Do you need a permit for concrete work in Richmond? Sometimes. This guide from Richmond Concrete Experts explains which concrete projects in the City of Richmond involve a permit, who is responsible for the sidewalk in front of your house, and what has to happen before anyone digs. Rules can change and every property is different, so confirm current requirements with the City before you start.
The Quick Answer
- Concrete on your own lot, like a backyard patio, a walkway, or a driveway that stops at your property line, usually doesn't need a city permit on its own.
- Concrete in the public right-of-way, which means the sidewalk, the driveway approach, and the curb and gutter, needs an encroachment permit from the City of Richmond.
- Retaining walls over 4 feet tall, or that hold up a driveway, a slope, or a structure, generally need a building permit.
- Foundations for ADUs, additions, and other buildings are part of a building permit.
- Any digging starts with a call to USA North 811.
Sidewalks, Driveway Approaches, and Curbs
The strip between your property line and the street belongs to the public right-of-way. That includes the sidewalk, any planting strip, the driveway approach (the sloped section where your driveway meets the street), and the curb and gutter.
An encroachment permit is required
The City of Richmond's Public Works permit page states: "Any work performed on the sidewalk, driveway approach or curb and gutter requires the submittal of an Encroachment Permit." The application for sidewalk, driveway approach, and curb and gutter work goes to the Engineering Division along with an approved site plan.
Inspection and deposit
The permit includes field inspection, so the work is checked by the City. When a job involves removing and replacing existing pavement, the City also collects a deposit that is refunded after the inspector signs off on the work.
Who to ask
Richmond Public Works handles these permits from City Hall at 450 Civic Center Plaza, and permit questions can go to (510) 307-8091. Permit fees change over time, so check the City's current fee schedule rather than relying on an old number.
Who Fixes the Sidewalk?
In Richmond, the property owner does. The City's permit page puts it plainly: "Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of this area," meaning the sidewalk, driveway approach, and curb and gutter along your frontage.
That matches California law. Streets and Highways Code section 5610 places the duty to keep the sidewalk in safe condition on the owner of the adjacent property. Under the sections that follow, a city can notify the owner to make repairs (sections 5611 and 5612), and if the repairs aren't made, the city can do the work and charge the cost to the property, which can become a lien (section 5615).
Why this matters in Richmond
Street-tree roots lifting sidewalk panels are common across older Richmond neighborhoods, and settling is common on the flats near the bay. A lifted panel is a trip hazard, and fixing it is the owner's responsibility. Because the work is in the right-of-way, it needs the encroachment permit described above. See sidewalks, steps & walkways.
Retaining Walls
Under the California building code, a retaining wall generally needs a building permit when it is more than 4 feet tall measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, or when it supports a surcharge, such as a driveway, a parking area, a sloped hillside above it, or a building. Those walls usually need engineered drawings as well.
On Richmond's hillside lots in Richmond Heights, El Sobrante, and around the Point Richmond ridge, a lot of walls hold back slopes or sit below driveways, so they fall into the surcharge category even when they're short. Check with the City of Richmond Building Division before building. See retaining walls.
Foundations, ADUs, and Additions
California state law has made accessory dwelling units (backyard cottages and garage conversions) common, and any habitable structure needs a building permit. The foundation, whether a slab or a perimeter foundation, is built to the approved plans and inspected before the pour. See foundations & ADU slabs.
Driveways, Patios, and Slabs on Your Lot
Flatwork that stays on your property, such as a patio, a walkway, a garage or shed slab, or a driveway that ends at your property line, typically doesn't need a city permit by itself. A few things can change that:
- The driveway connects to a new or widened curb cut (that part needs an encroachment permit)
- The slab is the floor of a building or a structure that needs its own permit
- The work involves significant grading on a hillside lot
- Your property is in a homeowners association with its own approval process
When in doubt, we check with the City for your address before scheduling.
Call 811 Before Digging
California law requires a call to USA North 811 before digging, which covers Richmond and Northern California. Call 811 or submit a ticket at least two working days before excavation starts, and the utilities will mark gas, electric, water, and communication lines. Private lines, like sprinkler pipes, landscape lighting, and lines to a detached garage, aren't marked by 811, so it helps to know where yours run.
How We Handle Permits
When a project includes right-of-way work, a structural wall, or a foundation, we tell you up front which approvals it needs, who pulls them, and how they affect the schedule. Permits and inspection timing are written into the quote, not added afterward. For budgeting, see our concrete cost guide.