Permits

One-Time Permits
Installation of any kind of fire protection or fire alarm system, such as fire sprinkler system, private fire mains and hydrants, cooking hood and duct systems, fire detection and pull stations. In addition the construction, installation, modification (including repair) or removal (closure), of regulated equipment, hazardous materials buildings, rooms, tanks or process equipment.

All of these kinds of permits are issued upon submittal of a BLES (Building, Life and Environmental Safety permit application, submittal of plans and specifications, and payment of fees. A plan review and approval are required prior to permit issuance, and the facility owner and/or contractor shall sign the permit.

Annual Permits for Uses/Occupancies
Permits for the continued use or occupancies that are regulated by the Fire Code. These permits are renewed annually. After the initial permit issuance, these types of permits are automatically. The program sends an invoice and an owner/occupant form.

Permit conditions are attached to these permits and the conditions and compliance with the various laws and regulations is required to keep these valid. Permits can be revoked for failure to comply.

The permit application consists of a Business Owner/Operator Form and a Business Activities Form. Other forms are required depending on which activities are checked off on the Business Activities Page. The Gilroy BLES office can provide the correct forms or they can be obtained from the web site.

Annual Renewal
Annually there will be an invoice sent as well as blank application forms. These are to be completed to update our records. The various forms can also be obtained by calling 408-846-0430.

When a business changes name or ownership, closes, moves, adds or removes processes or chemicals, the business should contact the Fire Prevention program at 408-846-0430. There may be additional permits or approvals required, and we can remove you from invoicing if you relocate.

Listing of Fire Code Permits for Occupancies

• Aerosol Products storage in excess of 500lbs.
• Assembly (places of public assembly with over 50 persons)
• Automobile Wrecking Yard
• Battery Systems using lead-acid batteries with a liquid volume of 100 gallons or greater
• Combustible Fiber Storage (in excess of 100 cubic feet)
• Combustible Material Storage (in excess of 2500 cubic feet)
• Commercial rubbish handling, including junk yards and recycling facilities
• Dry Cleaning Operations
• Dust Producing Operations
• Explosives or Blasting Agent manufacture/storage/handling
• High Piled Combustible Storage (racks over 12 ft, solid piles over 8 ft for an area in excess of 500 sq feet)
• Hot Work (welding and cutting using heat/flame)
• Lumber yards (over 100,000 board feet)
• Industrial Ovens (baking and drying using gas fired equipment)
• Refrigeration equipment using regulated refrigerants
• Repair Garages
• Spraying or Dipping using flammable or combustible finishes or powders, installation of spray booths
• Tire Storage
• Wood Products Storage in excess of 200 cubic feet

Hazardous Materials Use, Storage and Handling
This includes the installation of equipment, processes, and tanks associated with Hazardous Materials. The modification and the removal from use of any hazardous materials equipment, process area, and tanks also requires permits. Hazardous Materials includes solid, liquid and gaseous materials that have physical hazards or health hazards such as: (threshold for solid/liquid/gas in parenthesis)

• Corrosives (500lb/55g/200cuft)
• Cryogens (1gal)
• Combustible Liquids (10gal)
• Oxidizers (any/any/504cuft)
• Unstable/Reactive(any amount)
• Irritants (500lbs/55gal)
• Carcinogens (10lbs)
• Toxic (100/10/any cuft)
• Highly Toxic (any amount)
• Other Health Hazards (55gal/500lbs)
• Flammable Liquid (5 gal)
• Liquefied Propane Gas
• Water Reactive (any amount)

Common Equipment Requiring Permits
Above ground tanks, including dip tanks, vats, process vessels, Generators with fuel tanks, hydraulic fluid containing equipment, and waste recycling equipment.