Permit Information
The Permit Center processes many types of permits. Most are directly related to
development; however, we also process permits to film in Pasadena,
hold a garage sale, or erect a tent for your garden wedding.
If your project will require submittal for
plan review, please review our
Plan
Check Submittal
Requirements,
If your project is complex, and meets our complex project thresholds,
then you will want to visit our project
planning section for more detailed
information
about the entire review and approval process.
How to Obtain A
Building Permit
 In order to obtain permits, applications
and fees must be submitted to the Permit Center at 175 North
Garfield Av. Pasadena, during our business hours, (Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.). For information on how to obtain a construction
related permit, please read the following:
The Plan Check Process
The primary purpose of the plan check process
is to verify that buildings and structures will be constructed in compliance with all
Federal, State, and City laws and ordinances. This is required of the majority of property
owners and contractors. Projects necessitating a plan check include: new structures (residence, commercial, industrial
building); room additions; remodeling; tenant improvements; among others. In most cases, plans are not
necessary for replacements (e.g., upgrading electrical service,
replacing a water heater). A site plan may be required for
any equipment placed outside.
How to Prepare for the Plan Check Process
Make certain you bring all required documents
(Plan Check Submittal
Requirements) and a list of all your questions. Required documents depend upon
the nature of your project. If you are the property owner and you plan to build a patio, a
detailed drawing (e.g., plot plan, footings, materials) is sufficient. If you are a
contractor and you want to add a room you will need the appropriate licenses and
insurance; in addition to a plot plan, floor plan, elevations, structural plan, etc..
What to Expect
First, state your project description to our
receptionist who will suggest the correct application to fill out and direct your to the
appropriate counter. If your project meets our over-the-counter thresholds, you will present your
documents/plans to a Building Plans Examiner, at our Triad Counter who will review the
material you have presented. Depending on the complexity of your project and the
completeness of your plans and adherence to code, the Plans Examiner may be able to
process your permit over-the-counter. If your plans are more complex, you will need
to submit them for a behind-the-counter review. If your plans are approved
over-the-counter, you will be directed to our permit processing counter where our staff
will process your permit application, collect the permit fees due, and issue your permit.
Submitting Your Plan
Complete the Building Permit application form. To speed up
the process, you may wish to print out a copy from here and bring it with you completed to
the Permit Center when you are ready to submit your plans. To print out a copy, you will
need to Adobe Acrobat Reader. You may download it now by pressing the button below.
If your project requires plans, please bring
them to the counter when you apply for a permit. If you are a contractor, you must be
certain to have the proper license to obtain a permit. If you are a home or property owner
and plan to do the work yourself, you do not need a contractor's license.
If you do not have a plan, a Plans Examiner
will be happy to assist you with some helpful information to create one. The Building and
Safety Division has informative handouts (which can save you a lot of time and effort)
for selected projects. Among them are: masonry walls, wood and chain link fences, masonry
pilasters, and swimming pool and spas. Please request a special handout provided courtesy of the Permit
Center.
Residential projects, four units and under do
not require a licensed architect or engineer stamp and signature on the plans (except
complex projects). The law requires all other plans be prepared by licensed
architects/engineers. If you have any questions, please call our plan check staff at
744-6901.
A plan review fee will be collected at the
time of submittal. If you would like an estimate prior to submittal, you may fill out our Fee Estimate Worksheet, fax it
to us at (626)744-3979 and we will fax back (or call you back) with an estimated amount
based on the accuracy of the questions you answered. The worksheet is just that, and the
fees are subject to change after official review of the plans by the Building Plans
Examiner. An activity number identifying your project will be issued to you when you
submit. Please keep this number handy, for this will speed up our ability to obtain
project information for you.
At any time in the process, if you have
questions, please contact The Permit Center. A representative will be happy to help you.
Determining The Right Number and Type of
Plans to Submit
Upon submittal our Development Processing
Coordinator (DPC) will review your application to determine if you have the essential
documents to begin the plan check process. The DPC will request any additional information
that is necessary to begin the routing of plans for your project. We require a complete
submittal before we begin the plan check process. We have available to you our most
commonly applied for project plan
submittal requirement matrixes. Please review them for an accurate submittal.
If you have any questions about the requirements, please call the department requesting
the information. If your project does not fall into one of these six categories, please
call our DPC for information at (626)744-4200. This will save you time.
Drawings
Plot plan (lot dimensions, where the
building, swimming pool/spa will be situated within property lines, etc.).
Architectural and Structural Plans
(include plans for floor and roof, exterior elevation, foundation, cross sections, and
structural and framing details for buildings, patios, some walls).
Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning
(HVAC) for installing or replacing heating and cooling units, etc.
Energy Requirements and Calculations (e.g.,
wall insulation)
Details of how building elements are
constructed (e.g., footings, fireplace masonry).
Information regarding applicable codes
and type of construction.
Various Permit Applications: (Require
Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and download)
A Plans Examiner, Planners and Engineers will
review your plans after the DPC sees that you have provided all the necessary information.
Plans Examiners, Planners and Engineers
Review Your Plans
Simple projects that
meet our over-the-counter thresholds can be reviewed over the counter in as little as 10 to 20 minutes.
