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My San José building permit expired. How do I reactivate it?

It depends on whether it has expired yet. If it is still valid, you can ask for an extension. If it has expired for lack of inspections, the City code requires a new permit and new full permit fees before the work can start again.2

Ask about your expired permit

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The short version

Still valid: ask for an extension

The holder of an unexpired permit can apply for an extension of up to 180 days, with a written request and the fee.2

Expired: new permit first

Where a permit expired because inspections lapsed, work cannot restart until a new permit is obtained and new full permit fees are paid.2

Not sure: call the Permit Center

The City lists a bulletin on extending or refiling a permit. The Permit Center answers at 408-535-3555, Monday to Friday, 7 am to 4 pm.14

What to do about an expired permit

The City code and the City forms list, in order.2

  1. Find the permit and its dates

    Search the property at SJPermits.org. Anyone can look up the permit history of any San José address.6 Note the issue date and the date of the last inspection.

  2. Work out why it lapsed

    A permit lapses if work did not start within 12 months, or if work stopped for 180 days. It also lapses when no inspection showing substantial progress has been performed in 180 days.2

  3. If it is still valid, ask now

    An extension must be requested before the permit expires. The request is in writing and shows circumstances beyond your control. The building official can grant up to 180 days.2 The state code uses the same idea: written request, justifiable cause, extensions of no more than 180 days each.3

  4. If it expired, plan for a new permit

    For a permit that lapsed for lack of inspections, the City code says a new permit is obtained first and new full permit fees are paid before work restarts.2 The City also publishes Bulletin 203, How to Extend or Refile a Building Permit, and Form 325 for continuing construction on an expired permit.1

  5. Book the inspection

    Once the permit is active, schedule the next inspection. See our inspection scheduling guide.

What to know before you restart

Extensions are limited
A permit is not extended more than once. The Building Official may approve one more extension of 360 days for special unusual circumstances, and may then require added fees and plans revised to meet current codes.2
Fees
The code says an extension is granted on payment of the appropriate fees, and a new permit carries new full permit fees.2 We did not find a dollar amount on a City page, so check the City fee estimator or ask the Permit Center.
Work already done
Permitted work has to stay visible and accessible until it is approved.5 Finished work that is already covered up may need to be opened for the inspector.
Code enforcement
If the City has also sent a violation notice, see our guide to code violation and permit resolution.

Permit expired? We sort it out and finish the job.

Tell us about the project and the permit. We look up the permit history, talk to the Permit Center, file the extension or new permit, and take the work through inspection to final.

  • The address and the permit number, if you have it
  • What work was done and what is left
  • Any notice from the City

Prefer to talk? Call (408) 667-4946 or send a text. Office hours: Monday to Friday, 7 am to 3 pm.

David and Tristan, the owners, stay involved from the first walkthrough to the final check. We reply the same business day, Monday to Friday.

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Expired permits: common questions
How long is a San Jose building permit good for?
A permit expires if the work is not started within 12 months of the permit date, or if the work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after it starts. The City also says a permit expires unless an inspection showing substantial progress is requested and performed every 180 days or sooner.
Can I extend my San Jose permit?
Yes, if it has not expired yet. The holder of an unexpired permit can ask the building official for an extension of up to 180 days. The request is in writing, shows circumstances beyond your control, and comes with the fee. A permit is not extended more than once, except that the Building Official may approve one more extension of 360 days for special unusual circumstances. The City may then require more fees and plans revised to meet current codes.
What if my permit already expired?
Under the San José Municipal Code, when work stopped because inspections lapsed, a new permit has to be obtained first, and the permittee pays new full permit fees, before the work can start again. The City also publishes Bulletin 203, How to Extend or Refile a Building Permit, and Form 325, an Investigation Survey Request Form to continue construction on an expired permit. Call the Permit Center at 408-535-3555 to find out which one fits your permit.
Does an inspection keep my permit alive?
It can. The City's rule is that a permit expires unless an inspection showing substantial progress has been requested and performed every 180 days. When one project has several permits, an inspection on any of them extends all of them by 180 days. No permit more than three years old can be extended by another permit's extension.
Does the work I already finished still count?
The code sections we found do not say. They say work stopped for lack of inspections needs a new permit before it restarts. Work that is already covered may have to be opened for the inspector, because the California Building Code says permitted work must stay visible and accessible until it is approved. Ask the Permit Center what the City will accept for your permit.

Sources

This page explains published City and code rules for expired permits. The City decides what applies to your permit. Call the Permit Center before you act.