Contra Costa County has 19 incorporated cities, most of which manage their own building and planning departments. The County Planning and Development Department handles unincorporated areas. Various overlays such as flood zones, coastal zones (in specific areas), and fire hazard severity zones may require additional review depending on the project location.
Many cities within Contra Costa County have specific tree ordinances that regulate the removal or significant pruning of certain tree species.
How this fits with the state
The state authority here is California Contractors State License Board. The county file does not replace that — it adds the permit office, local overlays, and the actual filing path.
Source · City-by-city; most incorporated cities manage their own building permitsLast verified · 05 / 2026