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Permitting Authorities / City of Modesto - Building Safety Division

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Adopted code

City of Modesto - Building Safety Division

The City of Modesto Building Safety Division, part of Community & Economic Development, at 1010 10th Street, Suite 3100, issues building permits and handles inspections in Modesto. The California Residential Code applies in Modesto as it does in every California city and county. This listing covers the office's contact details and the rules state law sets for every California city; it does not cover Modesto's own permit rules.

Jurisdiction
City of Modesto, California
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
1010 10th Street, Suite 3100, Modesto, CA 95354
Contact
  • url: https://www.modestogov.com/1281/Building-Permits
  • phone: 209-577-5232
Permit portal
Permit portal
Contractor registration required
Required
Adopted code
The 2025 California Residential Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2.5), which "incorporates by adoption the 2024 International Residential Code of the International Code Council with necessary California amendments" (California Residential Code section 1.1.1) and took effect on January 1, 2026. It applies to "every detached one- and two- family dwelling and townhouse not more than three stories above grade plane ... throughout the State of California" (section 1.1.3). State law makes it apply in every city and county: "If any city or county does not amend, add, or repeal ordinances or regulations to impose those requirements or make changes or modifications in those requirements upon express findings, the provisions published in the California Building Standards Code ... shall be applicable to it" (Health and Safety Code 17958(a)). A city or county may change the code only where it finds the change "reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions" (Health and Safety Code 17958.5(a)), and "No modification or change shall become effective or operative for any purpose until the finding and the modification or change have been filed with the California Building Standards Commission" (Health and Safety Code 17958.7(a)). From October 1, 2025 to June 1, 2031, a city or county "shall not make changes that are applicable to residential units" unless, among other listed conditions, the changes are "substantially equivalent to changes or modifications that were previously filed by the governing body of the city or county and were in effect as of September 30, 2025" or "relate to home hardening" (Health and Safety Code 17958(b)). So a city may have its own amendments to the state code, and this record did not read this city's local amendments. Everything above is California state law, the same in every city and county. In Modesto the City's own Building Safety Division, part of Community & Economic Development, enforces the code; the division's page says the city requires permits so that construction is done in accordance with all life safety requirements and building codes, and that the division issues the required permits once plans are approved and fees are paid.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Modesto, CA

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Modesto, CA?

Yes.

What building code does Modesto, CA use?

The 2025 California Residential Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2.5), which "incorporates by adoption the 2024 International Residential Code of the International Code Council with necessary California amendments" (California Residential Code section 1.1.1) and took effect on January 1, 2026. It applies to "every detached one- and two- family dwelling and townhouse not more than three stories above grade plane ... throughout the State of California" (section 1.1.3). State law makes it apply in every city and county: "If any city or county does not amend, add, or repeal ordinances or regulations to impose those requirements or make changes or modifications in those requirements upon express findings, the provisions published in the California Building Standards Code ... shall be applicable to it" (Health and Safety Code 17958(a)). A city or county may change the code only where it finds the change "reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions" (Health and Safety Code 17958.5(a)), and "No modification or change shall become effective or operative for any purpose until the finding and the modification or change have been filed with the California Building Standards Commission" (Health and Safety Code 17958.7(a)). From October 1, 2025 to June 1, 2031, a city or county "shall not make changes that are applicable to residential units" unless, among other listed conditions, the changes are "substantially equivalent to changes or modifications that were previously filed by the governing body of the city or county and were in effect as of September 30, 2025" or "relate to home hardening" (Health and Safety Code 17958(b)). So a city may have its own amendments to the state code, and this record did not read this city's local amendments. Everything above is California state law, the same in every city and county. In Modesto the City's own Building Safety Division, part of Community & Economic Development, enforces the code; the division's page says the city requires permits so that construction is done in accordance with all life safety requirements and building codes, and that the division issues the required permits once plans are approved and fees are paid.