Residential Accessory Structures

• APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE to submit an application, issue a permit, and Building Department related activities. Contact Us for an appointment.

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  ALL CONSTRUCTION SHALL COMPLY WITH CURRENT CODES AND ORDINANCES

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  NOTE: FEES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE Obtaining a Building Permit
• The Permit Process
• Residential Accessory Structures Plan Requirements and Guidelines
• Fees
• County Department Fees
• Calculating Estimated Permit Fees
• California State SMIP
• Community Services Districts
• Schools
• Other Agencies  
• How Long do I have?

Obtaining a Building Permit

Accessory structures are small utility buildings and structures associated with a residential parcel. They include but are not limited to:

• Pool house
• Shed
• Pump/well house
• Carport
• Guest house/cottage
• Fence taller than six feet high
• Decks
• Gazebo
• Retaining walls over four feet measured from the bottom of footing to top of wall
• Water tanks greater than 5,000 gallons  

Accessory structures exempt from building permits:

If the accessory structure, with the exception of the guest house, is single story, detached, less than 120 square feet of floor area as measured from outside face of framing, has no electrical or plumbing installed, and used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse, and similar uses, it is exempt from a required permit. California Building Code §R105.2

If a deck does not exceed 30 inches above grade at any point, is not attached to a dwelling, less than 200 square feet in area, and does not serve the exit door required by Section R311.4 of the residential code, it is exempt from requiring a permit.

Accessory structures located in the Tahoe Basin:

If the accessory structure is located within the Tahoe Basin, a permit will be required to facilitate the review of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) requirements for the proposed structure.

Other structures exempt from permits include:

• Water tanks on grade less than 5,000 gallons
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops, and similar finish work
• Pre-fab pools that are less than 24 inches deep.
• Concrete sidewalks and driveways
• Window awnings projecting less than 54" and do not require additional support.
• Swings and other playground equipment.
• Retaining walls that are not over four feet measured from the bottom of footing to top of wall, unless supporting a surcharge.
• Fences not over 6 feet high.

Exemption from the permit requirement of the codes does not grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of the codes or county ordinances.

The Permit Process 

1. Building Services permit application requires the following:
   
   • Complete the three part application and sign where applicable (signature must be verified by office personnel). If you are applying as owner-builder, you must be the owner of record and complete part four of the multi part application. If property ownership was recently changed a copy of the grant deed may be required at time of application.
     
     
   • When other than the owner or licensed contractor is applying for the permit, the second half of part four of the form must be completed, giving authority to sign as the owner's agent.
     
     
   • An owner or their agent must sign a Deed Restriction Certificate declaring conformance with any applicable deed restrictions and/or CC&R's for subject property.
     
     
   • If the property is within the architecturally controlled area of El Dorado Hills Community Services District or Cameron Park Community Services District, architectural approval of the plans from the district prior to permit issuance is a requirement. Failure to obtain approval may delay issuance of your permit. Check with your individual association for any restrictions that may affect your construction even though Building Services does not enforce these restrictions.
     
     
   • Contractors acting as agent for the owner must have a current active California state contractors license, worker's compensation coverage, and a current El Dorado County Business License. 
     
2. When not served by public water/sewer, you must submit the perc test, septic design and well production report to the Environmental Management Department. This may only be submitted with or after building permit application. 
   
   
3. Submit plans as outlined in Plan Requirements below. 

Residential Accessory Structures Plan Requirements and Guidelines

Building Services will not accept an Application for a Residential Building Permit unless the Minimum Criteria listed below are met. Use the following as a guideline for your submittal.

Submit two complete sets of plans that include the following, PLUS one additional floor plan:

1. PLOT PLAN (minimum scale I "=20')
   • This plan must show the entire parcel and indicate and identify actual distances from all property lines and/or easements to structures, existing and proposed. Indicate all easements on the plan
   • The plot plan shall also indicate distances between structures.
   • Locate septic system(s), propane tank(s) and any other buildings.
   • Indicate slope of lot.
   • Contour lines (@ 1 ',2' or 5' vertical increments) must be shown for the building site and/or disturbed area and extend 20 feet beyond or to the property line, whichever is less. Similar contour lines must also be shown for the full length of a new driveway, if applicable.
   • Any proposed grading is to be delineated in conformance with the County Design and Improvement Standards Manual.
   • If the plot plan, drawn as required above, is too large to fit on a 24" x 36" sheet of paper, a SITE PLAN, drawn to a small scale, shall be provided which locates the area covered by the PLOT PLAN on the parcel.
2. TITLE BLOCK giving: owner's name and mailing address, job site address, and assessor's parcel number. Include a summary of square footage identifying each proposed occupancy.
3. FOUNDATION PLAN with details.
4. FLOOR PLAN (fully dimensioned) illustrating proposed sizes and uses of rooms. Show braced wall panel locations or engineered shear walls (if applicable).
5. FLOOR FRAMING PLAN with details (include deck framing if applicable).
6. ROOF FRAMING PLAN. (Include the truss manufacturers specifications if a roof truss system is used. Must be reviewed and also signed by project engineer if applicable)
7. ELEVATIONS including front, rear, and both sides.
8. ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL PLAN. identifying all outlets, switches, lights, smoke detectors and main panel ampacity and location. This may be illustrated on the Floor Plan. 
9. Name and wet-signature (original) of the person responsible for preparing plans. (Plans requiring design by a California-Registered Architect or Engineer must have seal and signature and the license number with current expiration date.)
10. Pre-packaged metal structures may require two engineers; one for the structural design and another for the foundation in a particular location. Due to the complexities of a metal building, additional plan check time may be needed for review by the department plan check engineer. This requirement does not include the small prefab tool sheds available at department stores.
11. Any revisions to the metal building plans will require a review of the structure by the project or building engineer.  

