Earlier editions: 2026-09
Title 16 — Buildings and Construction
Sunnyvale Municipal Code Ch. 16.18 Existing Building Code
Sunnyvale Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Sunnyvale
Cite as: Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 16.18 · Text as of 2026-10-04
§ 16.18.010. Title.¶
This chapter shall be known and may be cited and referred to as the "Existing Building Code for the City of Sunnyvale."
(Ord. 3009-13 § 2)
§ 16.18.020. Adoption by reference.¶
The 2024 International Existing Building Code in its entirety as published by the International Code Council, Inc. and amendments to sections of the 2024 International Existing Building Code adopted by the State Building Standards Commission in California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 24, Part 10, known as the 2025 California Existing Building Code, is hereby adopted by reference with changes and modification as hereinafter set forth, as the existing building code of the city of Sunnyvale.
(Ord. 3009-13 § 2; Ord. 3100-16 § 23; Ord. 3149-19 § 21; Ord. 3202-22 § 24; Ord. 3248-25, 10/21/2025)
§ 16.18.030. Administration.¶
Note: Ord. 3100-16; Ord. 3149-19; and Ord. 3202-22, were repealed by Ord. 3248-25, 10/21/2025.
2025 California Existing Building Code Chapter 1, Division II is hereby amended as follows:
101.2 Scope. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to grading and to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal, and demolitions of every building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures within the city, including all plumbing and drainage systems, mechanical systems, and electrical wiring and fire safety systems, or parts thereof, within and serving such building or structure, excluding therefrom the following:
| (1) | Any building or structure located on real property belonging to: | Any building or structure located on real property belonging to: |
|---|---|---|
| (A) | United States of America, | |
| (B) | State of California, or any political subdivision thereof, | |
| (C) | Any chartered city or non-chartered city, or | |
| (D) | Any school district, except when the proposed use is for non-classroom facilities; | |
| (2) | Work located primarily in a public way; | Work located primarily in a public way; |
| (3) | Public utility towers and poles; | Public utility towers and poles; |
| (4) | Mechanical equipment not specifically regulated in any of the codes; | Mechanical equipment not specifically regulated in any of the codes; |
| (5) | Hydraulic flood control structures; and | Hydraulic flood control structures; and |
| (6) | Detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories above grade plane in height with a separate means of egress, and their accessory structures not more than three stories above grade plane in height, shall comply with this code or the California Residential Code. | Detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories above grade plane in height with a separate means of egress, and their accessory structures not more than three stories above grade plane in height, shall comply with this code or the California Residential Code. |
105.3.2 Time Limitation of Application. An application for a permit for any proposed work shall be deemed to have been expired 180 days after the date of filing, unless such application has been pursued in good faith or a permit has been issued, the plans and other data submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the building official. The building official is authorized to grant one or more extensions of time for an additional period not exceeding 180 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated. In order to proceed with a project once an application has expired, a new application is required with new plan reviews fees and plans based on the code in effect at the time of the new application.
105.5 Expiration.
| (1) | On or after January 1, 2019, every permit issued shall become invalid unless the work on the site authorized by such permit is commenced within 12 months after its issuance, or if the work authorized on the site by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of 12 months after the time the work is commenced. The building official is authorized to grant, in writing, one or more extensions of time, for periods not more than 180 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated. |
|---|---|
| (2) | If a permit has expired, no work may be recommenced until a new permit is obtained. The fee for a new permit shall be one-half the amount required for a new permit for such work, provided no changes have been made or will be made in the original plans and specifications for such work, and provided further that the period of suspension or abandonment was not in excess of one year, in which case the permittee shall pay a new, full permit fee and plan review fee. |
| (3) | Any permittee holding an unexpired permit may apply for an extension of the time within which to commence or complete work under the permit. Such requests must be submitted in writing. The building official is authorized to grant one or more extensions of time for periods not more than 180 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing, and justifiable cause shall be demonstrated. |
Note: Referenced Building Standards Law, Health and Safety Code Sections 18938.5 and 18938.6, for provisions related to expiration of permits.
105.7 Placement of Permit. The building permit, along with all plans and documentation approved by the building official, shall be kept on the site of the work until final approval has been granted by the building official.
106.5 Retention of Construction Documents. One set of approved construction documents shall be retained by the building official for the life of the building from the date of completion of the permitted work, or as referenced in the Health and Safety Code Sections 19850 and 19851.
108.2 Schedule of Permit Fees. On buildings, structures, electrical, gas, mechanical, and plumbing systems, or alterations requiring a permit, a fee for each permit shall be paid as required by the current fee resolution approved by the city council.
108.4 Work commencing before permit issuance. Whenever any work for which this code requires a permit has been commenced without first obtaining said permit, the fee for such permit shall be double the fee established by the current fee resolution approved by the city council.
108.4.1. Investigation Fees: Work Without a Permit. Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this code has been commenced without first obtaining said permit a special investigation may be made before a permit may be issued for such work.
108.4.2. Fee. An investigation fee in addition to the permit fee shall be collected whether or not a permit is then or subsequently issued. The investigation fee shall be equal to the amount of the permit fee.
