• Do I need a building permit?
  See Work Exempt from a Permit handout
• What is the status of my permit?
  Call (805) 461-5035 or email permitcenter@atascadero.org for the status of your permit.
• How long will take to receive my permit?
  The time frame for obtaining your permit will depend on the permit class. For an estimated time frame please view our submittal intake checklists.
• Do I need an Intake Meeting? At this time, all counter transactions require a scheduled appointment.

• Schedule your appointment by calling (805) 461-5000

• How do I schedule an Inspection?
  Call our automated 24-hour inspection request hotline at (805) 466-8099.  Inspection requests made after 5:00 p.m. will receive 2nd business day service.  Inspections may be scheduled Monday - Friday.  A.M. or P.M. requests will be accommodated as scheduling permits. 
• What are the hours of construction in the City of Atascadero?
  7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Noise Ordinance Section 9-14.03 (c)), or as specified in any applicable conditions of approval.
• How do I learn about recent permit activity?
  See the permit activity reports page for weekly and monthly reports, as well as annual housing reports.

For other questions regarding a permit, please call the Community Development Department at (805) 461-5035.

***At this time City Hall and the Permit Counter are not available for walk-in submittals or visits. Please direct all questions to staff via email or phone call and we will respond as soon as possible with the limited resources available at this time. Questions regarding plan review comments should be directed to the reviewer at the contact listed in the left hand margin of the corrections document. General questions can be sent to permitcenter@atascadero.org. Permits available for e-submittal can still be accepted through the eTRAKiT portal and permitcenter@atascadero.org. All other projects will still need to be handled through paper submittal. For appointments, please contact City Staff to schedule. Inevitably, there will be some delays and inconvenience; we appreciate your patience and understanding.

Request an Inspection on an Issued Permit

• Call our inspection request hotline at (805) 466-8099 before 5:00 p.m. to receive an inspection the following work day.  Inspections shall be scheduled Monday through Friday with an A.M. or P.M. timeframe request. 

Request a Permit/Application Extension

Request a Permit Cancellation

• See Handouts and Submittal Checklists for requirements

Applications:

Applications for entitlement projects can be downloaded from the link below. Planning entitlements include Conditional Use Permits (CUPs), Planned Developments (PDs), Lot Line Adjustments (LLA), lot splits, subdivision maps, parcel maps, General Plan Amendments (GPAs), etc. If you have questions in regards to requirements for a specific planning entitlement, please contact the Planning Department and speak to a planner at (805) 461-5035.

Planning Applications are accepted through appointment only, Monday-Friday from 8:30-4:30pm.  Please call (805) 461-5035 to set up an appointment.

Planning Application

Planning Checklists

Fees:

Fees for applications are due, in full, at the time of permit submittal. Frequently, the department is asked what is covered in the Planning Fees. Our fees cover Planning Staff's time to review and process an application, which typically include Staff's time to review a project against local, state and federal law, the composition of a staff report, and a public hearing. The more complicated the entitlement project, the higher the fee is. 

• Service & Planning Fees

Please use the links on the left for more information about the individual topics.

• A-Frame Sign Ordinance Information
• A-Frame Sign Encroachment Permit Application
• Portable Sign Location Diagram
  
• Minimum Sight Distance Driveway Diagram
  

Please review our Business License Information Packet for information about how to apply for a license to operate business within the City of Atascadero. Application fees are listed on the back of each application, and we are using the fee schedule dated July 24, 2023. Additional fees may apply for the downtown area. Learn more about the Downtown Business Improvement Area.  

ATTENTION!!!

All businesses operating at commercial locations. With the enactment of AB 3002, please read the Disability Access Requirements and Resources

Applications:

General Business License - please use this application for the following:

• New commercial (please include a site plan)
• Commercial change of location
• Commercial change of owner/name

• Home Occupation-Please print out and sign the Conditions Page (includes Vacation Rentals & cottage food operations)

• Sub Tenant in commercial location
• Sub Tenant change of location
• Mobile Food Vending (please contact a City Planner)
• Out-of-town vendor
• Out-of-town contractor (please include a copy of your CSLB card)
• Solicitor
• Non-profit

Special Event Permit Application

Cannabis Business License - please use this application for the following:

• Out-of-town Cannabis Delivery Services

Business license applications are processed though our Front Counter Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:00-4:00 p.m. by appointment only.  New applications can be mailed, along with a check made payable to the City of Atascadero (please do not send cash), to the following address:

City of Atascadero

Attn: Community Development

6500 Palma Avenue

Atascadero, CA  93422

For more information please contact our Permit Center at (805) 461-5035. 

Before beginning a new project in the City of Atascadero, be sure to check our zoning regulations to ensure that your desired use is an allowed use within your zoning district. Begin by defining the type of use that you are looking to pursue. After that, check to see if the use is allowed, conditionally allowed or not allowed within your specified zoning district. Please check in with our Planning Department staff at (805) 461-5035 if you have any additional questions. 

Zoning Handbook (PDF)

Zoning Map - Static PDF

Interactive Zoning Map (updated as of April 2014)

Zoning Ordinance

Land Use Definitions

Agriculture and Residential District Allowable Land Uses

Nonresidential District Allowable Land Uses

Public Districts Allowable Land Uses