City of Brea

Brea Municipal Code states it is unlawful to begin erection, construction, reconstruction, moving, conversion, alteration, or additions without first securing a building permit from the Division of Building and Safety. Brea's permit basics handout also says permits are required for new construction, additions, and major renovations, with examples including patio covers, pools, new roofing, window/door replacement, electrical panel upgrades, HVAC replacement, sewer lateral work, plumbing fixture relocation, and water heater replacement.

• Exempt One-story detached accessory structures such as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses not exceeding 120 square feet.
• Exempt Fences not over 6 feet high, if not made of concrete block, concrete, or masonry.
• Exempt Retaining walls not over 4 feet high measured from bottom of footing to top of wall, unless supporting a surcharge.
• Exempt Sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, not over a basement or story below, and not part of an accessible route; work in the public right-of-way may still need a Public Works permit.
• Exempt Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work.
• Exempt Prefabricated above-ground accessory pools for Group R-3 occupancies that are under 24 inches deep and not over 5,000 gallons.
• Exempt Shade cloth structures for nursery or agricultural purposes, excluding service systems.
• Exempt Swings and other playground equipment accessory to detached one- and two-family dwellings.
• Exempt Window awnings meeting the dimensional limits stated in Brea's handout.
• Exempt Minor repair and maintenance items identified in Brea's handout, including certain minor electrical, mechanical, and plumbing repairs such as portable equipment connections, temporary testing systems, small self-contained refrigeration systems, clearing stoppages, and repairing leaks that do not require replacement or rearrangement of concealed piping, valves, or fixtures.

Note: Brea's own handout says applicants should contact Building & Safety before starting work because permit needs depend on project scope and locality; exempt items can still require zoning, public works, fire, accessibility, or utility-related approvals.

Building code

Effective January 1, 2026, Brea applies the 2025 California Building Standards Code (Title 24), including the 2025 California Building, Residential, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire, Energy, and Green Building Standards Codes.

Permit validity

Plan check applications expire if no permit is issued within 6 months after application. The current Plan Check Requirements page states a permit becomes null and void if work is not commenced within 12 months from issuance; for this purpose, the first recorded inspection approval constitutes commencement. A renewed permit may be available if the prior permit has not expired for more than 6 months and applicable renewal fees are paid. Brea's older Building Permits 101 handout uses a shorter rule of 180 days / one year completion, so applicants should rely on the current Plan Check Requirements page or confirm with Building before filing.

Owner-builder

Brea allows owner-builder applications, but the owner-builder is exempt from licensure only in limited situations, including performing the work personally or through employees when the structure is not intended for sale, or contracting with properly licensed subcontractors or a licensed general contractor. Brea also notes homeowner-residence exemptions are limited and well-drilling work under the C-57 classification is prohibited for property owners.

Contractor requirements

The permit application requires the applicant to declare licensure under California Business and Professions Code Chapter 9 or state the basis for exemption. Brea's owner-builder page states that where owner-builder exemption does not apply, licensed contractors or properly licensed subcontractors are required.

1. 01
   Confirm zoning and any discretionary approvals first. Brea's development guide says some projects begin with Planning Division review before building plan check, and permit issuance cannot proceed for work that is not consistent with zoning or required entitlements.
2. 02
   Prepare the building permit application and supporting documents. Current city pages direct applicants to submit through the Online Permit Center for listed permit types, while other permit types are submitted by email to building@cityofbrea.gov.
3. 03
   Submit plans and technical documents for plan check. Brea's development guide states technical drawings, including structural calculations and soils reports where applicable, are submitted to Building; plan review is coordinated with Building, Planning, Engineering, and Fire.
4. 04
   Pay the required deposits or flat fees. The application form states all project applications require the specified minimum deposit to a trust account, with additional deposits possible depending on staff time and project complexity.
5. 05
   Respond to corrections and obtain permit issuance. Plan check must clear before construction starts; Brea states no work should begin until a permit is issued.
6. 06
   Complete required inspections during construction. Inspections are scheduled online or by voicemail line, and approved field plans / stamped plans must be kept on site when applicable.
7. 07
   Complete final approvals before occupancy. Where applicable, Green Halo C&D compliance must be approved before final inspection, and buildings or structures cannot be occupied until the building official issues the Certificate of Occupancy.

Typical processing time: Brea's published guides give typical turnaround estimates of about 10 days for minor repair projects, 15 days for tenant improvements and room additions, and 60 days for full development projects; an older Building Permits 101 handout states typical residential plan check is 10 to 14 working days depending on scope.

Source: City of Brea Building & Safety Division ↗

The Building & Safety Division page states that beginning March 1, 2026, a 4% service fee applies to all credit card transactions and is collected by the city's third-party payment providers as a separate receipt line item. The permit application also states trust-account projects may require additional deposits, with unused funds reimbursed after completion and final inspection.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

Inspection hours

Inspections are performed Monday through Friday. AM preference is 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and PM preference is 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Requests made after 7:00 a.m. are considered for next-day inspection. Brea says current inspection turnaround is typically 48 hours.

Typical sequence: Brea does not publish a single universal sequence on the cited pages. The published materials indicate inspections occur throughout construction, the same inspector is often assigned through the project, approved plans / job card must be on site, and the final inspection involving all appropriate departments is coordinated through the building inspector. Where C&D tracking applies, Green Halo final approval is required before final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy.