B737-700
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 604
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Chart Or Publication; Company Policy; Human Factors; Airport
We were rerouted; running late; had a Maintenance delay; [and a] weight and balance system delay. We got our CPDLC. Tower was closed. [Procedure] page [said] contact NorCal for clearance. [Jeppesen] 10-9 says nothing. We took off VFR; called NorCal. Norcal said we should've called them for takeoff clearance. It was VFR. [Procedure] was unclear.
The First Officer and I decided that since it was VFR; we could depart with our ATC issued CPDLC clearance and contact Departure in the air based on the back of the [Jeppesen] 10-9 page and the [Procedure] page.
B737-700 flight crew reported receiving a PDC clearance on the ground; then taking off without calling the departure facility for their release.