Redwood City · new construction permits
Redwood City new construction permits.
What it actually takes to permit a ground-up build in Redwood City: jurisdiction, plan check, inspections, and the local overlays that change the path. Every link below points at an official City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division resource.
Quick answer
New single-family permits in Redwood City are issued by City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division; California Title 24 Part 6 and CALGreen Part 11 apply statewide on top of any Redwood City reach-code amendments.
Homeowner & investor takeaway
Identify which 'side' of Redwood City your lot is on before scoping — Emerald Hills triggers hillside review and geotech; Redwood Shores triggers flood freeboard and Bay Mud foundations.
Local jurisdiction.
Permits are issued by City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division (San Mateo County). Use the official portals below — do not rely on third-party permit aggregators.
- Building department: City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division
- Permit portal: City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division
- Planning: City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division
- Zoning lookup: City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division
- Municipal code: City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division
Permit types typically involved.
Building permit
Required for a new dwelling unit, including structural, MEP, and envelope review.
Grading / drainage
Grading thresholds and Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater requirements apply per City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division; sloped parcels require geotech and an erosion-control plan.
Sewer / utility
Municipal sewer service in developed Redwood City parcels; verify lateral condition and any point-of-sale sewer compliance requirement before scoping. PG&E electric/gas; California Water Service (Cal Water) for water in most areas; City for sewer — coordinate service-upgrade lead times.
Electrical / mechanical / plumbing
Often pulled with the building permit; some jurisdictions require separate sub-permits per trade.
Title 24 compliance
California Energy Commission Climate Zone 3. New single-family homes must comply with the current Title 24 Part 6 envelope, HVAC, hot-water, and rooftop solar-PV requirements.
CALGreen
CALGreen Part 11 mandatory measures (≥65% C&D waste diversion, water-efficient fixtures, indoor-air-quality measures) apply to all new homes. Redwood City may layer reach-code or local green-building amendments — confirm the current adopted ordinance at intake.
Plan check process.
Plan check rigorous on Title 24, structural lateral design, and (in Redwood Shores) FEMA elevation requirements.
Entitlement & planning review.
Most R-1 SFRs are ministerial; R-1-H hillside parcels add Architectural Review and slope-based density rules.
Inspections.
City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division schedules inspections through its permit portal; foundation, framing, rough trades, insulation, drywall, and final are the standard hold points for new SFRs in Redwood City.
Local overlays & constraints.
Redwood City uses R-1 sub-districts (R-1, R-2-A, etc.) plus Hillside Residential (R-1-H) in Emerald Hills; downtown precise plan controls the urban core.
Hillside. R-1-H zoning in Emerald Hills adds slope-band density, retaining-wall height limits, and Architectural Review.
Wildfire / WUI. Western hillside parcels (above Emerald Hills) approach VHFHSZ-mapped areas; verify on the CAL FIRE FHSZ map.
Flood. Redwood Shores and bayside parcels are in FEMA SFHA — elevation certificates and freeboard requirements apply.
Seismic. The San Andreas Fault zone is west in the hills; CGS liquefaction zones touch the bayside Redwood Shores district.
Common delay drivers.
Risk 1
FEMA freeboard requirement raising finished floor late
Risk 2
R-1-H slope-band reducing buildable area
Risk 3
Bay Mud geotech requiring pile or ground-improvement
Prepare before submittal.
- Confirm zoning, setbacks, height, and FAR for the parcel.
- Order soils / geotech early — many overlays require it before plan check.
- Complete Title 24 energy modeling and confirm CALGreen targets.
- Have a clear utility upgrade plan (sewer lateral, panel, gas) documented.
- Pre-assemble any overlay-specific studies (hillside, coastal, fire, flood).
This page is general information, not legal advice. Permit requirements change. Confirm the current process directly with City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division.
Questions.
- Who issues new-home permits in Redwood City?
- The City of Redwood City Community Development & Transportation Department — Building Division issues building permits; Planning handles zoning and Architectural Review.
- Is my Redwood Shores lot in a FEMA flood zone?
- Most Redwood Shores parcels are — verify on the FEMA MSC and plan for elevation-certificate freeboard.
- What is R-1-H zoning?
- Hillside Residential zoning in Emerald Hills with slope-band density, retaining-wall height limits, and Architectural Review.
- Does Chapter 7A apply?
- On parcels mapped Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone on the western hill edge — yes. Verify on the CAL FIRE FHSZ map.
- Does CALGreen apply?
- Yes, statewide. Confirm any local reach-code amendments at intake.
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