Building Permits

Applying for a Building Permit

Access the Clariti Permit Portal to apply for a Building or Planning Permit.

All building permit applications must be filed online. Note that due to current circumstances, plan review times may be longer than normal, and your understanding is appreciated.

Please refer to our Building Permit Application, Handouts, and Forms page for additional submittal resources and note that all contractors are required to have a valid Business License to engage in business within the City.

Commercial Tenant Improvement Projects 

The City strongly recommends that property owners or tenants planning tenant improvements should schedule a pre-application meeting before applying for a building permit. The pre-application meeting allows for staff to evaluate which sections of the Municipal Code may be triggered by the scope of work so that applicants are prepared and permit processing can be expedited. Pre-application meetings can be requested via the City's online Clariti Permit Portal linked above. 

• For details on how to request a pre-application meeting via Clariti, please view this short tutorial.

C.3 Regulated Projects  

Changes in Effect July 1, 2023: The types of projects subject to stormwater treatment are significantly expanded as of July 1, 2023. Building permits that have been granted under the previous stormwater regulations or are in review but allowed to expire will be subject to the new stormwater regulations upon reapplication. Refer to the Stormwater page for details.

Address Assignment or Change Request

Please apply online at the following link if your project requires an address assignment or if you wish to change your current address.

Address Assignment / Change Request (Select Apply for Planning Permit and Address Assignment / Change Request as the application type)

Fees

Building permit plan check fees are collected at the time of building permit submittal and are based on a percentage of the building permit fee. The building permit fee and other applicable fees are collected at the time of permit issuance. The City collects the fees directly, except for school fees, which are payable to the school district, and a district receipt is required prior to permit issuance. The following outline of the fees required to obtain a building permit is provided in accordance with California Assembly Bill (AB) 1483:

Plan check:

• $64 minimum
• 50 percent of the Building Permit fee for Residential
• 60 percent of the Building Permit fee for Non-residential
• 85 percent of the Building Permit fee for Fast Track (Residential and Non-residential)

Building Permit fee: The Building Permit Fee Schedule (PDF) is based on either square footage for new floor area or on project valuation for residential remodels and commercial tenant improvements.

City of Brisbane Art in Public Places Fee: The City's arts fee is 1% of the project valuation for non-residential tenant improvements and new development of $1M and more, and residential development of 10 units and more. See BMC Section 15.85.

Quimby Act Fee: See BMC Chapter 16.24

SMI Fee: See Department of Conservation Fee Schedule (PDF)

School District Fee: For new construction, please review the School District Impact Fees Schedule and Form (PDF), Developer Fees Justification Study (PDF)

San Mateo County Environmental Health Services Fee: For any improvements outside the original post-closure development application, if applicable, $198 per hour

Credit card payments are subject to a 2 percent surcharge. Contact the Building Department to pay by phone.

Please visit our Development Impact Fee Transparency and AB 602 Compliance page to see a list of all potential development fees (not all fees listed are applicable to all projects), such as sewer and water connection fees, HCP Habitat Conservation Fee, and business license fee required to be posted under AB 602. Development fees and exactions from completed housing development projects are also available in the Supporting Documents section and are uploaded quarterly, whenever applicable.

Construction & Occupancy Types

To learn more about construction and occupancy types under the California Building Code, please visit the following informational page: Construction Type and Occupancy Classification Definitions

New Housing Inclusionary Requirements (AB 1483 disclosure)

For developments of 6 units or more, a certain number of units are to be established as affordable to households with income levels that are below market rates. These requirements are provided in BMC Section 17.31.030.