Community Development

Planning, Building, Code Enforcement and Housing Services staff are available for telephone and email inquiries - contact information for each division is listed on this page.

In person services are available at City Hall Monday - Friday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm. Before coming to City Hall, please make sure you review and understand the Social Distancing Protocols for City Hall Visitors.

Online Permit Center NEW

  • The Community Development Department proudly announces a new self-service online permit center! We now process building permits, issue planning entitlements, accept online payments, and schedule inspections securely online.
COVID-19 Safety Protocols During Shelter-in-Place Order

Building Permits - Available Online

  • All construction activities are permitted.
  • Online building permit applications and building permit submittals and inquiries are available on our Citizen Self-Service (CSS) Portal. ­

Virtual and In-Person Inspections

Virtual Code Consultations - By Appointment Only

  • Coordinated building permit code consultations for building, fire and zoning code will be scheduled remotely by appointment only Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-12:00 pm. Appointments will be made on a first come first serve basis in 20-minute increments.
  • Request a code consultation appointment by emailing building.info@cityofsanmateo.org.

Planning Division

  • We are accepting new planning applications online at our Citizen Self-Service (CSS) Portal. Staff will continue processing pending planning and building permit applications.
  • Zoning code consultations will be scheduled remotely by appointment only Monday - Friday, 9:00 am-12:00 pm. All appointments will be made on a first come first serve basis in 20-minute increments.
  • Due to social distancing guidelines, no in-person activities or workshops are scheduled.

Code Enforcement
Code Enforcement staff will only be handling critical life/safety situations. Contact Code Enforcement at (650) 522-7150 or codeenforcement@cityofsanmateo.org.

Housing and Neighborhood Services
Contact Housing and Neighborhood Services staff at (650) 522-7220 or housing@cityofsanmateo.org

Citizen Self-Service CSS Image Link
Visit the Online Permit Center
CDD - What's Happening in Development
CDD - Affordable Housing
CDD - Code Enforcement
Zoning Code
  1. Citizen Self-Service (CSS)
  2. General Plan Update
  3. Planning eNewsletter

Introducing Our New Self-Service Online Permit Center

Person filling out an application on their computerOur Online Permit Center let’s you submit building permit and planning applications securely online through our Citizen Self-Service Portal (CSS).

We now accept, review, receive payments, and issue planning entitlements and building permits through our online permit center.

The Citizen Self-Service (CSS) Portal let’s you search records by address, date range, permit number, or parcel number – you can also use the interactive map search feature.