Building and Safety Announcements
Updates to the Ventura County Building Code
The County of Ventura follows a three-year Code update cycle for the Ventura County Building Code (VCBC), as mandated by State law. The current edition of the VCBC, the 2019 edition, is being updated to adopt the 2022 State codes and latest Ventura County amendments to these codes. These State codes are now available for viewing at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/BSC/Codes .
The adopted Ventura County amendments to these State Codes are available here. These amendments focus on local administrative provisions needed in the VCBC, they also include certain technical provisions (building standards) needed in Ventura County that take into account the local climate, geology, and topography of Ventura County in the design and construction of new buildings and structures.
The 2022 State Codes become effective for new building permit applications received by Building and Safety on or after January 1, 2023. The corresponding Ventura County amendments were adopted by the Board of Supervisors on November 01, 2022. These will also become effective as the “2022 VCBC” on January 1, 2023.
Effective March 28, 2024, Sections 4.509 and 5.509 of the 2022 VCBC will no longer be enforced. This is in keeping with the decision of the Ninth District Court in California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley. The County will now allow the use of natural gas appliances and equipment when desired by the builder for active construction projects.
New Provisions for All-Electric Buildings
In keeping with the decision of the Ninth District Court in California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley, effective March 28, 2024, the County of Ventura Building and Safety Division will no longer enforce the provisions of the Ventura County Building Code requiring new buildings to be “all-electric”. This relates to Sections 4.509 and 5.509 of the 2022 Ventura County Building Code.
The County will now allow the use of natural gas appliances and equipment when desired by the builder for active construction projects.
New Provisions for Construction in Fire Zones
The County of Ventura has adopted new provisions for the 2022 VCBC that will require new construction requirements for buildings in Fire Zones. The new provisions will apply to new buildings proposed to be located near adjacent large slopes, and to existing buildings generally constructed prior to 2008.
These provisions are intended to reduce the hazard of flame spread to homes or other buildings from brush fires on large adjacent slopes. Certain exemptions will apply for buildings set back from the slope a specified distance. The provisions are also intended to “harden” existing older buildings located in vulnerable communities in severe fire hazard zones, which are subject to the spread of fire from flying embers during large natural fires.
The new provisions became effective for new buildings constructed under building permits for which the permit application was received by Building and Safety on or after January 1, 2023.
The adopted new provisions were codified as amendments to the 2022 State Building and Residential Codes and will be part of the 2022 VCBC.
Other B&S Announcements
Other important Building and Safety Announcements:
- Customers With Active Building Permit Applications or Permits
The Integrated Waste Management Division (IWMD) will be re-launching the Construction and Demolition (C&D) Recycling Program beginning February 1, 2023.
For more information, please visit the following links:
“Guide to the Construction and Demolition Recycling Program ” onstruction and Demolition Debris Homepage “IWMD contact information:
Phone Number: (805) 658-4321
Email: pwa.iwmd-cd@ventura.org
- Swimming pools and spas
Effective immediately, B&S will issue building permits for swimming pools and spas in all areas of the County without restrictions, including those areas that were previously affected by severe drought conditions. Previous restrictions on building permits for swimming pools and spas in these areas have been lifted.
- Graywater systems
Plumbing permits for grey water systems are required to ensure the design and installation of the system will be safe to operate consistent with VCBC Plumbing Code regulations. To learn more, click here.
- Electronic permit applications
Effective January 22, 2024: Building and Safety has implemented a new streamlined electronic application process. You are now able to submit your application online through our VC Citizen Access permit processing portal.
To apply for a Building Permit online for review by the County, click here.
IMPORTANT: If you do not already have an Accela Citizen Access account, please click here to create your account. You must use this portal with your account to upload plans, pay permit fees, and transmit permit clearances from other agencies to Building and Safety when these are required.
More information about VC Citizen Access is available here.
- Electronic submittal of plans
Our offices now require that all plans/construction drawings needed for B&S review be submitted electronically in Accela Citizen Access (ACA) at https://vcca.ventura.org/ Very small projects having acceptable small drawings on sheets not larger than 11 x 17 may be submitted on paper format (which B&S will scan to create PDF copy). These small drawings may also be accepted for quick review by our Plan Check staff at the public counter for very small projects not needing a formal Plan Review.
To register for an ACA account for uploading plans for B&S review, please ensure that your permit record has been activated for access by the person who will upload the plans, usually the architect or designer. Please contact your Permit Technician who processed your pproject’spermit application to activate your login credentials for your permit record. You will not be able to access your permit record until such activation has taken place. If you are unsure of the name of your assigned Permit Technician, please call 805-654-2771 for West County projects or 805-582-8064 for East County projects.