If your plan is complex, such that it must be submitted for review, you may expect this
process to take approximately two to four weeks. The reason for this is that your plan
will be reviewed in prioritized order of receipt. Plans Examiners try to review as many
plans as possible over-the-counter. When they are not conducting over-the-counter reviews,
they are reviewing more complex plans submitted for review. This process can take some
time because of the plans review schedule.
Informing You of the Status of Your Plans
If your plans are approved, the DPC will
notify you by phone or postcard. You may then speak with our permit processing staff to
determine fees due.
If your plans are not approved, you will be
notified by that department and you will be asked to make the necessary revisions and
resubmit them for approval. If you had an over-the-counter review, you may request to have
your plans reviewed over-the-counter once again. If your plans were submitted for a review
they must be submitted for behind-the-counter review once again, it should take
less time to review these resubmitted plans. Again, plan complexity and completeness, in
addition to work load, determine the amount of time it will take to review your plans.
Note: Typically, contractors will
average two plan submissions (one initial submission and one revision). This includes the
Plans Examiner’s recommendations for modifications in order to ensure code
compliance. To keep the number of plans revisions to a minimum, we highly recommend
that you submit complete plans.
Finally, please note that if your plan
revision also includes a change to the square footage (resulting in changes to the
initially estimated materials, fixtures and labor), permit fees (e.g., building,
electrical) will be changed accordingly to reflect your plan changes.
Our Permit Processing Staff Issues You a
Permit Once Your Plans are Approved
Our Permit Processing staff will issue you a
permit based upon whether you are a contractor or property owner. If you are a contractor
you must present a valid contractor license and a current City of Pasadena business
license (you may apply for one at our permit processing counter or at Municipal Services
which is located at 100 N. Garfield, room 121 if you haven’t obtained one already.
Licenses are issued and renewed on an annual basis to Pasadena based contractors. Outside
based contractors may purchase or renew either a 3 month, 6 month or annual license. Fees are based on state license classification
and the length of time purchased). You must also carry the appropriate workmen’s
compensation insurance. Finally, the permit processing staff will check that you are an
authorized individual to use the contractor license you have presented. The information
you provide will be verified through the
California
Contractors State License Board.
Property owners applying for permits to do the
work themselves can obtain a permit without the same requirements for contractors.
Additionally, property owners who obtain permits and then hire unlicensed workers will be
required to provide Workers’ Compensation Insurance and are subject to other
liabilities. The Permit Center highly recommends that you hire a licensed contractor.
Your permit is printed on card stock, on the
back of which is your inspection card. This card must be posted on the job site at all
times so that it is available to the inspectors who make inspections at your job site.
Starting Construction
Once you receive your permit, you may work on
the project. Depending upon the complexity of your project while building, remodeling, or
improving, you will need to call the Building Inspector to inspect your work as you
complete various stages of your project.
Inspection
Requests
You will need to phone in your inspection
requests at 744-4200 twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the day you wish to have an
inspector on your job site. Our cut off is 12 noon the day prior to the day you want the
inspection. If you call in after 12 noon, your inspection will be scheduled the day after
the next day. When you make your request, please have your activity number available, as
this will expedite the scheduling process. We also need the type of inspection you are
requesting as well as a contact person and telephone number.
Final Inspection/Certificate of
Occupancy
A Certificate of Occupancy is required for new single
family residences, multi-family residences, new and additions to commercial, institutional
or industrial buildings, and tenant improvements once the project has been finaled.
Final inspections are required before the Certificate of
Occupancy can be issued. There is a red or green sticker adhered to the approved plans
where it is indicated in the final inspection box which departments require a final
inspection.
A final inspection can be requested by calling each
department requiring an inspection directly. The phone number is located on the red or
green stickers adhered to the plans.
Once the departments requiring a final inspection have been
contacted, the inspector will conduct a final inspection. The inspection card will be
signed by all the inspectors once all requirements have been met. If the project is
complete and the inspection card has been signed by all appropriate City agencies a Certificate of Occupancy can be applied for.
No fees are required for the Certificate of Occupancy,
however any outstanding inspection or permit fees will be collected before the certificate
is issued.
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy
If the project has not met certain requirements and does
not pass final inspection you have the option of applying for a Temporary
Certificate of Occupancy (TCO). A TCO may be issued if there are no outstanding
life/safety issues as determined by the Building inspector. Once this is determined all
departments will conduct an inspection and indicate approval for a TCO on the building
inspection card.
A processing fee
will be collected at the time the TCO is issued. If the project has not been completed by
the expiration date you will be required to pay additional charges for an extension.
In some instances a deposit may be collected to ensure
completion of outstanding requirements. The City will use the deposit to complete the work
if the permit holder fails to do so. The amount of the deposit will be determined by the
City and is due upon issuance of the Temporary Certificate of Occupancy. A refund of the
deposit and less any additional charges will be processed at the time of Certificate of
Occupancy issuance.
Please bring an
application,
the activity number and inspection card for verification. The Certificate of Occupancy
will be issued within 24 hours of final approval.
Permit Expiration
Permits are valid for 180 days from the date
of issuance. Regular inspections keep your permit valid. Our Building Official may grant
one extension, based on the circumstances of the request. Requests must be made in
writing, prior to the expiration date. |
