Phase 5
Permit
- Understand what’s required in your permit application
- Know what to expect from application review
- Get started on your application
- Understand the types of fees you may need to pay
The permitting process can be straight-forward if you are prepared and understand what to expect. You should have an idea of how the process works from your conversations with planning staff, and your designer should be familiar as well. Permitting starts with an application package and ends with a building permit, which allows you to start construction.
Timeline
The Permitting phase typically takes 1-6 months. Most ADU projects take 12-18 months to complete, but some extend to 24 months or more.
Permit
Step-by-Step
Keep in mind: It’s helpful to meet with City staff before submitting your application. While not required, meeting with your designer and local staff before you submit your application might save time later in the process. Contact Planning staff to schedule a meeting and check out our ADU Worksheets for help planning the meeting.
Have you confirmed your location?
PLEASE NOTE: Not all properties with the 95667 ZIP code, including many with “Placerville” addresses, are within the incorporated City limits of Placerville. Use one or more of these tools to confirm if your property is within El Dorado County or Placerville’s jurisdiction:
Step 1
Prepare Your Application Package
application overview
Read below for more details on the application process depending on your location.
See How to Obtain a Building Permit for additional details on many of the points below. Otherwise confirm details with local staff (see details on the Contact page).
- Building permit: Complete the Building Permit Application form on the Building Services Forms website.
- Plan check: Submit materials including two complete sets of plans (including foundation plan, floor plan, Title 24 report, and more) plus one additional floor plan (see details on How to Obtain a Building Permit page). See Residential Structures Submittal Checklist for a complete list and Residential Plan Review Guidelines for helpful information on what should be included on the materials.
- Community Services District approval: ADUS in architecturally controlled areas of El Dorado Hills Community Services District or Cameron Park Community Services District require architectural approval before building permits are issued.
- Septic and well review: If your ADU will not be serviced by a public water/sewer provider and will instead have a septic system, you must submit a perc test, septic design, and Well Production Report to Environmental Management (submitted with or after building permit application).
- Encroachment Permit: If connecting a new driveway to a County-maintained road, you’ll need an Encroachment Permit. See County Fire Safe regulations for additional driveway information.
- Manufactured ADUs have some additional requirements, including permanent steps/landings and approval from any applicable water/sewer district. See more details here.
- Historic District If your property is in a Historic District, confirm the approval process and submission requirements with local staff.
- ADU checklist – This can be submitted at the same time as a building permit.
- Building permit application form
- Submit project plan sets
- See these links for more information:
- Site plan – see guidance here for preparing a sufficient site plan
- Floor plans that show all floors and use of all rooms
- Building elevations
- Address Assignment Application (not applicable to JADUs)
- Historic District If your property is in a Historic District, confirm the approval process and submission requirements with local staff. Submission requirements will include elevations, materials, and color boards.
- Fire Protection ADU plans will be submitted directly to El Dorado County Fire Protection District. Confirm details with staff.
- Septic Systems If you need septic system approval (rare in Placerville limits), you’ll need to submit a permit application to El Dorado County Environmental Management Department. Confirm details with staff.
Once your ADU plans are finalized, you and your designer or contractor will submit your application package for approval.
Tools and Resources
See links within the location dropdowns above.
Step 2
Submit Your Application
Applications may be submitted in-person or electronically, depending on the department/agency and the materials necessary. Confirm submission requirements with the appropriate office.
After your application is submitted the reviewing department/agency will assess it for completeness, then begin their review.
Address Assignment
You’ll be provided with an address after submitting your site plan as part of the Building Permit Application. Ask Planning staff for details on any applications or forms to fill out. There may be a fee for address assignment.
Step 3
Revise Your Application
Staff will complete their review and provide any comments. Most likely, this review will happen at a staff level (no hearings), but in less common instances, an additional permit or public hearing may be required.
If modifications to your plan are required (at least one round of revisions is typical), your team will revise and resubmit the application. Under state law, agencies/departments reviewing your plans must provide a full set of comments with a list of incorrect items and how those can be fixed.
Step 4
Receive Your Permits
After your application is approved, staff will let you know that your permit is ready and how you can receive it. Once you have paid any remaining fees and you have your permit, you can begin construction. Permits generally must be displayed at the site.
Unincorporated El Dorado County: Permits expire two years from date of issue. May be renewed up to twice for another year before/within 30 days of expiration, if permit holder has tried to pursue construction and has completed inspections as needed. The permit holder can apply for permit reactivation after the four-year period if the project hasn’t gotten a final inspection.
City of Placerville: Permit expires one year from date issued or 180 days from last approved inspection. If construction has begun, an extension may be granted by the Building Official. If no work has commenced, a new permit is required.
permitting fees
ADUs can be charged a variety of fees from your City or County, the State, and other agencies. Some fees are based on the details of the project while others are fixed. Surprisingly, local governments do not control many of the most expensive fees, like school and water fees, which are assessed by other agencies and dependent on the size or location of your ADU.
The total amount of fees depends on your property and plans. Some fees based on valuation, some flat. All together, fees for ADUs typically fall in the $13,000-15,000 range when school district and impact fees are applicable or substantially less (as low as $1,000 but could be $7,000 or more) for smaller ADUs. Impact fees cannot be charged for ADUs under 750 square feet, so that is often a size cutoff for increased fees.
Fees may be paid in-person or online and may be due at various steps in the process; most will likely be due when receiving the building permit or final inspection. Confirm with staff for details.
Fee examples:
- State Earthquake Fee
- CA Green fee
- Address assignment fee
- Fire District fees
- Septic system flat fee
- School district fees
City of Placerville: Placerville offers details on how they calculate impact fees and Capital Improvement Charges. See that here.
Once you have a design established with your architect/designer, it’s a great idea to discuss it with Planning staff so they can point out any issues before you prepare your application. See our ADU Worksheets for questions you might want to ask.
El Dorado County has provided ADU plans that have been Pre-Reviewed by the Building and Planning Departments; ultimately, saving you time and money in the design and permitting process. The County will be adding additional plans, so be sure to check back frequently.
All ADUs and JADUs require building permits in order to start construction. Other permits are required based on location, special zones, ADU type, and other conditions. See more details below.
An unpermitted ADU can make it difficult to sell or refinance your property. If an unpermitted unit is discovered and is under construction, the county will issue a stop work order. If the building is complete, it will need an as-built permit, which has extra fees and requires substantial physical work on the building to assess the condition and details.
For unpermitted ADUs built before January 1, 2018, state law says a permit to legalize cannot be denied even if there is a violation of ADU laws or building standards, unless it is a “health and safety concern” or if the building is deemed “substandard” by state Health and Safety Code.
State law says an ADU permit cannot be denied due to nonconforming zoning, building code violations or unpermitted structures unless there is a threat to public health or safety, and they are not affected by building the ADU.
In most cases, state law no longer allows cities and counties to comment on pre-existing zoning issues unrelated to the ADU. For example, you should not receive comments about correcting the main house or a fence unrelated to the ADU, unless there is an obvious public safety issue.
Unincorporated El Dorado County: Permits expire two years from date of issue. May be renewed up to twice for another year before/within 30 days of expiration, if permit holder has tried to pursue construction and has completed inspections as needed. The permit holder can apply for permit reactivation after the four-year period if the project hasn’t gotten a final inspection.
Placerville: Permit expires one year from date issued or 180 days from last approved inspection. If construction has begun, an extension may be granted by the Building Official. If no work has commenced, a new permit is required.
