Building Permits in Modesto, California
City in Stanislaus County
Verified August 2026
Adopted Construction Codes
These are the state-level code editions for California. They apply in Modestounless a verified local adoption or amendment is noted — in local-adoption states, confirm the city or county's own code editions with the building department.
How much does a permit cost in Modesto? →
Published fee amounts by permit type, how Modesto calculates them, plan review and surcharges — quoted from the official fee schedule.
Permit checklists by project →
Deck, fence, shed, water heater and more — whether Modesto requires a permit, what to submit, which inspections it publishes, and what it charges. Every line quoted from a Modesto document.
Permit Requirements
building permit
Modesto specificsFees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inShow fees — free trial
deck permit
Modesto specificsFees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inShow fees — free trial
electrical permit
Modesto specificsFees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inShow fees — free trial
fence permit — not required
Modesto specificsFees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inShow fees — free trial
reroof permit
Modesto specificsFees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inShow fees — free trial
retaining wall permit
Modesto specificsFees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inShow fees — free trial
shed permit — not required
Modesto specificsFees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inShow fees — free trial
water heater permit
Modesto specificsFees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inShow fees — free trial
Building Department
Permit fee schedule ↗ · fee schedule checked August 2026
Building Safety fee schedule (FY 2025-26) uses mostly flat fees by project type plus some valuation-based and hourly charges.
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