If your Merced kitchen needs new lower cabinets and a countertop, you might assume that is finish work and skip the permit counter. The City’s own kitchen renovation handout says otherwise, which is a good reason to read its guidance before you order materials.

Inspection Services at 678 W. 18th Street

Building permits in the city run through the Inspection Services Division at 678 W. 18th Street, reachable at (209) 385-4773 or inspectionservicesweb@cityofmerced.gov. The office is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closing for the lunch hour. Its Civic Access portal handles applications, plan and document uploads, fees, status tracking, permit issuance, and inspection scheduling.

The City notes that the 2025 California building codes apply to submittals made on or after January 1, 2026. Plans drawn before then may need updating to the current edition.

A kitchen handout that goes past the state exemptions

The California Residential Code generally exempts cabinets and countertops as finish work. Merced’s Kitchen Renovations handout takes a stricter view, stating that kitchen renovations generally require a building permit where minor repairs and maintenance do not, and that any connection to utilities requires one. Its list includes:

• Dishwasher replacement

• Lower cabinet and countertop replacements

• Moving or extending gas piping, water lines, or drains

• Relocating major appliances

• Vented microwaves or hoods that need new wiring or ducting

• Moving outlets, changing lighting, or adding recessed lights

• Adding a kitchen island

• Structural changes, new or closed window and door openings, or turning a window into a doorway

• Mold cleanup that removes drywall, insulation, or framing

The handout cites older code editions, so confirm with Inspection Services how each item applies today. On a kitchen with gas piping, new circuits, or structural changes, those items need licensed trades or engineering, and they come up at the in-home consultation. Our page on countertop replacement covers the finish side, and the kitchen lighting plan guide helps if recessed lights are on your list.

Water heaters and bathrooms

Under the California Plumbing Code, replacing a water heater is permit work, and the City posts separate handouts for gas water heater installation, tankless water heaters, and temperature and pressure relief valves. In bathrooms the same logic holds: tile and paint are finish work, while moving a shower drain, adding a circuit, or ducting a new fan brings in plumbing, electrical, or mechanical review.

The City also posts a residential checklist submittal guide and an addition and alteration checklist, which show what reviewers expect to see before a remodel permit is issued. A separate handout covers ladder requirements for inspections, worth reading if the inspector will need attic access for a fan or recessed lights.

Search a property’s permits without an account

Civic Access has a public search. Choose Permit from the search menu, type an address or permit number, and open the permit for details; the same portal shows the day’s inspection results. If approved plans change during the job, the City asks for a narrative form uploaded with the revisions. Links to the portal, handouts, and checklists are on the City’s Building Permits page.

Close to half of Merced’s housing, about 45 percent, was built before 1980, and the median home dates to 1983, according to Census Bureau estimates. In older houses, an earlier kitchen or bath may simply not appear in the record, and that gap tends to come up when the home sells and buyers compare the rooms with the file.

Fees and owner-builders

Building permit fees are posted on the City’s Fees page, and Inspection Services provides estimates by email. If you are considering owner-builder status, read CSLB’s cautions first: subcontractors and suppliers who are not paid on schedule may file mechanics liens against the property, and without construction knowledge, mistakes can be costly to correct. CSLB explains more on its owner-builder risks page.

Planning your remodel with All American

All American serves homeowners in Merced, and the estimator confirms coverage by ZIP code. At the free in-home consultation, we go through the kitchen or bath with you and confirm the permits the work requires. For addresses beyond the city limits, the Merced County permit guide applies; see also our Merced County remodeling page.