When you need a building permit and when you don't

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), no person shall perform any of the following or cause any of the following to be performed without first obtaining a building permit therefor as prescribed in this chapter: (1) Erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, or demolish any building or structure; (2) Any electrical work; (3) Install, remove, alter, repair, or replace any plumbing, fire sprinkler, gas, or drainage piping work, or any fixture, gas appliance, or water heating or treating equipment; or (4) Construct, reconstruct, or improve any sidewalk, curb, or driveway in any public street right-of-way. (b) Exemptions. Except for construction work to be done within any public utility right-of-way or easement, a permit is not required for the types of work listed below. Exemption from the permit requirements of this code does not grant authorization for any work to be done in violation of the technical codes or any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction: (1) Work exempted from building code provisions under Chapter 16 . Work on sidewalks, curbs, or driveways regulated under Chapter 14, Article 3 , is not exempt from permit requirements; (2) Temporary construction sheds and temporary construction fences; (3) Reroofing work that will not adversely affect the structural components for Groups R-3 and U occupancies; (4) Installation of siding to existing exterior walls that will not adversely affect the structural components or fire protection of the walls of Groups R-3 and U occupancies; (5) Temporary tents or other coverings, for periods not to exceed 14 consecutive days, used for private family parties or for camping; or temporary structures that have obtained a lawful permit from another city agency; (6) The following structures; provided that the structures are not located on a street corner or in a flood zone: (A) Fences and planter boxes that are not more than 6 feet (1829 mm) in height; (B) Retaining walls and riprap walls that are not more than 30 inches (762 mm) in height; or (C) Walkways and outside paving that are within private property; (7) Individual residential television wireless cable, radio antennas, and dish-type antennas that are less than 39.37 inches (one meter) in diameter or diagonal dimension; (8) Window awnings supported by the exterior walls of Groups R-3 or U occupancies, when projecting not more than 4 feet 6 inches (1372 mm); (9) Installation of wallpaper or wall covering that is exempted under Chapter 16; (10) Repairs and labor that: (A) Involve the replacement of component parts of existing work with like-for-like materials for the purpose of maintenance; (B) Do not exceed $10,000 in valuation in the aggregate in any 12-month period; and (C) Do not involve any electrical, plumbing, or mechanical installations; (11) Interior remodeling that: (A) Does not affect building square footage or the number of rooms or bathrooms; (B) Does not modify the location of rooms, walls, or windows; and (C) Does not involve any electrical, plumbing, or mechanical installations; including but not limited to painting, installation of floor covering, cabinet and countertop work, and replacement of existing fixtures (such as windows, doors, and appliances); provided that the value of the interior remodeling must be included as part of the value of any new construction for which a permit is required by this code, for the purpose of determining the amount of the fee to be paid for such permit; (12) Work located on federal property, except when permits are specifically requested by the federal agency with administrative authority over the property; (13) Work performed for any government agency, except where permits are specifically requested by the agency; (14) Playground equipment, monuments, statues, ornamental ponds less than 24 inches in depth, and golf course pedestrian and golf cart bridges; (15) Temporary motion picture, television, and theater stage sets and scenery; (16) One-story detached buildings: (A) Accessory to Group R-3 occupancies and used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses; or (B) Accessory to crop raising in AG-1 Restricted Agricultural or AG-2 General Agricultural zoning districts and used as storage sheds or for water catchment and not used as dwelling or lodging units; provided that the aggregate floor area does not exceed 120 square feet (11 m 2 ); (17) Nonfixed and movable cases, counters, racks, and partitions that do not exceed 5 feet 9 inches (1753 mm) in height; (18) The following electrical work: (A) Electrical work and installation to which the provisions of the electrical code are expressly not applicable; (B) Installation of any portable motor or other portable appliance energized by means of a cord or cable having an attachment plug, if the cord or cable is permitted by the electrical code; (C) Repair of any fixed motor or other appliance, or replacement of any fixed motor with another motor having the same horsepower rating and situated at the same location; (D) Maintenance work for commercial and industrial processing equipment performed by a duly licensed electrician; (E) Electronic equipment, sound public address systems, cable television, and communication systems for a single-unit or two-unit dwelling; (F) Radio and television receiving antenna systems other than master or community systems; (G) Sound recording systems for a single-unit or two-unit dwelling; (H) Interior telephone work subject to regulation by the State public utilities commission and wiring of interconnecting cable for data processing equipment; (I) Repair work performed by a licensed electrical contractor valued at $2,500 or less in the aggregate in any 12-month period, and that does not involve service entrance equipment; and (J) Replacement of solar photovoltaic