California note
Contra Costa County planning starts with the city line
Contra Costa County's planning agency reviews projects in unincorporated county areas, while cities and towns have their own planning agencies.
Check who runs the address before you open a Contra Costa County permit form. County planning reviews projects only on unincorporated land. That means land outside a city or town. A site inside a city goes to that city’s planning office.
Use the county’s CCMAP property map for this check. Search the address or parcel. Then read the city or county result. You can also view the zone and General Plan layers. If it says county land, start with Conservation and Development.
There is one local wrinkle. The planning and building maps do not match in every place. The county gives building permits and inspections to county land. It also does that work for Clayton, Hercules, Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda. Those cities still run their own planning review. Ask which planning approval must come before the county building permit.
Official sources
Official pages
Reviewed July 22, 2026
Current rules, forms, fees, deadlines, maps, and office instructions.
Rules, forms, fees, deadlines, and office procedures can change. Check the current page before you file, pay, or rely on a date.
Connected places
Open the local directory
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