Concrete permit rules aren't uniform across Salinas, Monterey, Seaside, and Marina — each city runs its own building and public works department, and each has its own encroachment-permit process for work that touches the public right-of-way. This guide breaks down what we found on each city's own permit pages, so you know who to call before your contractor breaks ground.
The general rule: right-of-way work needs a permit; private flatwork is less clear
Across all four cities, the clearest, most consistently confirmed rule is this: a new or altered driveway approach — the section crossing the sidewalk and curb into the street — requires an encroachment permit, a permit type distinct from a general building permit. Sidewalk, curb, and gutter work fall under the same requirement. A patio, walkway, or slab entirely on private property, with no work in the right-of-way, is less clearly covered by anything we could find published directly — treat it as a "probably not, but confirm" rather than an assumed exemption, and always ask the city directly for your specific address and scope.
Salinas, CA
City of Salinas Public Works — 831-758-7251 — epermit@salinas.gov — 65 West Alisal Street, Salinas, CA 93901
Salinas’s own "Encroachment Permit & Application" lists driveway approaches as their own line-item permit category, alongside sidewalk work (by square footage), curb & gutter (by linear foot), and ADA ramps. You submit the application with contractor and project details, notify the City at least 72 hours before starting work, and request inspections by email at least 24 hours in advance. Permits run 6 months from issuance and go void if work hasn’t started within 90 days (two 1-month extensions available). No dollar or size threshold is stated — a driveway approach needs the permit regardless of its size.
Monterey, CA
City of Monterey — (831) 646-3891 — 580 Pacific Street, Room 4, Monterey, CA 93940
Monterey City Code § 32-08.07 requires an encroachment permit for "any encroachment" in the public right-of-way other than one already lawfully in place, with narrow exceptions for like-for-like repair or maintenance that doesn’t change an existing encroachment’s appearance, and for genuine emergencies (permit obtained after the fact). A new or resized driveway approach isn’t maintenance of what’s already there, so it needs a permit under this code section.
Seaside, CA
City of Seaside Public Works — (831) 899-6700 — 440 Harcourt Avenue, Seaside, CA 93955
Seaside’s own Encroachment Permits page names "installing or modifying driveway approaches" and "installing or modifying sidewalk, curb, or gutter" directly as work requiring a permit. You’ll need the application form, proof of liability insurance naming the City as additionally insured, a permit fee (check the current fee schedule — not published on the page itself), and a traffic/pedestrian control plan if the work affects the street. This is a separate Public Works line from Seaside’s general Building and Code Enforcement number — (831) 899-6723 — which handles building permits rather than right-of-way work.
Marina, CA
City of Marina Public Works — (831) 884-1218 — 209 Cypress Avenue, Marina, CA 93933
Marina’s own Encroachment Permits page names "installing, repairing, or modifying a driveway approach" and any excavation in the right-of-way as requiring a permit. The applicant needs the application form, proof of liability insurance naming the City as additionally insured, and — notably — an active City of Marina business license, plus a traffic/pedestrian control plan if needed. Apply online or in person at Public Works. This is a separate line from the (831) 884-1220 Community Development general number already used elsewhere on this site for general building questions.
What the application and inspection process actually looks like
The four cities differ on contact details, but the shape of the encroachment-permit process is similar everywhere in this service area. You (or, more often, your contractor) submit an application describing the work, the contractor's license and insurance information, and often a simple site sketch showing the driveway approach or right-of-way work. The city reviews it against its own standard drawings — driveway width, the apron's slope, clearance from utility poles or fire hydrants — and issues the permit, sometimes same-day for a straightforward residential driveway and sometimes with a short review queue. Salinas's own process asks for 72 hours' notice before work starts and at least 24 hours' notice before each inspection; expect similar advance notice everywhere even where it isn't published on the city's own page. Most cities require at least one inspection before the concrete is poured — checking the sub-base, forms, and any rebar — because that's the point where a problem is cheap to fix and impossible to fix later. A second inspection or sign-off sometimes follows the finished pour. Permits aren't indefinite: Salinas's runs 6 months from issuance and becomes void if work hasn't started within 90 days, with two possible 1-month extensions — if your project gets delayed, ask about extending the permit rather than letting it lapse and needing to reapply.
What to check before you sign a contract
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Who pulls the permit
Get it in writing — you or your contractor. Most contractors handle it since they already carry the insurance documentation cities require.
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Whether your specific job touches the right-of-way
A driveway approach almost always does; a backyard patio usually doesn’t. A driveway that’s being widened, or a curb cut being added, always does.
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Underground utilities
Any excavation — including a new driveway’s base prep — requires a separate call-before-you-dig notice. See our dedicated guide.
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Your contractor is licensed
A permit application doesn’t verify a contractor’s CSLB license — check that separately with our two-minute walkthrough.
None of the city pages we reviewed publish a specific permit fee — expect to be quoted a current fee when you apply, and budget for it as a line item your contractor should call out separately from the concrete work itself. For the excavation side of any project, see our call-before-you-dig guide. To verify your contractor's license before signing anything, use our CSLB verification walkthrough, or start by getting matched with a licensed local contractor below.