FAQ

BUILDING PLANS

The City retains building plans for permitted development projects in accordance with the Health & Safety Code. The City does not have any building plans prior to 1955. Most building plans are maintained on microfilm and/or digitally, and they are public record for viewing; however, building plans are subject to "copyright law" which states it is against the law to allow the duplication of these documents without receiving written permission from both the owner of the property and (1) all certified, licensed, or registered professionals or (2) their successors (if any) who signed the original documents, or (3) by order of a proper court. California Health & Safety Code §19850-19853.

If records staff has confirmed drawings are available and you would like to obtain copies, it will be necessary to review the drawings to confirm that they are appropriate. The City will send certified letters to all parties, including the owner, who must release copies of the desired drawings. If the plan releases are not received from the involved parties then copies of the building plans cannot be released.  

Anonymous Requests

If you submit a request without an email address, the portal will not allow you to receive updates for your request and you will not be able to log in to access documents. It will be your responsibility to check the portal for records that are posted publicly on the portal in response to your request. If the City needs clarification on your request in order to respond to your request and you provide no way to contact you, your request may be closed without a response.

Self-Service Records

The City of Sacramento provides many records online for transparency and efficiency. Visit the City Clerk's Records page to access building records, campaign finance documents, code enforcement records, and City Council materials like agendas and resolutions can be found in the City's Record Library. For additional data, explore the Sacramento Open Data Portal.