Bolthole Index

Plumas County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Portola, California

Portola, California (Plumas County) has its own Building Department, which issues building permits for new construction, additions and renovations inside city limits, and its own zoning code.12 Plumas County's building, zoning and RV rules cover unincorporated land and do not apply inside the city.3 Septic permits still come from the Plumas County Department of Environmental Health, which oversees all on-site wastewater systems in the county.45

At a glance

Building permits
Issued by the City of Portola Building Department1
Zoning
City zoning code with RR, LDR, MDR, HDR and CMU districts26
RR district lot coverage
Maximum 35% including 25% open space7
Height limit (RR)
35 feet8
Clustered minimum lot
One-third acre in RR, one-fourth acre in LDR, 4,000 square feet in MDR910
Septic
Plumas County Department of Environmental Health45
Owner-builder (state law)
Exempt from contractor licensing if not built for sale; permits still required11

Who to call

Building permits

City of Portola Building Department

Building permits for new construction, additions and renovations inside Portola city limits

(530) 832-6809

35 Third Avenue, Portola CA 96122

Planning & zoning

City of Portola Planning Department

Zoning ordinance, development review and planning questions inside Portola city limits

(530) 832-4216

35 Third Avenue, Portola CA 96122

Septic permits

Plumas County Environmental Health

Septic and well permits, site review and inspections for Plumas County, including addresses inside Portola

(530) 283-6355

[email protected]

270 County Hospital Road, Suite 127, Quincy, CA 95971

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Portola means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Portola, California?

Yes for work covered by the Uniform Building Codes. The Portola Building Department issues building permits for new construction, additions, renovations and other work required to be permitted.1 We could not confirm which small projects the city exempts, or the city's inspection and certificate-of-occupancy rules, so ask the Building Department before you start.

Plumas County's separate rules for owner-built rural dwellings and its building inspection scheduling apply to the county's own permits, not to Portola's.12

California's owner-builder exemption covers contractor licensing only: the work must not be intended or offered for sale, and an owner-builder must still pull building permits and pass inspections.1113 We could not confirm a Portola-specific owner-builder rule.

Who issues building permits in Portola, and how do you reach them?

The City of Portola Building Department issues building permits inside city limits. Call (530) 832-6809 or write to the city at 35 Third Avenue.1 Zoning and planning questions go to the Planning Department at (530) 832-4216.14

The Plumas County Building Department in Quincy serves the unincorporated parts of the county, so a Portola address does not start there.3

Does Portola have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and height?

Yes. Portola's zoning code is the city's main guide for the type, location and density of residential development.2 The residential standards table covers the RR, LDR, MDR, HDR and CMU districts.6

In the RR district, site coverage is capped at 35% including 25% open space, and the height limit is 35 feet.78 Clustering is permitted in the RR, LDR and MDR districts, which lowers the minimum lot size to one-third acre in RR, one-fourth acre in LDR and 4,000 square feet in MDR.910

We could not confirm a minimum dwelling size, and the standard (unclustered) lot sizes were not available to us; ask the Planning Department for your parcel's district.14

How do septic and well permits work in Portola?

The Plumas County Department of Environmental Health oversees the design, construction and installation of on-site wastewater treatment systems and holding tanks in the county.4 Installation must follow the step-by-step procedure under the sewage disposal permit, and alternative systems may be used where a standard system cannot be installed.15 Call Environmental Health at (530) 283-6355.5

We could not confirm whether the city requires sewer connection for a new home or allows off-grid sanitation inside city limits; ask the Building Department.1

For wells, Plumas County sends applications through its Planning and Building Services Agency to Environmental Health, which issues the construction permit, and only a licensed C-57 driller may drill.16 We could not confirm how this applies to a Portola address.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Portola?

