Novato, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

The City of Novato, in Marin County, California, sets its permit rule in Section 106.1 of the administrative provisions adopted by Novato Municipal Code § 4-1.3, which the City substitutes for the administrative chapters of several California codes. The permit comes first: the owner or authorized agent must apply to the building official and obtain the permit before the work starts. The duty covers erecting, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a building or structure, changing its occupancy or use, and installing or replacing electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems and accessible features.

Section 106.2 lists work that needs no permit, and an exemption never authorizes work that violates the code or other laws or ordinances of the City. The list includes a one-story detached storage shed, playhouse, gazebo or similar structure of 120 square feet or less and 8 feet or less in total height with no plumbing, electrical wiring or heating equipment, provided it complies with Title 19; fences of 7 feet or less, or 6 feet or less in stone, masonry or concrete; retaining walls of 4 feet or less that retain no more than 3 feet of material; detached decks of 200 square feet or less no more than 30 inches above grade; and in-kind repair of 32 square feet or less of drywall, siding or stucco, or 100 square feet of roofing, within any 12-month period. Emergency repairs need an application by the next working day.

Applications are filed online or in person. They must describe the work, identify the parcel, state the use and occupancy, include construction documents and the estimated value, and carry a signature. The building official can reject an application while a notice of violation is open on the property unless the scope includes abatement. An application is deemed abandoned 180 days after filing unless pursued, with extensions of up to 180 days each. Under Section 106.5 a permit becomes invalid after 2 years, and also when work does not start within 24 months or is suspended or abandoned for 24 months.