New Building Permit Applications

The City of Menlo Park only accepts on-line digital Building permit applications with digital plans and supporting documents. All applications, plans and supporting documents are to be submitted digitally through the City’s Accela permit management system using the Accela Citizen Access Portal (ACA). Please visit the Building Division’s Online service web page for information associated with how to register for an ACA account. The digital file specifications for all plans can be found on the Online services page under File specifications.

To start of the application process, please click on the “Building" tab at the top of the ACA page. a record type must be selected which located on the bottom of the page. The record type depends on the project scope of work and the selection made will dictate the permit record type and the plan review process.

Examples of work scope and their associated record types are in the table below and a more complete explantion of the different record types are included below the table.

Work Scope Link to Specific
Sumittall Information		 Record Type Record Type
Designation
Limited to a non-site specific ADU submitted  Preapproved ADUs  ADU Pre-Approval
(APA)		  APA

Projects that require multiple discipline plan reviews by
Planning, Building and/or Civil plan review and not
listed elsewhere in this table such as:

  • Permits for the construction of new buildings,
    including ADU’s;
  • Additions and alterations to existing buildings;
  • EV Chargers;
  • PV with battery energy storage system;
  • Grading; and
  • Repairs
  

Nonresidential New/
Add/Alt Information

Residential New/
Add/Alt Information

PV with Battery Energy
Storage

Grading and Drainage

  Building
Pre-Application		  BPA
Limited to the demolition of a complete or portion of an
existing structure.		 Demolition Submittal
Requirements		 Demolition  DEM

Limited in scope toa single trade such as single-family
residential:

  • Water heater replacement
  • Furnace replacement
  • Electric panel replacement
  • Sewer Replacement
  • Watermain replacement
  • Water supply re-pipe

HVAC Alteration

Energy Code CF1
R-Alt Form

Residential Electrical Load
Calculation Worksheet

 Limited Plan Check  LPC
Limited to the replacement of an existing roof covering. Reroof Worksheet Reroof permit  RER
Limited to new PV system for single-family residential
homes that does not include a Battery energy storage
system and/or EV car charger.		 Photovoltaic Real Time Photovoltaic Real Time  PRT

 

ADU Pre-Approval (APA) and Building Pre-Application (BPA)

APA and BPA applications require multiple discipline plan reviews by Planning, Building and/or Civil plan review, which will require a building pre-application process.  

ADU Pre-Approval (APA) 

The APA record is for design professions who want to obtain non-site-specific preapproval of an ADU plan. Homeowners utilizing a preapproved ADU plan are still required to submit a site-specific building permit application documenting compliance with applicable zoning ordinance and building code requirements for that location.  

Building Pre-Application (BPA) Process

The Building Pre-Application process provides staff with the opportunity to review all submittal documents for completeness before converting it to a building record (BLD) or a grading record (GRD), which starts the plan review process and ensures the applicant a comprehensive plan review experience.  

The BPA record type is the "catch-all" category that may be used to start the permit application process for any type of permit application that does not qualify as a DEM, LPC or RER record. For example, if your project is a kitchen remodel, a commercial tenant improvement, or a new house/ADU, you should start with the building pre-application. All demolition permit and/or grading permit requests should begin as a building pre-application.  

Demolition (DEM), Limited Plan Check (LPC) and Reroof (RER) Plan Review Process

DEM, LPC and RER permit applications are limited in scope to a single trade which allows for shortened plan review times to ensure a streamlined plan check/permit issuance process.  

It is important to note: Applications for limited plan check records that include more than a single trade and/or include any additional project scope will be denied, and an automated email will be sent requesting a new application be made for a Building Pre-Application/Building permit record. 

Photovoltaic Real Time (PRT) Plan Review Process

Menlo Park’s PRT process complies with California SB 379 requirements for issuing residential solar energy system permits to a licensed solar installation contractor. This process bypasses the standard building permit process to issue a building permit in real-time.  

It is important to note: PRT applications include a battery ESS and/or  EV charger installations will be denied, and an automated email will be sent requesting a new application be made for a Building Pre-Application/Building permit record.

Contact us

Building permits and general questions
650-330-6704
Email 

Inspection questions
Schedule online or 650-330-6767

Alternate Fridays closed

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