Getting Started
Thank you for developing in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County. Please read this page carefully before selecting an application to prevent incorrect submissions. Complete, professional, and thorough applications enable Planning staff to process the entitlement application more expeditiously.
Questions - Contact a planner by email at SacPlan@saccounty.gov or visit our in-person Public Counter. Appointments are available for counter visits.
Fees - Review fees for Planning Applications on our fee schedule. For most applications, fees as listed on the fee schedule can be referenced by the abbreviation provided in soft brackets throughout this page. For all applications submitted by email, payment should not be made until you receive an invoice from the intake planner. Detailed instructions for payment are provided at the bottom of this page.
Submittal - Unless otherwise specified, all applications should be submitted by email to planning-applications@saccounty.gov.
Have an active, paid project? - Any resubmittals and communications for active applications should be sent directly to the assigned Project Manager. Please include the project number (often beginning with PLNP or DRCP) in your email communications.
Notices- As of January 6, 2025, flash drives, CDs, and other physical electronic media are no longer accepted by PER for Planning applications, whether sent by mail or dropped off in person.
- Nondiscretionary Design Review projects should refer to additional specific guidance on the Design Review Program page.
- All application fees may now be paid online, through the County's Accela Citizen Access Portal. Please note that payments made by Mastercard or American Express credit cards have a surcharge of 2.35% and Visa credit cards have a surcharge of 2.29%. Payments by e-checks have a one-time processing fee of $0.95. At this time, only payment of fees and Tree Permit applications can be processed through Citizen Portal. All other application forms must be submitted in-person or emailed to planning-applications@saccounty.gov.
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Submittal Instructions
Unless otherwise specified, all applications and exhibits should be submitted by email to planning-applications@saccounty.gov.
- Each component of your application must be saved as a separate PDF file. Please separate materials for the submittal into individual files separated by exhibit type and do not include exhibits that are not applicable to the submittal. For example, the Site Plan should be one individual file, and the Floor Plan should be a separate file. If there are multiple pages of the same exhibit type, such as multiple floor plans, they should all be consolidated into one floor plans PDF. We will no longer accept full Plan Set documents or files which contain structural calculations, architectural plans, or other extraneous files not pertaining to the Planning application.
Applications where all files have been combined into a single PDF will not be accepted for processing. Applications that include exhibits/plan sheets that are not applicable to the planning application being submitted will also not be accepted.
- File Naming Convention. Each PDF file should be named with the project's name, then the type of exhibit: “Project Name_FileType"
- Large or Multiple Files. If any of your files individually exceed 10 MB in size or if your files cumulatively exceed 20 MB, please email us at planning-applications@saccounty.gov and request for an upload portal. We will provide you with a link to our internal SacDrive service where you can securely transmit your application files to us. For security purposes, we do not accept download links from third party cloud services, such as OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox, Google Drive, or iCloud.
- Acceptable Signatures. Signatures must either be electronic certified signatures (i.e. Adobe or DocuSign) or scanned wet signatures. Signatures using a cursive typeface are not acceptable.
- Property Owner Authorization. For forms that require authorization from the property owner, the owner or an authorized agent must sign the application form. If an authorized agent is to sign, a Letter of Authorization signed by the property owner is required. If the property owner is an organization, an owner or authorized agent, as registered by the Secretary of State, must sign. If the person signing is not listed as an authorized agent of the organization, proof must additionally be provided that the person signing is permitted to act on behalf of the organization through organizational documents, a corporate resolution, or other declaration.
Pre-Application Review
Want to get detailed feedback on your project before a formal submittal? See these three options for preliminary feedback to make your application stronger upon initial submittal. For any of these three options, at the very least, a conceptual site plan is required to provide you with actionable feedback. More detailed and complete concepts result in more detailed comments and productive reviews.
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CPAC Early Workshop Request Form (PCW). An opportunity to present and receive community feedback at a Community Planning Advisory Council (CPAC) meeting regarding your proposed project prior to submitting a formal application.
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Pre-Application Meeting Form (PAM). A PAM is a 45-minute meeting with representatives of the Planning and Environmental Review Division, Site Improvement and Permits Division, and the Department of Transportation to review development proposals prior to the submittal of formal applications. Submittal of a PAM does not meet the requirements of a “Preliminary Application” for purposes of SB 330 (Housing Crisis Act of 2019). Applicants desiring SB330 benefits must submit a “Housing Crisis Act of 2019-SB 330 Preliminary Application” form available on this webpage.
- PER Consultation (PERC). Planning and Environmental Review (PER) Division-only. This is a 45-minute meeting with a representative from PER. This meeting may be most appropriate for projects that will not require major off-site improvements or land use changes that do not include immediate development.
Planning Applications
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General Application Form Packet: This packet contains the basic application required for most entitlement applications, except for those listed in the Sections below.
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Metro Air Park Special Planning Area (SPA) Application Process Guide
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Supplemental Applications (Submit form(s) below, as needed, in addition to the General Application Packet. Please also review the Design Review Programs page for supplemental applications, as needed.)
Design Review Application Forms
Housing Legislation Application Forms
Temporary Use Permit Forms
Zoning Verification/Planning Research/Substantial Compliance Requests
Miscellaneous Planning and Environmental Forms
Environmental Review Forms
Fill out the following forms as directed by environmental review staff.
Payment
For all applications submitted by email, payment should not be made until you receive an invoice from the intake planner. Planning staff may provide estimates prior to issuance of invoice, however actual applicable assessed fees are provided at time of submittal with the issued invoice. Checks with incorrect amounts sent to our office will be rejected.
All application fees (except for short-term rental permits) are paid online through the County's Accela Citizen Access Portal. See this Guide for Instructions for Payment. Please note that payments made by Mastercard or American Express credit cards have a surcharge of 2.35% and Visa credit cards have a surcharge of 2.29%. Payments by e-checks have a one-time processing fee of $0.95. Application fees may also be paid by visiting the Cashier's Window on the first floor of 827 7th Street in Downtown Sacramento. Please make sure to bring a copy of your invoice if you intend to pay in person.
Next Steps
Once you have paid for your application, the application will then be forwarded to a manager for assignment. Please allow 7-10 business days from payment confirmation for a lead planner to be assigned to your project. Upon assignment, the lead planner will contact you by phone or email. Once you have made contact with your lead planner, they will be your point of contact for all communications, including resubmittals, moving forward.
Examples of Exhibits
