General building work permit checklist — Fontana, California
Assembled from Fontana’s own published permit rules. Every line below is quoted from a city document and linked to it. Nothing here is generated, estimated, or inferred from another jurisdiction.
Do you need a permit?
Fontana requires a permit for general building work.
Fontana does not post an amended exemption list on its Building & Safety pages, so the state thresholds in CBC/CRC 105.2 as adopted control - one-story detached accessory structures 120 sq ft or less, fences not over 7 ft, retaining walls not over 4 ft from the bottom of the footing without a surcharge, and decks/platforms not more than 30 in. above grade that are not attached to a dwelling and do not serve an exit door. Note that Fontana's own fee schedule nonetheless carries fee lines for fences and walls at and below 6 ft, so confirm at the counter before assuming an exemption.
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Sources
- building — permit rules ↗verified August 2026
Other permits Fontana publishes rules for
Listed because the city publishes a separate rule for each type — not because this project necessarily triggers one. Whether it does depends on your scope of work.
- Deck permit checklist
- Fence permit checklist
- Shed permit checklist
- Water heater permit checklist
- Re-roof permit checklist
- Retaining wall permit checklist
- Electrical work permit checklist
BuildSpec is a reference, not the authority having jurisdiction. Confirm requirements with Fontana before you build.