Do You Need a Permit to Build a Playground?

Specific regulations, requirements, and fees for obtaining a playground permit vary from city to city. Your local municipality will have information about permits, including relevant guidelines or codes specific to your area, as well as the timeline for receiving a permit.

We always recommend that our clients call into their local city to inquire about the requirements that are specific to city or county has for playground construction, and the steps needed to obtain a permit.

Learn more about playground installation.

If required, Playground Expedition can provide the city with structurally engineered drawings that highlight how the play equipment will meet the local building codes and be structurally sound. These stamped structural drawings come with an engineering fee from our manufacturer.

Are you in California or Arizona? You may find that many of their cities only require the basic shop drawings or installation instructions for a typical playground foundation from the specified manufacturer. This is an easy drawing that we can provide to the city at no additional cost.

Playground Permit Process

Research Local Regulations

Check your city’s guidelines, codes, and permit needs for playground and shade projects.

Architectural Site Plan

We’ll work with your architect to create a code-compliant site plan from the start, minimizing revisions and ensuring feasibility.

Engineer-Stamped Plans (Drawings + Calcs)

For an engineering fee, Playground Expedition provides zip-code–specific drawings engineered to local building codes.

Application Form

With sealed drawings and the site plan ready, request the permit application from your city, submit your paperwork, and pay the fees.

Review and Approval

Your application will be reviewed for code and safety compliance; if corrections are needed, Playground Expedition will revise the design at no additional cost.

It’s GO Time!

Our certified, licensed installers build playgrounds to the approved design and safety standards, and as a Class A contractor we can sign off on the permit as the assigned contractor.

Expectations

We’ll coordinate required city inspections during and after construction to confirm permit, code, and safety compliance.