Demolition in Foster City.

From the City of Foster City

• The city says a building permit is required for all interior and exterior changes except cosmetic ones, such as carpeting or painting, whether the work is new construction or replacement.
• Permits can be submitted online through the city's eTRAKiT portal, or in person at City Hall, 610 Foster City Boulevard. The Building Division's number is 650-286-3227.
• Full demolition of a residential or commercial building falls under the city's Construction and Demolition Ordinance. A Waste Management Plan has to be approved before the permit is issued, and applicable projects must divert at least 65% of their debris.
• The city charges a refundable deposit based on the estimated debris. To get it back, each weight ticket has to list Foster City as the city of origin, and loads from different job sites can't share a truck.

How we help

• At the walk-through we tell you what paperwork your job is likely to need.
• We haul the debris on our own trucks, so one crew knows where every load went.
• On permitted work, the start date follows the permit.

Checked against the City of Foster City's Building Permits and Construction and Demolition pages in October 2026. Rules and forms change, so confirm with the city before you plan around them.

City of Foster City: building permits

City of Foster City: construction and demolition