Building

Counter plan reviews are for small projects only. If plans are completed, a building permit can be issued the same day.

Building Division:

Over-the-counter plan reviews are available between 10am-12pm Monday through Thursday.

Fire Department:

Over-the-counter plan reviews are available between 11am-12pm Tuesday and Thursday.

Important Notice: The City of Cupertino has adopted the 2022 California Code of Regulations, Title 24 with certain amendments. These codes and amendments are effective on January 1, 2023. All projects submitted after January 1, 2023, must comply with the 2022 California Codes of Regulations and the City of Cupertino amendments. All projects under the 2019 California Codes of Regulations and amendments must be submitted prior to December 22, 2022.

The Current Codes adopted, as amended by the City of Cupertino, effective January 1, 2023, are:

• 2022 California Administrative Code
• 2022 California Building Code, Volumes 1 & 2
• 2022 California Residential Code
• 2022 California Electrical Code
• 2022 California Mechanical Code
• 2022 California Plumbing Code
• 2022 California Energy Code
• 2022 California Historical Building Code
• 2022 California Fire Code
• 2022 California Green Building Standards Code
• 2022 California Referenced Standards Code

The 2022 triennial edition of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 24 (California Building Standards Code) applies to all occupancies that applied for a building permit on or after January 1, 2023, and remains in effect until the effective date of the 2025 triennial edition.

The California Building Standards Commission website has information on where the codes can be purchased and Parts 6 and 11 can be downloaded for free. Please visit here for website links where other parts of the codes can be viewed online.

There are 12 parts to Title 24 and the applicable parts for most Building Division permit applications are listed below:

• Part 2: The 2022 California Building Code (CBC) is based on the 2021 IBC, but includes numerous State of California amendments.
• Part 2.5: The 2022 California Residential Code (CRC) is based on the 2021 IRC, but includes numerous State of California amendments and does not include the electrical, energy, mechanical, or, plumbing portions of the IRC, and instead parts 3 through 6 of Title 24 as listed below apply.
• Part 3: The 2022 California Electrical Code (CEC) is based on the 2020 NEC with State of California amendments.
• Part 4: The 2022 California Mechanical Code (CMC) is based on the 2021 UMC with State of California amendments.
• Part 5: The 2022 California Plumbing Code (CPC) is based on the 2021 UPC with State of California amendments.
• Part 6: The 2022 California Energy Code is currently based on the 2021 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, and please visit the California Energy Commission website where additional information can be found and Compliance manuals can be downloaded for free.
• Part 9: The 2022 California Fire Code (CFC) is based on the 2021 IFC with State of California amendments.
• Part 11: The 2022 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen Code) is known as the California Green Building Standards Code, and it is intended that it shall also be known as the CALGreen Code. Resources are available here.

This document tracks the History of Cupertino Code Adoptions(PDF, 217KB) .

2019 California Codes Significant Changes

• 2019 California Building Code(PDF, 324KB)
• 2019 California Residential Code(PDF, 304KB)
• 2019 California Mechanical Code(PDF, 193KB)
• 2019 California Plumbing Code(PDF, 240KB)
• 2019 California Electrical Code(PDF, 151KB)
• 2019 California Green Building Code(PDF, 142KB)
• 2019 California Energy Code(PDF, 211KB)

The Cupertino Community Development Department would like to highlight some State laws that pertain to the inspection and maintenance of exterior elevated elements (such as decks, balconies, and stairways) in buildings with three or more multifamily dwelling units. The owners of these properties are required to hire a licensed professional to perform the required inspections and produce a report to identify any hazardous conditions. The deadline to have the initial inspection completed is January 1, 2026.

Summary of the key provisions of the State laws

Inspection Requirements:

• Exterior elevated elements (balconies, decks, stairs, etc.) in qualifying buildings must be inspected by licensed professionals (architects, engineers, or certain qualified contractors (A, B, or C-5)) to ensure safety.
• Inspections must be done by January 1, 2026, and then every six years thereafter.
• The inspection aims to ensure the safety and structural integrity of these elements and to identify any hazardous conditions, such as decay or improper alterations.

Inspection Report:

• A written report must be submitted to the building owner within 45 days, detailing the condition of exterior elevated elements, with recommendations for further action if needed. Reports should include photographs and results of the evaluation.
• If the inspector finds any immediate safety concerns, the report must also be sent to the local enforcement agency (Cupertino Building Division) within 15 days.  Report shall be sent to permitcenter@cupertino.gov.

Repair and Maintenance:

• If repairs are needed, they must be completed by a licensed contractor and follow relevant building codes and specifications.
• If immediate safety threats are identified, repairs must be made immediately, and access to the affected area may be restricted until repairs are completed.

Penalties for Non-Compliance:

• If the building owner fails to make the necessary repairs within 180 days, they may face civil penalties and be subject to a building safety lien.
• The local jurisdiction can enforce these penalties and foreclose on the lien if necessary.

Sale or Conversion of Buildings:

• If a building is proposed for conversion to condominiums, an inspection must be done before the first sale or closing, and any necessary repairs must be completed and confirmed by the inspector.

Local Jurisdiction Authority:

• Local enforcement agencies can impose additional requirements and recover enforcement costs.

State Law Information

Senate Bill 721 (California Health & Safety Code Section 17973)

• Assembly Bill 2579 (Amend California Health and Safety Code Section 17973)

Senate Bill 326 (California Civil Code Section 5551)

If you have any questions after reviewing this information, please reach out to the Cupertino Building Division at permitcenter@cupertino.gov or 408-777-3228.

Per state law, local agencies are required to provide the following notice(PDF, 121KB)(PDF, 121KB)  to applicants for business licenses and commercial building permits regarding disability access laws.