Contra Costa County, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitting authority
- Director of Public Works
- Application deadline to start work
- 90 days from issuance
- First-offense infraction fine
- $100
- Repeat within one year
- $200, then $500
- Appeal body
- Board of adjustment
Summary
In unincorporated Contra Costa County, nobody may build, plant, dig, or place anything in a public right-of-way, including a sidewalk, without a written encroachment permit from the Public Works Director. Unpermitted work is an infraction and can be ordered removed at the owner's expense.
No person, firm, corporation, or association, without first obtaining a written permit, shall:(1)Encroach or make any encroachment within, on, over, or under the limits of any right-of-way;(2)Make any alteration within, on, over, or under right-of-way;(3)Construct, put on, maintain, or leave on a right-of-way any obstruction or impediment;(4)Cut, or trim trees or set a fire on a right-of-way;(5)Place on, over or under a right-of-way any pipeline, conduit, or other fixture...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Ordinance Code: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
008 makes it unlawful to "[e]ncroach or make any encroachment within, on, over, or under the limits of any right-of-way," to alter a right-of-way, to leave any obstruction on it, or to place a pipeline, conduit, wall, culvert, or similar structure there, without first obtaining a written permit. 002 to include any land dedicated, reserved, or used for road or highway purposes, and "encroach" expressly covers building a sidewalk, driveway, culvert, pipe, or conduit within it. 002 assigns the Director of Public Works to issue the written permit on a prescribed application form showing the applicant's name, contractor license number, and the purpose, location, dimensions, and estimated start/completion dates of the work.
004 requires a map, plat, sketch, or diagram locating the encroachment when the director asks for one. 020 requires a deposit covering the permit fee, field investigation charges, and inspection fees under the board of supervisors' adopted fee schedule. 010 bars any permit for a loading platform, a sign-support post or column, or an overhanging sign within the right-of-way, except a bus-shelter sign or a directional sign meeting Chapter 88-6. 012, with the county restoring the right-of-way and billing the permittee for the cost plus a 15 percent administrative fee.
Violations & Fines
Unpermitted encroachment is an infraction under Ordinance Code Section 14-8.002, which makes every act prohibited by the code an infraction unless otherwise stated. Section 14-8.004 sets the fine schedule at $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation of the same ordinance within one year, and $500 for each additional violation within that year. Section 14-8.008 authorizes the Director of Public Works or a designated subordinate to arrest or cite violators of Division 1002 provisions. A permit refusal may be appealed to the board of adjustment under Section 1002-2.014, which must grant the permit if the applicant would be substantially damaged by refusal, no other reasonable method exists, and the grant is not detrimental to public safety or welfare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a sidewalk in the county right-of-way in unincorporated Contra Costa County?
How long is an encroachment permit valid?
What happens if I encroach on the right-of-way without a permit?
Can I appeal if the county denies my encroachment permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Contra Costa County
California rules heatmap·Compare Contra Costa County to another location·View the California sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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