San Jose / Bathroom remodeling
Bathroom Remodeling in San Jose
A toilet swap needs no permit in San Jose. A new shower location needs drawings.
San Jose lets owners replace a toilet or faucet with no permit, download a minor bathroom permit online, or go through plan review when fixtures move. We remodel San Jose bathrooms with the city's code minimums for showers, toilets and fans built into the design from the start.
SAN JOSE CODE MINIMUMS
The numbers a San Jose inspector checks in a bathroom.
San Jose's kitchen and bath bulletin lists these minimums for every bathroom remodel, minor or major. They decide whether a shower or toilet fits before any tile is picked.
| Minimum | Code section | |
|---|---|---|
| Shower pan area | 1,024 sq in | CPC 408.6 |
| Shower finished dimension | 30 in in any direction | CPC 408.6 |
| Shower door opening | 22 in unobstructed | CPC 408.5 |
| Toilet side clearance | 15 in from centerline each side | CPC 402.5 |
| Clear space in front of toilet | 24 in | CPC 402.5 |
| Exhaust fan | 50 CFM, Energy Star, humidistat | CMC Ch. 4, CRC R303.3.1 |
Source: San José Bulletin 274, Minor and Major Kitchen/Bathroom Remodels ↗
WHAT WE PLAN IN A SAN JOSE BATHROOM
Fixtures in place, or moved?
Keeping the toilet, tub or shower and vanity where they are keeps a San Jose bathroom in the minor remodel tier, even when the plumbing and wiring behind them are new. Moving a drain, adding a second sink or reframing a wall makes it a major remodel with plans. The shower size, door width and toilet clearances below apply either way.
Shower and tub
San Jose's minimum shower is 1,024 square inches with no finished dimension under 30 inches, and the door must open at least 22 inches. Tub-to-shower conversions are sized to that first.
Toilet clearances
15 inches from the toilet centerline to any wall or vanity on each side and 24 inches clear in front, per CPC 402.5, checked before a vanity size is chosen.
Exhaust fan
A bathroom with a tub or shower needs a fan ducted outdoors, at least 50 CFM, Energy Star, separately switched with a humidistat. An operable window does not count.
Lighting controls
At least one bathroom light must be on an occupancy or vacancy sensor with automatic off, set up for manual-on operation.
Water heater
Replacing a gas water heater with a heat pump model during the remodel qualifies for SJCE's $2,500 rebate, or $3,500 in Environmental Justice Communities, approved before installation.
Floodplain homes
In a floodplain, wall finishes below the flood level must meet CRC R322.1.8, and lots in zones A, AE, AH and AO cannot use the over-the-counter or Residential Express services.
DESIGN IDEAS
Bathrooms to start the conversation.
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Planning the work
From first visit to final in San Jose.
Site visit
Free visit. Fixture locations, clearances, fan duct route, water heater and flood zone status.
Permit tier
No permit, the online minor bath permit, or plans for review if fixtures move. SJCE rebates reserved before work starts.
Rough inspection
Plumbing, wiring, fan duct and shower pan inspected before any tile goes on.
Final
Fixtures, sensor lighting and the smoke and CO alarm affidavit, then a final inspection booked on SJPermits.org.
SAN JOSE AT A GLANCE
Permits, inspections and rebates for a San Jose bathroom.
San Jose issues most bathroom permits online and inspects every one. Here is where each piece comes from.
- 59%
- of San Jose homes built before 1980
- 50%
- of the normal processing fee, the price of an online permit
- 47 days
- longest wait for a plan review intake appointment in a 2023 city audit
Permits
Development Services Permit Center
Minor bathroom permits are bought and downloaded at SJPermits.org. Rough and final inspections are booked there too, and the Permit Card must be on site with access to all work areas.
(408) 535-3555Minor remodel permits ↗Inspections
Code and inspection questions
Building code and inspection questions go to InfoInspector@sanjoseca.gov or a message line at (408) 535-7641. Inspectors ask for the Affidavit of Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Installation at final.
Bulletin 274 ↗Rebates
San Jose Clean Energy
SJCE pays $2,500, or $3,500 in Environmental Justice Communities, for replacing a gas water heater with a heat pump model. Approval comes before installation, and proof of final permit comes with the claim.
SJCE EcoHome rebates ↗WHAT TRIPS UP SAN JOSE BATHROOMS
Problems San Jose homeowners run into, and how we plan around them.
From the San José City Auditor's 2023 review of residential permits and the city's bathroom code requirements.
Permit intake appointments took weeks to get.
Bathrooms that keep their fixture locations use the online minor permit and skip intake entirely; the audit found waits of up to 47 days in 2023.
Plan reviews sat unassigned past the city's own targets.
Submittal status is checked in the first week, since the audit found some residential projects were not assigned to a reviewer until target dates had passed.
Inspectors found work beyond the permit's scope.
Moving a drain or a wall is identified before applying, because structural work found on a minor permit sends the project to plan review.
A shower or toilet layout fails clearance at inspection.
The 1,024 square inch shower, 22 inch door and 15 and 24 inch toilet clearances are drawn before fixtures are ordered.
Phone calls to Building go to voicemail.
Questions go through the city's online help ticket or the inspector email, with permit status tracked on SJPermits.org.
Sources: San José City Auditor Report 23-07, November 2023; sanjoseca.gov Bulletin 274 and minor remodel pages.
Do I need a permit to replace a toilet in San Jose?
No. Replacing or repairing faucets or toilets is a minor replacement that San Jose exempts from permits, as are new tile, countertops and flooring. A permit is needed once the work adds new electrical, plumbing or mechanical work, such as a new fan circuit or rerouted supply and drain lines.
What counts as a minor bathroom remodel in San Jose?
A minor remodel replaces several fixtures and appliances with new electrical, plumbing or mechanical work while keeping their number and location, with no changes to walls, windows or framing. It is permitted online at SJPermits.org with no plans. Relocating a toilet, shower or sink, or adding one, makes it a major remodel with plan review.
What is the minimum shower size in San Jose?
1,024 square inches, with at least 30 inches of finished dimension in every direction, under CPC 408.6. San Jose's bathroom requirements also call for a shower door that opens to at least 22 inches unobstructed, under CPC 408.5.
Does a bathroom need an exhaust fan in San Jose?
Yes, if it has a tub or shower. The fan must be ducted to the outside, move at least 50 CFM, be Energy Star compliant and be separately switched with a variable humidistat. An openable window does not meet the requirement.
How long does a bathroom permit take in San Jose?
Same day for a minor remodel, because the permit card is downloaded at SJPermits.org right after payment. A major remodel can be issued the same day at the over-the-counter service if it is on a one-story home, 750 square feet or less, with conventional framing; otherwise it goes to standard plan review, where a 2023 city audit found sampled residential projects took 17 to 308 days.
Will I have to replace my gas water heater in San Jose?
No, an existing gas water heater can stay in service. San Jose's building electrification FAQ notes Bay Area Air District rules ending sales of new gas water heaters starting in 2027, so a bathroom remodel is a practical time to add a 240-volt circuit for a future heat pump model.
