San Benito County, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must file
- Property owner or agent
- When required
- Before any work begins
- Fee exemption
- Government/school/special districts
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Unincorporated San Benito County requires a complete building permit application before any construction, alteration, or system work begins on a building.
A complete application for a permit, including all plans and data as required by the Building Official, shall be filed with the Building Department before any work may be done on any building. The Building Official may then issue a permit to a owner of property for the person to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, convert, demolish, plumb, wire, install, change, do work in, on or about any building upon his or her property, provided the work authorized by the permit shall in all respects conform with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable county codes.
(B) No permit fee shall be required to be paid by the county, any school district or special district, the State of California or the United States Government, when work is being done on the official properties of the agencies and is to be used for a governmental or educational purpose. (1966 Code, § 5-5) (Ord. 501, (part))
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-28: current through Ordinance 1078).
Full Breakdown
San Benito County Code § 21.01.005 requires a property owner to file a complete permit application, with all plans and data the Building Official requires, with the Building Department before any work may be done on any building. Once filed, the Building Official may issue a permit letting the owner construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, convert, demolish, plumb, wire, install, or otherwise change or work in, on, or about the building, provided the work conforms to Title 21 and other applicable county codes. Government, school district, and utility work for governmental or educational purposes is exempt from the permit fee. This rule governs only the unincorporated area; Hollister and San Juan Bautista issue permits under their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Performing construction, alteration, or system work covered by this section without a filed and issued permit is a violation of Title 21, enforceable by the county's Building Official.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is a building permit required in unincorporated San Benito County?
Does the county charge a permit fee for government buildings?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Benito County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Benito County to another location·View the California building safety overview
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