Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-10
58 of California's 58 counties — 100% — let an owner build their own home without a licensed contractor. That is the 24th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Humboldt County (60/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 2952 counties nationwide → California: rv living → California: tiny homes → California: no minimum home size → Full California profile →
58 of 58 California counties · sorted by Index score
Alternative Owner-Builder (AOB) primary residences constructed by the property owner in eligible unincorporated Humboldt County locations. The parcel cannot have public water or…
Alternative Owner-Builder (AOB) Residence ↗Owner-builders applying for residential building permits through Placer County Building Services. The owner or employees whose wages are their sole compensation may perform all …
Residential Submittal Requirements Packet ↗Owner-built rural dwellings using Mendocino County's Class K limited-density rural dwelling permit pathway. Class K is an alternative permit pathway, not an exemption from the u…
2024-25 Mendocino County Civil Grand Jury ↗Property owners applying for a Shasta County building permit as an owner-builder. The county will not issue the building permit until the property owner reads and initials each …
Considering Becoming an Owner-Builder? ↗Owner-built limited density rural dwellings and appurtenant structures on qualifying rural parcels in unincorporated Nevada County. The county ordinance provides an owner-built …
SR 25-0038 - Ordinance 2540, Chapter 17: Limited Density Owner-Built Rural Dwellings ↗Owner-builders applying for Lassen County construction permits. The county will not issue the building permit until the owner-builder acknowledgment has been read, initialed, si…
Property Owner’s Package ↗Property owners applying for an owner-builder building permit for construction in unincorporated Butte County. The owner-builder acknowledgment must be read, initialed, signed, …
Residential Dwelling Building Packet ↗Statewide rule. Exemption from California contractor-licensing chapter for an owner-builder who builds or improves a structure on the owner’s property; this does not itself esta…
California Business and Professions Code Section 7044 ↗An owner seeking to be the permit holder and responsible party for construction in unincorporated Sierra County. The owner must read, initial understanding of each provision, an…
BD-03 Owner-Builder Notice & Certification ↗Statewide rule. Exemption from California contractor-licensing chapter for an owner-builder who builds or improves a structure on the owner’s property; this does not itself esta…
California Business and Professions Code Section 7044 ↗An owner applying for a Trinity County construction permit as the owner-builder. The county will not issue the building permit until the owner-builder acknowledgment and informa…
Building Permit Application ↗Applicants for County building permits who qualify for an owner-builder exemption from California Contractor’s State License Law. The owner may perform the work personally or th…
Calaveras County Building Department - Permit Application ↗Property owners applying for Siskiyou County construction permits as owner-builders. The owner or the owner's employees may perform all or portions of the work when the structur…
Siskiyou County Building Division Agricultural Exemption Permit Application ↗Statewide rule. Exemption from California contractor-licensing chapter for an owner-builder who builds or improves a structure on the owner’s property; this does not itself esta…
California Business and Professions Code Section 7044 ↗Owner-builders obtaining a Monterey County construction permit for residential or other construction work within County Building Services jurisdiction. The County recognizes own…
Owner - Builder Notice & Information ↗Owner-builder construction permits administered by the Glenn County Building Inspection Division Glenn County recognizes owner-builder permit arrangements including owner-as-wor…
Owner Builder Notice and Acknowledgment Form ↗Property owners applying for Fresno County owner-builder construction permits in unincorporated Fresno County. Before a building permit is issued, the owner-builder form must be…
F174 Owner Builder Form ↗An owner working on the owner's house in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County. The owner does not need to be a contractor when working on the owner's house. A construction perm…
slocounty.ca.gov ↗California's statewide owner-builder exemption lets a property owner build/improve their own residence (not for sale, up to two structures in any three-year period) without a co…
California CSLB - Owner-Builder Overview ↗Applicants seeking a Plumas County building permit as an owner-builder. The property owner or employees whose wages are their sole compensation may perform all or part of the wo…
Single Family Dwelling - New Construction Permit Application ↗An owner who applies for an owner-builder building permit for construction regulated by El Dorado County Building Services. The owner-builder is the legally and financially resp…
Owner-Builders Online Supplemental Application ↗Alternative building standards and procedures for limited-density owner-built, owner-occupied dwellings and appurtenant structures in qualifying rural areas of unincorporated Am…
Chapter 15.10: Limited Density Owner-Built Rural Dwelling Regulations ↗California permits an owner-builder to obtain their own building permit under B&P Code 7044, applicable through Permit Sonoma's residential building permit process.
