ADU permit process in El Cerrito, California
Contra Costa County, California
Prepared by GetYourPermit editorial teamReport an error
We haven’t written El Cerrito’s permit guide yet.
We publish permit process guides one city at a time, and we would rather publish nothing than guess at El Cerrito’s rules using another city’s process. Permit steps, submittal requirements, and review timelines are set locally, so a guide copied from a neighboring city would be wrong in ways that cost you time.
Here is what is useful for El Cerrito right now.
See the fee estimate for El CerritoStart here instead — official and primary sources for El Cerrito
The live City Building page identifies eTRAKiT as the application and payment route for Building Permit work.
Accessed August 28, 2026
Accessed August 28, 2026
What to ask the El Cerrito building department
- The current building permit fee schedule, and the date it took effect.
- Whether development impact fees apply at your square footage — many California cities waive them for ADUs of 750 sq ft or less.
- Plan submittal requirements: what drawings they expect, in what format, and whether submittal is online or in person.