The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of San Mateo - Building Division

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in San Mateo, CA?

Adopted code

City of San Mateo - Building Division

The City of San Mateo Building Division, part of Community Development at San Mateo City Hall, 330 West 20th Avenue, reviews plans, issues building permits and inspects construction in San Mateo, in San Mateo County. The 2025 California Residential Code applies in San Mateo 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 town; it does not cover San Mateo's own permit rules.

Jurisdiction
City of San Mateo, California
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
330 West 20th Avenue, San Mateo City Hall, San Mateo, CA 94403
Contact
  • url: https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/477/Building
  • phone: 650-522-7172
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 San Mateo the City's own Building Division, part of Community Development, enforces the code; its page says it enforces building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical installations and accessibility and energy compliance.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in San Mateo, CaliforniaCity hub

More roof permit pages in California

Santa Ana, CARoof permit Santa Clara, CARoof permit Santa Clarita, CARoof permit Santa Maria, CARoof permit Santa Rosa, CARoof permit Roofing in CaliforniaState hub

Related guides

Denver-Metro Roofing Permits Filing a Hail Insurance Claim Colorado Hail Season Prep Hiring a Contractor

Sources

Roofing questions: San Mateo, CA

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

Yes.

What building code does San Mateo, 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 San Mateo the City's own Building Division, part of Community Development, enforces the code; its page says it enforces building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical installations and accessibility and energy compliance.