What needs a permit in a kitchen remodel
The line between work that needs a permit and work that does not is mostly about whether anything behind the wall changes.
The general shape of the rule
Across California, replacing cabinets, counters, flooring and appliances in place — with no change to the plumbing, the electrical or the structure — is generally treated as cosmetic and generally does not require a building permit. Once the work moves a plumbing fixture, adds or relocates electrical circuits, alters gas piping, or removes any part of a wall, a permit is generally required.
Requirements, fees and review times are set by each city or county, and they differ. Confirm with your own building department before assuming your project falls on either side of that line — this page describes the usual pattern, not your jurisdiction.
Why it matters beyond the paperwork
Unpermitted work has a way of surfacing later, most often at the point of sale, when a buyer or an appraiser notices that the county record does not describe the kitchen that is actually in the house. Resolving that after the fact is considerably more expensive than permitting it at the time.
The permit also creates the inspection that verifies the electrical work. In a kitchen — which carries more load than any other room in a house — that is a meaningful thing to have on record rather than a formality.
Who pulls it
A licensed contractor normally pulls the permit for the work they perform. Where a homeowner is asked to pull it themselves, that shifts responsibility for the work onto the homeowner, which is worth understanding before agreeing to it. It is a reasonable question to ask directly: who is named on the permit, and who coordinates the inspections?
Next step: What a remodel costs
Nothing here is legal advice, and no page can tell you what your city requires. Your local building department can, and the call is free.