Your Selma remodel may start small: a toilet that runs, a faucet that drips, outlets that need replacing. The City’s Building Division publishes a handout listing work that does not need a permit, and several of those everyday fixes are on it, with limits worth knowing.

The Building Division at City Hall

The Building Division reviews and approves building plans, issues building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits, and inspects work under construction. It also inspects existing structures for unsafe conditions, and Code Enforcement is part of the Division. The permit counter is at City Hall, 1710 Tucker Street, and the phone is (559) 891-2208.

The Division’s rule is broad: a building permit is needed whenever a building or structure, or any electrical, plumbing, or mechanical system, is erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted, or demolished. There are exceptions, and the City suggests calling to see whether your project needs a permit.

The City’s list of exempt work

The handout says cosmetic work such as painting, replacing floor coverings, and trim work does not need a permit, and it lists 19 exempt items. The ones that matter in kitchens and baths:

• Finish flooring such as carpet, tile, or linoleum, and decorative interior tile

• Painting, papering, and similar finish work

• Repair or replacement of toilets and faucets

• Replacing outlets and switches in existing boxes

• Replacing circuit breakers and fuses, though replacing a main disconnect still needs a permit

• Window replacements when the frame, including the nailing flange and existing weather protection, is not altered

Read the limits closely. A faucet swap is exempt, but moving the sink is plumbing work. A window that fits the existing frame may qualify, while removing the old frame and flange takes it out of the exemption. For fixture choices, see our page on kitchen sinks and faucets.

When plans are part of the application

The City’s plan check guidance says plans are generally needed whenever new construction is involved and are also required for major remodels, among other projects. If you are unsure whether your kitchen or bath counts, call the Building Division before you apply. Large residential and commercial projects are submitted with a digital copy or flash drive, and the City posts building plan submittal requirements with its forms.

Circuits, gas lines, and walls are a different category: that work involves licensed electrical, plumbing, or engineering professionals, and it is evaluated during the in-home consultation.

Applying and inspections

The Building page links permit applications to the City’s online portal. Once a permit is issued, you are told which inspections the project needs. When work is ready, call the 24-hour inspection request line at (559) 891-2220 with the job address, permit number, requested date, type of inspection, your name, and a phone number or email for follow-up. Keep the permit, job card, and approved plans on site for the inspector.

If you need to talk with an inspector beforehand, the Division lists early-morning and late-afternoon call times at (559) 891-2208.

Records, resale, and owner-builders

For a home’s permit history, ask the Building Division what is on file for the address. About half of Selma’s homes were built before 1980, and the Census Bureau’s median year built for the city is 1979, so earlier remodels may predate any record. Those gaps tend to surface when a house sells, and the City’s smoke and carbon monoxide retrofit verification form is a reminder that alarm requirements also come up with permitted work.

Selma posts an owner-builder acknowledgement form. Under CSLB’s rules, the home improvement exemption applies only to your principal residence, and it requires that you lived there for the 12 months before the work is completed and that the work is finished before a sale. The CSLB owner-builder overview spells out the rest, and you can see how to check a contractor’s license.

All American and your Selma project

All American looks at permits as part of the free in-home consultation, so you know what the project needs before work is scheduled. For rural addresses beyond the city line, the Fresno County permit guide applies, and our south Fresno County page covers the area.