CHECK OUR PLAN REVIEW GUIDELINES FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE PLAN CHECK PROCESS. The guideline, while not all-inclusive, is intended to help you prepare residential plans that are essentially "complete".

County Department Fees

Multiple checks may be required at time of permit issuance depending on the type of permit: one for the Permit, one for the School Fee, one for the Air Quality fee, and one for DOT Encroachment Permits. Each check is made to the respective agency.

The Development Services Department DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY CREDIT CARD PURCHASES at this time. Personal or bank draft checks accepted as well as US currency. 

ONE-HALF OF THE BUILDING PERMIT FEE IS COLLECTED AT TIME OF PERMIT APPLICATION. The remainder of the building permit fee and other agency fees will be collected at the time of permit issuance.

 The minimum fee for any Building Services permit is $100.00. Other agency fees may apply.   

• BUILDING & PLANNING FEES
  • For all fees relating to Building Services see Resolution # 180-2007
  • For permits subject to the 2004 General Plan Traffic Impact Mitigation (TIM) Fee Program, fees shall be determined by the valuation shown on the Valuation Table as published annually in the August issue of Building Safety Journal with a fee of $.0106 per $1.00 valuation of the work proposed.  
  • For permits not subject to the 2004 General Plan Traffic Impact Mitigation (TIM) Fee Program, fees shall be determined by the valuation shown on the Valuation Table as published annually in the August issue of Building Safety Journal with a fee of $.0125 per $1.00 valuation of the work proposed.
  • If a new driveway encroachment to a County-maintained road is proposed, a $273.00 fee will be charged.
  • Projects necessitating a Grading Permit require a $435.00 permit fee. A review by the Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and separate fee is required with each grading permit.
  • Some parcels in El Dorado County will be subject to Rare Plant Mitigation fees. Contact Planning Services for additional information. Please have your Assessor Parcel Number available.  
  • The Planning Division will charge a fee.  See Planning fee schedule.
    
    
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEES
  • All parcels in El Dorado County are subject to Traffic Impact Mitigation fees (TIM) and vary based on location. Contact the Department of Transportation (DOT) to determine if your permit meets the TIM fee criteria. Please have your Assessor Parcel Number available.
  • You also need to contact Department of Transportation (DOT) if your project requires an upgraded encroachment of if you install a new or additional driveway.
    
    
• ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FEES
  • Rural parcels may require a well and septic system. Residential additions and revisions are subject to a review fee if the property uses a septic system.  
  • Your parcel may be in an asbestos area. A review and associated fee will be required by Air Quality Management District (AQMD).
  • Please contact Environmental Management for information concerning permit requirements and fees. 
    
    
• COUNTY SURVEYORS OFFICE FEES
• Contact the Surveyors office if your project needs a street address. 

Calculating Estimated Permit Fees

To Calculate Building Services Fee:   

Also for calculating remodels, repairs and other projects not adding square footage, use contract price for valuation. See DOT for determination of TIM fee requirements. Generally remodels, repairs, additions and residential accessory buildings are not subject to TIM fees. 

California State SMIP Fees
Effective 4/1/91

The State of California requires a fee, established in 1972, to be collected for the California Seismic Instrumentation Program for the study of earthquakes.  

Community Services Districts

Contact the Districts for their fees and other building requirements.

• Cameron Park Community Services District
  
• El Dorado Hills Community Services District
  
• Georgetown Divide Rec District

Schools

Please contact the school directly for their fees.

• El Dorado County Office of Education  
• Lake Tahoe Unified School District  
• Tahoe Truckee Unified School District

Other Agencies

• Construction Permit from the State Water Resources Control Board is required for projects that distrurb one or more acres of soil.

How Long do I have?

The Application
The permit application is valid for 365 days. You should keep track of the date to avoid problems as the expiration date approaches. Once expired, the permit application is not renewable; you simply start over. Extension of the application may only be granted if a delay is caused by a governmental agency and only for the amount of time the application was delayed by that agency. There may be fee building service credits for an reapplication if within 6 months and the first permit application was ready to issue. All plans and documents will be destroyed within 180 days from submittal date if not picked up from Development Services.


The Plan Review
We review plans in the order received. As a result, our turnaround time will vary. At the time of submittal, we ask you to review a checklist of required information and sign that all documentation is present. Having all of the necessary information at the time of plan review is a must for us and ensures that your application will experience no unnecessary delay in being reviewed. If the application is incomplete in any way, you will be notified by mail and your place in line forfeited. When we receive all of the required information, you will once again be included in the plan review order, but the operative date will be the date of the new submittal.

The Permit
The permit is valid for two years from the issuance date (three years in the Tahoe Basin). If you find you cannot finish your project within the prescribed time, you may renew your permit two times only for a period of one year each if construction has proceeded in a timely manner showing progress with approved inspections. There will be a renewal fee based on the percentage of progress that has occurred. If four years are not sufficient for construction, the permit may be reactivated with a new permit number and review of the projects progress.