What's Required in Sacramento
- Tile, paint and similar finish work need no permit.
- Replacing a single fixture such as a toilet, vanity or shower valve needs a $105 minor plumbing permit.
- A same-layout remodel has a flat $320 building permit fee and no plans.
- Creating or moving openings in the bathroom perimeter walls needs plans and in-house plan review.
- Toilets 1.28 gallons per flush or less; lavatory faucets 1.2 gpm; showerheads 1.8 gpm.
- Shower walls need a nonabsorbent finish to 6 feet; greenboard is not an acceptable backer.
- An exhaust fan on a humidity control and a dedicated 20-amp GFCI receptacle circuit are required.
- Homes built before 1978 should follow the city lead-safety guidance in CDD-0288.
Do you need a permit to remodel a bathroom in Sacramento?
Yes, once you go beyond tile and paint. The City of Sacramento Building Division lists tiling, painting and similar finish work as exempt, but it puts shower and tub enclosure replacements on its permit list and has a priced permit for replacing even one fixture. Its bathroom handout (CDD-0418, revised January 2026) and fee table sort the work this way:
- One fixture, such as a toilet, vanity or shower valve, goes on the residential minor plumbing permit, $105. One or more toilets can ride along with one other fixture on that permit.
- A same-layout remodel, removing and replacing fixtures, lights and finishes in kind, is a Minor Bathroom Remodel permit: $320 flat building permit fee, no plans, verified in the field. Several items short of a full remodel are priced on value instead.
- Creating or moving openings in the bathroom’s perimeter walls requires full in-house plan review as a Residential Remodel, priced on valuation.
How much does a bathroom remodel permit cost in Sacramento?
Each permit adds the technology surcharge (10 percent of permit plus plan review), the General Plan fee ($2.60 per $1,000 of value), the green building fee ($1 per $25,000) and, if a contractor holds the permit, the business operations tax (value x 0.0004). Remodels with plan review also pay the strong motion fee.
- Toilet swap, $800, owner: $105 + $10.50 + $2.08 + $1 = $118.58.
- Same-layout remodel, $15,000, contractor: $320 + $32 + $39 + $1 + $6 = $398.
- Remodel that moves walls, $40,000, contractor: permit $622 + plan review $261 + technology $88.30 + General Plan $104 + green $2 + strong motion $5.20 + operations tax $16 = $1,098.50.
The city’s average-cost page shows $325 for a non-structural bathroom remodel; the current fee table puts the building permit fee alone at $320.
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Re-tiling, painting, new mirror | No permit | Exempt finish work |
| Replacing one toilet, vanity or shower valve | Minor plumbing permit, $105 | Table B.1; toilets may be added to one other fixture |
| New tub or shower surround in the same spot | Permit | Enclosure replacements are on the permit list; new valve must be pressure-balanced |
| Full remodel, same layout | Minor Bathroom Remodel, $320 | No plans; email with CDD-0162 |
| Several fixtures, not a full remodel | Value-based permit | Table B.1 rule for multiple items |
| Moving or adding a door, window or wall opening | Residential Remodel with plan review | CDD-0418: perimeter wall openings need full review |
| Adding a bathroom where none existed | Residential Remodel with plan review | New plumbing and layout change |
What will the inspector check?
CDD-0418 lists the usual items: toilets at no more than 1.28 gallons per flush, lavatory faucets at 1.2 gallons per minute, showerheads at 1.8, a pressure-balanced or thermostatic valve when the surround comes out or the valve is replaced, nonabsorbent shower walls to 6 feet (no greenboard), a 30-inch-wide clear space extending 24 inches in front of the toilet and sink, an exhaust fan on a humidity control rated 50 cfm intermittent or 20 cfm continuous, a dedicated 20-amp GFCI circuit for the receptacles, and at least one light on a vacancy sensor. Lots outside city limits are permitted by Sacramento County instead.
How to Get a Bathroom Remodel Permit in Sacramento
Define the scope
Decide whether the job is finish work, one fixture, a same-layout remodel or a remodel that changes wall openings.
Plan to the handout
Check fixtures, valve, fan, receptacle circuit and clearances against CDD-0418 before buying materials.
Submit the application
Email same-layout remodels to EZ Permit with CDD-0200, CDD-0220, CDD-0035 and CDD-0162; submit wall changes with plans online.
Pay the fees
Pay the $105 or $320 flat fee, or the valuation-based fee, plus the technology, General Plan and green building fees.
Pass the field inspection
The inspector verifies fixtures, waterproofing, ventilation and electrical in the field before you close the permit.