Do I need a San Pablo business license if my shop is in Richmond?
Yes, if you do business in the city. Contractors and subcontractors pay the basic annual fee, which covers the first employee, plus a charge for each one after that. With a business address outside the city limits, you may instead license by the quarter, paying a charge for each employee on the job. A renewal paid late adds 20% after a month, rising to 50% after three.
What do San Pablo rental inspectors look for that a handyman can fix?
The Residential Health and Safety checklist names a solid-core or exterior-rated main entry door, single-sided deadbolts, working windows with intact screens, smoke alarms under ten years old in every bedroom, CO alarms outside sleeping rooms, working GFCIs, labeled breakers, cover plates, secured towel and grab bars, and a water heater held by two seismic straps, never plumbing tape. Fewer demerits earn a longer certificate, up to five years.
How long does a San Pablo seller have to finish the city's repair list?
The resale certificate is issued once permits are secured, the deficiencies corrected and a re-inspection done within 60 days of the inspection or before close of escrow, whichever comes first. A buyer can instead sign a notarized temporary certificate and take on the work, due within 60 days after closing. Inspections are usually set within a week of payment, and the report follows in about five business days.
Is every address with a San Pablo mailing address inside the city?
No. The city's business license brochure warns that some San Pablo addresses are unincorporated and fall under Contra Costa County, and the Building Division tells applicants to check the City Limit Map before applying, sending anyone outside the line to the county for permits. The city also offers a Google Earth lookup tool that draws its boundary as a red line.
How long does San Pablo plan review take for a home addition?
The Building Division's sheet for single-family additions and alterations gives 15 business days for the first review and 10 working days for each round after it. Every plan must be drawn by a design professional, and the list runs to plot, floor, roof and framing plans, Title 24 energy forms, a CALGreen sheet and a debris recycling form. Applications filed since February 19, 2026 follow the 2025 California codes.
Does the hot list send handyman work in San Pablo only?
No. The texts cover the whole Bay Area: one for each new job as it goes on sale, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., naming the trade and the area with a link. You read the job and see its price before paying, buy only what fits your schedule, and owe nothing for the rest, with no subscription, no auction and no cut of the job. Text STOP to end them.