component parts or equipment with like-for-like materials to restore system operations within the original designed energy output of the system; provided that the original approved system capacity is not exceeded; (19) The following work by a public utility supplying gas: (A) Disconnecting defective gas piping or equipment when authorized under Chapter 19 ; and (B) Disconnecting or reconnecting existing gas piping or equipment for repair, servicing, replacement, or removal; (20) Plumbing repair or like-for-like replacement of plumbing components when the repair or replacement is installed by a licensed plumbing contractor valued at $2,500 or less in the aggregate in any 12-month period that only involves valves, pipes, or fixtures; (21) All structures, other than buildings, that are constructed in conjunction with board of water supply projects or public works projects undertaken by or on behalf of the city; (22) All structures, other than buildings, that are constructed in conjunction with the subdivision of lands and in accordance with plans approved by the city under its subdivision rules; (23) Sidewalks, curbs, and driveways in public street rights-of-way that are: (A) Constructed in conjunction with public works projects undertaken by or on behalf of the city; (B) Constructed in conjunction with the subdivision of land and in accordance with plans approved by the city under its subdivision rules and regulations; or (C) Subject to compliance with Chapter 14, Article 3 ; (24) Minor repairs to sidewalks, curbs, or driveways in public street rights-of-way; provided that reconstruction or replacement of any portion of sidewalks, curbs, or driveways will not be construed as a repair that is exempt under this subdivision; (25) Weather-protected outdoor storage regulated under Chapter 20 ; (26) Temporary tents used for commercial purposes or other purposes of assembly, including rallies, festivals, amusements, and sideshows, for periods not to exceed three consecutive days; and (27) Exterior screen doors for R-3 dwellings or individual residential units of R-2 occupancies, except when openings are required to be fire-rated. (c) Special assignment inspection. The building official may allow construction to proceed prior to the issuance of a building permit required under subsection (a) if the building permit applicant submits to the building official a request for a special assignment inspection and all of the following requirements are satisfied with respect to the project for which the building permit is sought: (1) A building permit application has been accepted as complete, and the application has been under review for at least 30 days; (2) All applicable discretionary permits have been obtained; provided that if the only applicable discretionary permits are those issued by the building official and applications for the permits are pending with the building official, then the requirement of this subdivision may be met if the building official determines that the pending discretionary permits are achievable; (3) Adequate documentation has been submitted showing the satisfaction of, or the intent to satisfy, all applicable requirements for flood hazard certification, stormwater quality compliance, and outstanding conditions of approval associated with discretionary permits; (4) Except for notices of violation and notices of order that will be corrected by the building permit issued pursuant to the application, there must be no outstanding notices of violation, notices of order, or unpaid civil fines for the subject property; (5) The building permit application must not involve a single-unit or two-unit dwelling; (6) The work allowed to proceed must not involve work in a public right-of-way; (7) The nonrefundable special assignment inspection fee specified in Table No. 18-A must be paid at the time the request for a special assignment inspection is made; (8) The drawings used for the special assignment inspection, including the jobsite copy, must be identical to the drawings submitted with the building permit application, and the applicant shall ensure that all sets of drawings are consistent throughout the review period and construction phases; (9) The building official shall find that: (A) It is reasonably likely that the building permit application, including all documents and materials submitted with or attached to the application, will be approved and the building permit issued; (B) The construction poses no threat to public health and safety; and (C) There is a sense of urgency to commence construction in a timely manner; examples include but are not limited to the impending lapse of funding, federal compliance deadlines, financing obligations, or lease obligations; (10) Special assignment inspections will be conducted as soon as practicable after the approval date of the initial request; if a building permit is not issued within an 18-month period, the applicant may submit a new request for a special assignment inspection, subject to the building official’s approval; and (11) Special assignment inspections must not be used for purposes of obtaining a certificate of occupancy. The building official may waive any or all of the requirements of this subsection if the building permit applicant demonstrates good cause; provided that the building official shall not approve a waiver that would result in any conflict with other requirements of this chapter. A building permit applicant requesting to proceed with construction under a special assignment inspection proceeds at the applicant’s risk without assurance that a building permit will ultimately be issued. Violations discovered during the special assignment inspection may result in suspension of the special assignment inspection, a notice of violation, a stop work order, or suspension of the review of the building permit application. )