Building Permits in Hayward

Hayward's Building Division administers construction-code enforcement, plan review, permits, and inspections, with online services available through the city's E-Permits Portal.

Current Codes

Hayward lists the 2025 California Building, Residential, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy, and Green Building Standards (CALGreen) codes among the codes it enforces. California's 2025 Title 24 cycle became effective January 1, 2026. Hayward local amendments and project-specific requirements also apply.

Permit Center and Plan Review

The Permit Center coordinates Building and related development services. The Building Division reviews drawings for code compliance and verifies permitted construction through inspections.

When a Permit Is Needed

Hayward identifies common permitted work such as accessory structures, patio covers, reroofing, water heaters, window work, commercial HVAC replacement, retaining walls, decks, and additions. Because exemptions and thresholds are code-specific, confirm the actual scope with the Building Division rather than relying on a generic exemption list.

Fees

Hayward maintains a city Master Fee Schedule. Fees depend on the service and project; no generic permit range or plan-check percentage is used here.

Inspections

Permitted construction is inspected for compliance. Required inspections depend on the approved work, so follow the inspections assigned to the permit rather than a universal sequence.

Official Sources

Use Hayward's Building Division and Permit Center together with the current California Title 24 resources linked above.