Permit Cancellation & Refund Policy

Submit a permit cancellation online

General Policy

The County Building Official may authorize the refund of required permit fees as follows: 

Building Permits

(a) Unused Building permit. On the canceling of a building permit within three hundred sixty five (365) days after issuance, no work having been done and no inspections having been performed, the holder may be allowed a refund of the amount in excess of one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent, 80%, of the building permit fee paid. No refunds of plan check fees for issued permits shall be allowed. Any unused plumbing, electrical, or mechanical permit(s) taken in conjunction with a building permit are governed by the refund procedures in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Unused plumbing electrical or mechanical permits. No refund of deposits for these permits (including sub permits issued in conjunction with building permits, and miscellaneous permits) shall be allowed, except that on the canceling of a permit within three hundred sixty five (365) days after issuance, no work having been done, the holder may be allowed a refund of the amount in excess of one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent, 80%, of the plumbing electrical or mechanical permit(s) fees paid. (Ords. 2007-54 § 2, 2002-31 § 2, 99-1 § 5, 80-14 § 4, 76-15).

Grading Permits

(a) Filing fees, permit transfer fees, penalty fees and site investigation fees shall not be refunded.

(b) In cases of a reduction of planned work, the approval of an amended permit therefore by the county building official, and satisfactory completion of the work covered by the permit, the permittee may apply to the county building official within thirty days after issuance of the certificate of completion for a refund of that portion of the permit fee which would not have been required for a permit based on the revised cost of the work in the amended permit. (Ords. 99-46 § 8: 69-59 § 1, 1969).

Fees Eligible for Refund When Canceling a Permit

  1. Building Permit Fee
    Within three hundred sixty five (365) days after permit issuance, the amount in excess of one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent the total paid for the permit, 80%.
  2. Plumbing, Electrical and Mechanical Permit Fees (including those issued in conjunction with a Building Permit) Within three hundred sixty five (365) days after issuance, the amount in excess one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent the total paid for the permit(s), 80%.
  3. Clean Water Fee
    Within three hundred sixty five (365) days after permit issuance, full refund.
  4. Energy Surcharge
    Within three hundred sixty five (365) days after permit issuance, refund the amount in excess one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent, 80%.
  5. Land Development/City Surcharge Fees
    Within three hundred sixty five (365) days after permit issuance, the amount in excess of one hundred fifty dollars but no more than of eighty percent of the total paid for the permit, 80%.
  6. Pool Safety Fee
    Within three hundred sixty five (365) days after issuance, full refund.

Fees Not Refunded Upon Canceling a Permit

  1. Plan Check Fees
  2. Earthquake Fees
  3. State Special Revolving Fund
  4. Child Care Fees
  5. Flood Zone Fee
  6. Grading review is 25% of the grading permit fee. The review amount will not be refunded.

Fees Not Refunded by this Department

  1. City Surcharge Fees (Contact the applicable city/town office to request a city surcharge refund for canceled permit.)
    • City of Clayton 925-673-7300
    • City of Hercules 925-799-8200
    • City of Lafayette 925-284-1968
    • Town of Moraga 925-888-7050
    • City of Orinda 925-253-4224
  2. School District Fees (Contact the applicable school district offices to request a developer fee refund for canceled permit.)
    • Acalanes Union High School District 925-280-3900
    • Brentwood Unified School District 925-513-6323
    • Byron Unified School District 925-809-7500
    • John Swett Unified School District 925-787-2272
    • Lafayette Unified School District 925-927-3500
    • Liberty Union High School District 925-634-2166
    • Martinez Unified School District 925-355-5800
    • Moraga Union School District 925-376-5943
    • Orinda Union School District 925-254-4901
    • Walnut Creek Unified School District 925-944-6850
  3. Drainage Fees (Contact Public Works at 925-313-2000)
  4. Traffic/Road Fees (Contact Public Works at 925-313-2000)
  5. Fire District Fees (Contact the applicable Fire Protection District to request a facilities fee refund for canceled permit)
    • Contra Costa County FPD 925-941-3300
    • East Contra Costa FPD 925-634-3400
    • Rodeo-Hercules FPD 925-799-4561

Submit a Permit Cancellation Request Online

Please contact the Application and Permit Center with additional questions at 925-655-2700.