). 01, which includes building without a required permit. 040(c) extends every permit's expiration to 365 days from issuance, suspension, or abandonment, a Davis-specific change to the base code's default. 140 records the city council's finding that its local fee schedule and amendments are reasonably necessary because of local conditions, as required by the state Health and Safety Code. 120.
Violations & Fines
Building, altering, or occupying a structure without the permit the adopted Building Code requires is a misdemeanor under Section 8.01.160, punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail, with each day of the violation charged as a separate offense. The city may also pursue civil remedies, and Section 8.01.030 shields the city itself from liability for defective construction it inspected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in Davis?
How long is a Davis building permit good for?
What happens if I build without a permit in Davis?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis
California rules heatmap·Compare Davis to another location·View the California building safety overview
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Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Yolo County handle building permits.