Where to look for Sonoma County permits
Permit Sonoma covers only the unincorporated county (plus well and septic permits countywide). Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Windsor, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Cotati, Sebastopol and Cloverdale keep their own permit records.
| Tool | Search by | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Permit Record Search | Property | Current and historic permits on a property |
| Document Search | Permit number, parcel number, address, category | Documents attached to permits |
| Records Counter, 2550 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa | Address, parcel | Paper records not yet online; protected documents such as plans |
| Sonoma County Construction Permits (open data) | Any column, including record number, address and parcel | Status, record type, started and issued dates, description; our source |
How to look up the permits on a Sonoma County address
- Check that the property is in the unincorporated county. A Santa Rosa or Petaluma address inside city limits is not in Permit Sonoma's records.
- Open the Permit Record Search and look up the property.
- Open each permit and read its status. Search every address and parcel number the property has had: Permit Sonoma says paper records are filed by the address at the time the permit was issued.
- For drawings or inspection cards, try the Document Search with the permit number or parcel number.
- If nothing turns up, request the paper file (below).
What the statuses mean in the county's file
| Status in the record | What it means | Finished in our data? |
|---|---|---|
| Finaled | Final inspection passed, permit closed | Yes |
| Issued | Permit in force, no final yet | Not yet |
| Expired | Lapsed without a final | No |
| Plan Check, Resubmittal Requested, Awaiting Applicant Response, Pre-Issue/Payment Due | Application not yet issued | Not counted |
| Denied, cancelled | Never went ahead | Not counted |
In our file, 72% of the permits issued June 2023 to May 2024 were Finaled. The file has no final date, so we show no time to final.
When the permit you want is not online
Permit Sonoma takes records requests three ways: email form CSS-031 Records Request to PermitSonoma-Records@sonomacounty.gov; bring it to the Records Counter at 2550 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa, which holds historic records not yet online; or file a formal California Public Records Act request. Construction plans and other protected documents can be viewed only at the Permit Center. The phone number is (707) 565-1900 (Records, read 24 October 2026).
What our Sonoma County pages add
Our Sonoma County page sorts the county's permits by kind of work, read from each permit's description, June 2023 to May 2025:
| Kind of work | Permits (Jun 2023–May 2025) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2,309 | 16% |
| Electrical | 2,055 | 14% |
| HVAC | 1,651 | 11% |
| Roofing | 1,376 | 10% |
| Demolition | 852 | 6% |
| Remodels and repairs | 589 | 4% |
| Garages, sheds and shade structures | 455 | 3% |
| Plumbing | 428 | 3% |
| Pools and spas | 418 | 3% |
| ADUs | 342 | 2% |
| New homes | 187 | 1% |
| Additions | 134 | under 1% |
A quarter of the 14,431 permits (June 2023 to May 2025) count as other, mostly because their description is blank. The permit statistics page has year and month counts, and browse permits lists the rows. To check a contractor, see how to check a contractor's license in California.
What this does not tell you
The county's open file names no contractor, has no job value on most permits, no ZIP code and no final date. It has not added permits since May 2025, so anything newer is only in Permit Sonoma's own search.
How we know this
Search tools and records steps are quoted from Permit Sonoma's Permit Tools and Records pages, read 24 October 2026. Statuses and counts are from Sonoma County Open Data's Construction Permits file, read 23 October 2026: permits issued June 2023 to May 2025.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 23, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I find out if a permit was pulled on my house in Sonoma County?
If the house is in unincorporated Sonoma County, use Permit Sonoma's Permit Record Search, which lists current and historic permits for a property. If it is inside Santa Rosa, Petaluma or another city, ask that city's building department.
- How do I get old Sonoma County permit records or plans?
Email form CSS-031 Records Request to PermitSonoma-Records@sonomacounty.gov, or take it to the Records Counter at 2550 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa. Some protected documents, such as construction plans, can only be viewed at the Permit Center.
- Are Sonoma County building permits public record?
Yes. Permit Sonoma lists them in its online Permit Record Search and Document Search, publishes a construction permits file on the county's open data portal, and takes formal requests under the California Public Records Act.
- Can I look up Sonoma County permits by contractor?
Permit Sonoma's search pages do not describe a contractor search, and the county's open permit file names no contractor, so our Sonoma County pages cannot list firms. Check the contractor's license with the CSLB instead.
- What does Finaled mean on a Sonoma County permit?
It means the permit passed final inspection and is closed. In our file, 72% of the permits issued June 2023 to May 2024 were Finaled.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
Related guides
- Adams County, CO building permit search: the e-Permit Center, statuses and CORA
- Alachua County building permit search: Citizenserve, statuses and old records
- Anaheim building permit search: Anaheim NEXT and the Building Permit Report
- Arlington, VA building permit search: Permit Arlington lookups and FOIA requests
- Permit Tools — Permit Sonoma (2026-10-24)
- Records — Permit Sonoma Customer Service & Administration (2026-10-24)
- Permit Record Search — Permit Sonoma (2026-10-24)
- Sonoma County Construction Permits (88ms-k5e7) — Sonoma County Open Data (2026-10-23)