We could not confirm a City of Portola rule on living in an RV or tiny home. Plumas County's camping rules, which allow camping on private land for limited stays in some unincorporated zones, are written for county zoning and should not be assumed to apply inside the city.17

California generally limits RV occupancy to mobilehome parks or special occupancy parks unless a local ordinance allows otherwise.18 A tiny home must be approved as a manufactured home, code-compliant house, factory-built housing, RV, park trailer or camping cabin before anyone lives in it.19 Ask the Planning Department how Portola treats yours.14

Building a home in Portola: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Planning Department which zoning district your lot is in and what coverage, height and lot-size rules apply.14
  2. Find out from the city whether sewer reaches the lot; if not, apply to Plumas County Environmental Health for a septic permit.5
  3. Apply for a building permit with the Building Department; the 2025 California Building Standards Code applies to applications dated on or after January 1, 2026.120
  4. Ask the city about driveway requirements, which we could not confirm.1
  5. Schedule inspections through the Building Department.1

Watch-outs

  • Plumas County's unincorporated-area zoning, camping, driveway and owner-built dwelling rules do not apply inside Portola city limits.3
  • Septic permits for a Portola address come from Plumas County Environmental Health, not the city Building Department.4
  • We could not confirm the city's building-code edition, fees, driveway standards or tiny-home rules; ask the Building and Planning Departments.1

Sources

  1. City of Portola Building Department (cityofportola.com)
  2. City of Portola 6th Cycle Housing Element Update (Portola), quoted and re-checked
  3. Planning Department | Plumas County, CA, quoted and re-checked
  4. Liquid Waste, quoted and re-checked
  5. Plumas County Environmental Health (plumascounty.us)
  6. Portola Code, § 17.16.030 Residential zone general development standards (Portola), quoted and re-checked
  7. Portola Code, § 17.16.030 Residential zone general development standards (Portola), quoted and re-checked
  8. Portola Code, § 17.16.030 Residential zone general development standards (Portola), quoted and re-checked
  9. Portola Code, § 17.16.030 Residential zone general development standards (Portola), quoted and re-checked
  10. Portola Code, § 17.16.030 Residential zone general development standards (Portola), quoted and re-checked
  11. California Business and Professions Code Section 7044 (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Exhibit A — Limited Density Owner-Built Rural Dwellings, quoted and re-checked
  13. Owner-Builder Responsibilities (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. City of Portola Planning Department (cityofportola.com)
  15. Liquid Waste, quoted and re-checked
  16. Plumas County Well Manual, quoted and re-checked
  17. plumascounty.us, quoted and re-checked
  18. hcd.ca.gov (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Information Bulletin 2016-01: Tiny Homes (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Approved Building Standards (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 10, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Portola

Portola’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Portola city limits; the City administers its own zoning code.

    “The City of Portola zoning code is the major guide for residential development policies and standards. The policies and standards establish and control the type, location, and density of residential development in the City.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Portola city zoning districts.

    • The residential standards table identifies RR, LDR, MDR, HDR, and CMU districts.
    “RESIDENTIAL ZONE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS Requirement by Zoning District RR LDR MDR HDR CMU”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    LDR low-density residential zoning district inside Portola city limits.

    • Clustered development may use a one-fourth-acre minimum lot size in LDR.

    minimum lot size: 1 acre (clustered minimum is one-fourth acre)

    “In RR, LDR, and MDR zoning districts, clustering is permitted. Therefore, the minimum lot size if clustered is one-third acre in the RR District, one-fourth acre in the LDR District, and 4,000 s.f. in the MDR District.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — RR residential/rural-residential zoning district inside Portola city limits.
      “In RR, LDR, and MDR zoning districts, clustering is permitted. Therefore, the minimum lot size if clustered is one-third acre in the RR District, one-fourth acre in the LDR District, and 4,000 s.f. in the MDR District.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    RR residential/rural-residential zoning district inside Portola city limits.

    • The RR standard includes 25 percent open space.

    maximum site coverage: 35 percent (includes 25% open space)

    “Site Coverage | Maximum of 35% inc. 25% open space”
  • Building heightSpecified

    RR residential/rural-residential zoning district inside Portola city limits.

    maximum height: 35 feet

    “Height Limit | 35 ft. | 35 ft. | 35 ft. | 35 ft. | 35 ft.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Portola or Plumas County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Portola city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Portola city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Portola city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Portola city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Portola city limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Tiny homes
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Portola publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Plumas County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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