Planning & Building
Planning & Zoning
County planning-permit instructions cover unincorporated San Mateo County. Email/counter and listed online planning categories differ; an approved planning permit does not itself authorize construction.
You may need one or both depending on your proposed project. If you need both permits, you must get the planning permit before applying for the building permit. Having an approved planning permit does not mean that you can start construction without first getting a building permit.
Official information checked October 26, 2026 · Details & sources
The county describes email/counter planning submissions and a specific list of planning permits accepted online. Online building-permit filing is a separate process.
Official information checked October 26, 2026 · Details & sources
Source checked October 26, 2026
San Mateo planning-permit application process
The Planning and Building Department issues permits for a wide range of planning and building projects in unincorporated San Mateo County. Because of varying procedural requirements in State law and County ordinances, each type of permit may be subject to different processing requirements. We process each permit as quickly as possible while ensuring full compliance with the law. The general process for planning permits and building permits is summarized below.
Saved evidence: 64f234c8de5bb3d0 · Agent source review