Kitchen and bath permits in Concord, CA
Three cities, three rules. Concord requires a permit for a kitchen or bathroom remodel, including a replacement. In Clayton, kitchen and bath remodels need a permit, and Contra Costa County issues it.
Concord, CA
Information Bulletin IB-022, revised May 18, 2023, says the city requires a building permit for a kitchen remodel and a bathroom remodel, including replacements, and requires GFCI protection in a kitchen remodel. Do not describe a Concord replacement as permit-free. More on the work is on kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling.
Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill's permit FAQ says kitchen cabinets, countertops, and backsplash do not need a permit. Remodeling any part of the kitchen triggers an electrical upgrade with high-efficiency lighting and GFCI outlets, and an electrical permit from the Building Division is required for that work. The cabinet, counter, and backsplash exemption applies in Pleasant Hill. The city page is Pleasant Hill.
Clayton
Clayton's building page says kitchen and bath remodels need a building permit. The city contracts with Contra Costa County's Building Division for all plan checks, permits, and inspections, and the county issues the permit. Before the county issues a permit for work in Clayton, the contractor needs a Clayton business license. The city page is Clayton.
Permit rules vary by city
Do not promise yourself that a project needs no permit because a neighboring city exempts part of it. Ask the city that covers your parcel, and have the contractor who will do the work confirm it before you sign.
Our count of Concord applications
Our count of City of Concord building records opened on the Accela portal, not an official city statistic, found these kitchen or bath remodel applications:
- October 2024 through September 2025: 416, of which 206 mention a kitchen and 306 mention a bath, shower, or tub
- October 2025 through September 2026: 488, of which 270 mention a kitchen and 343 mention a bath, shower, or tub
Kitchen and bath overlap when one permit covers both. The method looks at free-text descriptions on Building records and excludes ADUs, new homes, fire damage, and commercial work. A 20-record spot check found no false positives. About 15 percent of the older year's applications were later canceled, withdrawn, or expired. The newer year still had 40 records in Applied status, so the 17 percent rise is not a clean comparison. Adjusting the newer year for that 15 percent rate lands near 415.
Tub-to-shower wording showed up on 18 applications in the first year and 19 in the second, about 6 percent of the bath applications. That detail is on tub to shower.
The permit step, in general
Permit questions
Can I skip the permit if I keep the same layout in Concord, CA?
No. Concord requires a building permit for a kitchen remodel and a bathroom remodel, including a replacement.
If Pleasant Hill exempts cabinets, does Concord?
No. The cabinet, countertop, and backsplash exemption is a Pleasant Hill FAQ answer. Concord requires a permit for a kitchen remodel, including a replacement. Permit rules vary by city.
Ask a licensed general contractor to follow up
Send a request with your address and whether this is a kitchen, a bathroom, or both. We pass your request to one independent licensed general contractor who serves Concord, CA, if one is available. On that call we do not quote a price, agree a scope, or book the job.
Free referral service, not a contractor. Calls to this site are recorded to confirm referrals and for quality. How this works.