Permit Sonoma - Residential Building Permit (BPC-021) ↗Owner-builder permit applications handled by the Mono County Building Division in unincorporated Mono County. The owner-builder declaration must identify the applicable Contract…
2026 Building Permit for New Construction ↗Owners applying through Madera County's owner-builder building-permit process and seeking exemption from contractor licensure. The owner-builder may personally perform the work …
OWNER BUILDER PERMIT APPLICATION FORMS ↗An owner applying for a Colusa County building permit and claiming exemption from the California Contractor's State License Law. The declaration must be made under penalty of pe…
Building Permit Form ↗California permits owner-builders to obtain permits and perform work on their own property within statewide owner-builder limits.
Sutter County CA - Building Services ↗A property owner applying for and performing construction under an owner-builder permit in Mariposa County. The property owner may complete construction permitting and work on t…
Owner Builder Responsibility and Liability; Property Owner’s Package ↗An owner-builder applying for a construction permit in unincorporated Tuolumne County when the property owner is responsible for the construction and is not hiring a licensed co…
Building Division | Tuolumne County, CA ↗Property owners seeking to act as owner-builders for construction requiring a Tulare County building permit. California law allows property owners to act as owner-builders under…
Permit Center Frequently Asked Questions ↗California's statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044) allows a property owner to build/improve their own residence; the county still requires a permit.
Marin County CDA – Building Permits (Unincorporated Marin) ↗Property owners applying for an owner-builder building permit through San Benito County. The owner-builder declaration must be completed and signed by the property owner before …
Application for Building Permit — Owner Builder Declaration ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗California's statewide owner-builder exemption (Business & Professions Code 7044) lets an owner obtain a permit and build their own residence in Lake County without a licensed c…
Lake County - How to Obtain a Building Permit ↗California's statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044) allows a property owner to build/improve their own residence; the county still requires a permit.
Santa Cruz County CDI – Apply for a Building Permit ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗A property owner applying for a Stanislaus County owner-builder building permit for construction in unincorporated Stanislaus County. The property owner must be the responsible …
Applying for a Building Permit ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗Statewide rule. Exemption from California contractor-licensing chapter for an owner-builder who builds or improves a structure on the owner’s property; this does not itself esta…
California Business and Professions Code Section 7044 ↗California permits an owner-builder to obtain their own building permit under B&P Code 7044, applicable through Yolo County's building permit process.
Yolo County Building Inspection Services - Permits ↗An owner seeking an owner-builder building permit from the Napa County Building Department. Before a building permit can be issued, the owner-builder disclosure form must be com…
Owner Builder Disclosure Form ↗Property owners seeking Alpine County building permits as Owner/Builders. Only licensed contractors and property owners (Owner/Builder) may be issued building permits. Owner/Bui…
Building Safety Division ↗Kern County provides an owner-builder declaration/verification form for permit applicants building on their own property, reflecting the California B&P 7044 owner-builder exempt…
Kern County Planning - Forms & Applications ↗Under California Business & Professions Code 7044 an owner-builder may build a single-family residence for their own use without a contractor license (not intended for sale; lim…
California Business & Professions Code 7044 - Owner-builder exemption ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗California allows an owner-builder to build/improve their own residence without a contractor license, subject to statutory limits (e.g., no more than two structures in any three…
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗Property owners seeking to obtain a Contra Costa County building permit as owner-builders. Owner-builders, including trusts or corporations, may pull permits. Proof of ownership…
Building Permit Processing FAQ ↗Owner-builder residential building permits administered by San Joaquin County in the unincorporated area of San Joaquin County. The property owner may apply for and receive an O…
955 BLD Owner-Builder Verification ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗Sacramento County provides homeowner/owner-builder guidance and permitting, reflecting the California B&P 7044 owner-builder exemption allowing owners to permit work on their ow…
Sacramento County Building - Homeowner/Contractor ↗Owner-builders applying for building permits administered by Ventura County Building and Safety. The permit is taken out in the owner's name. An owner-builder may personally per…
Considering Becoming an Owner-Builder? - Ventura County Resource Management Agency ↗An owner performing their own building, mechanical, plumbing, or electrical work in unincorporated Inyo County. The work must be performed in compliance with Title 14 and applic…
Ordinance 1255 — Title 14 Building and Safety ↗Solano County permits a property owner to obtain a building permit for their own project under general permitting requirements, reflecting the California B&P 7044 owner-builder …
Solano County - General Permitting Requirements ↗California recognizes a statewide owner-builder exemption (B&P Code 7044); an Owner-Builder Declaration is required at permit issuance.
California Contractors State License Board - Owner-Builder Overview ↗A property owner applying for a Riverside County building permit as an owner-builder. The owner-builder is the permit holder of record and is responsible and liable for construc…
County of Riverside Building Permit Application ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the California state page for all 58 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these California counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