108.6 Refunds. The building official may authorize refunding of any fee paid hereunder which was erroneously paid or collected. The building official may authorize refunding of not more than 80 percent of the permit fee paid when the permit is canceled and no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with this section. The building official may authorize refunding of the plan review fee paid with an application for a permit for which a plan review fee has been paid is withdrawn or canceled before any plan reviewing is done. The building official shall not authorize refunding of any fee paid except by written request filed by the original permittee and for building permits that are not expired.
108.7 Plan Review Fees. When a plan review is required a plan checking fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for checking. When submittal documents are incomplete or changed so as to require additional plan review or when the project involves deferred submittal items an additional plan review fee may be charged as deemed necessary by the building official at rate established in the current fee resolution adopted by the city council.
109.3.8 Other inspections. 2025 California Existing Building Code Chapter 1, Division II, is hereby amended as follows:
In addition to the inspections specified above the building official may make or require other inspections of any construction work to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this code and other laws which are enforced by the code enforcement agency.
Note: All noncompliant plumbing fixtures in any residential real property shall be replaced with water-conserving plumbing fixtures. Plumbing fixture replacement is required prior to issuance of a certificate of final completion, certificate of occupancy or final permit approval by the local building department. See Civil Code Section 1101.1, et seq., for the definition of a noncompliant plumbing fixture, types of residential buildings affected and other important enactment dates.
109.7 Inspection Record Card. Work requiring a permit shall not be commenced until the permit holder or an agent of the permit holder has posted or otherwise made available the inspection record card issued by the building official such as to allow the building official to conveniently make the required entries thereon regarding inspection of the work. This card shall be maintained available by the permit holder until final approval has been granted by the building official.
109.8 Reinspections. A reinspection fee may be assessed as deemed necessary by the building official for each inspection or reinspection when such portion of work for which inspection is called is not complete or when corrections called for are not made.
This section is not to be interpreted as requiring reinspection fees the first time a job is rejected for failure to comply with the requirements of this code, but as controlling the practice of calling for inspections before the job is ready for such inspection or reinspection.
Reinspection fees may be assessed when the inspection records card is not posted or otherwise available on the work site, the approved plans are not readily available to the inspector, for failure to provide access on the date for which inspection is required, or for deviating from plans requiring the approval of the building official.
In instances where reinspection fees have been assessed, no additional inspection of the work will be performed until the required reinspection fees have been paid.
The reinspection fee shall be in accordance with the current fee resolution adopted by the city council.
110.2 Certificate issued. After the building official inspects the building or structure and finds no violations of the provisions of this code or other laws that the building safety division enforces, the building official shall either sign the approved inspection record card or issue a certificate of occupancy that contains the following:
| 1. | The building permit number. |
|---|---|
| 2. | The address of the structures. |
| 3. | A description of that portion of the structure for which the certificate is issued. |
| 4. | A statement that the described portion of the structure has been inspected for compliance with the requirements of this code for the occupancy and division of occupancy and the use for which the proposed occupancy is classified. |
| 5. | The name of the building official. |
| 6. | The edition of the code under which the permit was issued. |
| 7. | The use and occupancy, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3. |
| 8. | The type of construction as defined in Chapter 6. |
| 9. | If an automatic sprinkler system is provided, whether the sprinkler system is required. |
| 10. | Any special stipulations and conditions of the building permit. |
113.1 Unlawful acts. It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to perform any grading, or to relocate, replace, erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish, equip, use, occupy, or maintain any building or structure in the city, or to install or maintain any plumbing or drainage systems, or any mechanical systems, or any electrical wiring or fire safety systems in or about any building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures in the city, or cause the same to be done, contrary to or in violation of any of the provisions of the administrative or technical code. Each such person is guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which a violation of any provision of any codes continued, or permitted by such person and shall be punishable accordingly.
(Ord. 3248-25, 10/21/2025; Ord. 3260-26, 8/11/2026)
§ 16.18.040. Moved structures.¶
Note: Ord. 3100-16; Ord. 3149-19; and Ord. 3202-22, were repealed by Ord. 3248-25, 10/21/2025.
2025 California Existing Building Code Section 1401.2 is hereby amended as follows:
1401.2 Conformance. The building shall be safe for human occupancy as determined by the California Fire Code and the International Property Maintenance Code. Any repair, alteration or change of occupancy undertaken within the moved structure shall comply with the requirements of this code applicable to the work being performed. Any field-fabricated elements shall comply with the requirements of the California Building Code or the California Residential Code, as applicable. [HCD 1 & HCD 2] After July 1, 1978, local ordinances or regulations for relocated or moved apartment houses and dwellings shall permit the retention of existing materials and methods of construction, provided the apartment house or dwelling complies with the building standards for foundations applicable to new construction and does not become or continue to be a substandard building. For additional information, see Health and Safety Code Section 17958.9.
Structures moved into or within the jurisdiction shall comply with the provisions of this code for new structures.
Exception: Moved apartment houses and dwellings may retain existing materials and methods of construction, provided the apartment house or dwelling complies with the building standards for foundations applicable to new construction and does not become or continue to be a substandard building. For additional information, see Health and Safety Code Section 17958.9.
(Ord. 3248-25, 10/21/2025)
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