Many conditions on a property may violate the Plumas County Code of Ordinances, California Building Code, or California State Code. 

Please Note: Code Enforcement only investigates violations on private property.

Violations can be reported by completing the Code Enforcement Complaint Form or picking a complaint form up at 555 Main Street, Quincy CA 95971.  

In order for a complaint to be investigated, the following information is required:

• Location of alleged violation
• Property owner name
• Description of alleged violation 
• Your name, phone number, address and email address (this information is confidential)

Complaints are investigated in the order they are submitted.  Any possible violations which are or may be safety issues do take priority over all other complaints.  A Code Enforcement Officer may contact you if further information is required.  Note: Anonymous and/or incomplete complaints will not be investigated.  

What occurs when I submit a complaint?

First: Please verify that the property is within the county limits.  The City of Portola is NOT within the jurisdiction of the county's Code Enforcement Department.  City of Portola Code Enforcement (530)832-6833.  

Mobile home parks are the jurisdiction of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)  (916)255-2501.  File a complaint online Here with HCD. How to file a complaint with HCD. 

For all code complaints, staff will search all property-related documents before conducting a site visit.  If a violation is confirmed, staff will request compliance.  This may be verbally and/or by a written Administrative Notice.  If the individual responsible for the situation appears unwilling to correct the code violation in a timely manner, voluntarily, an Administrative Citation may be issued.  

In extreme situations the county may take court actions if the situation poses a significant, immediate, or imminent health and safety risk to the community, or if the individual continues to ignore previous orders/citations.  

What Penalties Result From Code Violations? 

Voluntary compliance is our goal.  However, in cases where the individual responsible for the code violation does not comply, the individual may be subject to fines (citation) and other penalties including cost recovery fees may be imposed.  

If the individual continues to ignore previous orders, Administrative or Criminal Citations may be issued. 

Administrative Citation amounts:

•  A fine not exceeding $100.00 for a first violation including a 10% administrative fee. 
• A fine not exceeding $500.00 for a second violation of the same ordinance or permit within one year from the date of the first violation, including a 10% administrative fee.  
• A fine not exceeding $1000.00 for each additional violation of the same ordinance or permit within one from the date of the first violation, including a 10% administrative fee. 

If the individual fails to correct the violation, the county may propose liens, obtain a court order to abate the violation with the cost of the abatement be proposed with liens of the property if not paid, withhold any additional permits of the property, and record a Notice of Noncompliance on the property title.  

You have received a Notice or an Administrative Citation in the mail, or posted on your property.  You are not sure what this is about. 

You received a Notice due to a concern brought to the County's attention by a fellow resident, and staff found a violation on your property based on adopted code standards.

The first step you should take is to read the order carefully. The order will spell out what was seen by County staff, the code section(s) of the violation(s), and what actions you are to take to correct the issue(s) within a specific timeframe for completion.

If you do not understand the Notice and/or you need clarification, reach out to the officer listed in the order as soon as possible. DO NOT wait until the deadline date.

If the violation(s) do not require a permit, simply make the corrections as noted within the timeframe given and contact the officer to schedule an inspection. You may not have to be there if the violation(s) are within public view, but of course, you can if you would like to.

If the violation(s) does require a permit for correction whether in whole or part, applications and supporting documentation would be required to be submitted to our building and/or planning division(s). You are still required to speak with the officer for clarification as there are further timelines to follow. Further conversation with our building staff would also be beneficial and highly recommended. See How to Get a Building Permits or Planning Department Forms (applications).

What happens if I do not follow the Administrative Notice?

If you fail to correct the violation(s) an Administrative Citation/Criminal Citation and/or other orders may be issued; to include proposing property liens, obtaining court orders to abate, withholding any additional permits, recording a Notice of Noncompliance on the property title, and/or filing for an inspection warrant and abatement. 

If this is your first Administrative Citation for this type of violation(s) A fine not exceeding $100.00 for a first violation including a 10% administrative fee was issued and filed with the Plumas County Tax Collector/Collections. For the second Administrative Citation a fine not exceeding $500.00 for a second violation of the same ordinance or permit within one year from the date of the first violation, including a 10% administrative fee would have been issued.  If this is your third or more citation, a fine not exceeding $1000.00 a day for each additional violation of the same ordinance or permit within one from the date of the first violation, including a 10% administrative fee would have been issued and filed with the Plumas County Tax Collector/Collection Department. 

If you have any questions regarding code standards, feel free to contact us. We do prefer to have a conversation regarding your property so that we may better assist you in bringing your home/property into compliance.

Right to Appeal Plumas County Code 1-4.01

You have the right to appeal an Administrative Citation within 15 CONSECUTIVE Days from the citation date.  An appeal must be in writing. The appeal can only pertain to whether the violation(s) occurred and whether the responsible person has caused or maintained the violation(s).  To appeal, submit a completed Request for Appeal Hearing of Administrative Citation (appeals form enclosed with the citation) together with proof of an advanced payment of the fine per Plumas County Code1-8.09(a).  It must be paid by mail or in person, addressed to the Plumas County Tax Collector/Collections Office, located at 520 Main Street #203, Quincy, CA 95971. A properly filed appeal will result in an administrative hearing.  

How to pay fine or Appeal Advanced Payment

The amount of the fine is indicated on the administrative citation.  Prior to receiving an invoice from the Plumas County Tax Collector/Collections Office, you may pay by mail or in person at 520 Main Street #203, Quincy, CA 95971.  Payment should be made by personal check, cashier's check, or money order, payable to Plumas County.  Please write the citation number on your check or money order.  

Consequences of Failure to Correct Violation(s)

There are numerous enforcement options that can be used to encourage the correction of violation(s).  These options include but are not limited to: Civil penalties per Plumas County Code 1-8.03, abatement, criminal prosecution, civil litigation, recording the violation with the County Recorder, and forfeiture of certain State tax benefits for substandard residential rental property.  These options can empower the County to collect fines up to $100,000.00 to demolish structures or make necessary repairs at the owner's expense, and to incarcerate violators.