Baldwin Park, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Applies to buildings and structures within the incorporated City of Baldwin Park; separate Planning, Engineering, and Los Angeles County Fire approvals may also be required for some projects.

Department

City of Baldwin Park Building and Safety Division

Address

14403 Pacific Avenue, Baldwin Park, CA 91706

Phone

626-813-5265

Email

BPBuilding@baldwinpark.com

Website

https://www.baldwinpark.com/157/Building-Safety

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm project scope with Building and Safety and determine whether Planning Division, Engineering Division, or Los Angeles County Fire Department approvals are also needed before permit issuance.
2. Download and complete the City of Baldwin Park Building Permit / Plan Check / Certificate of Occupancy Application. For projects requiring plan review, also complete the Plan Check Submittal page.
3. Submit the application based on project type: permits without plans are submitted by email to BPBuilding@baldwinpark.com; solar photovoltaic and EV permit applications with PDF plans are also submitted by email; plan-submittal projects with paper plans are dropped in the plans submittal box at City Hall as instructed by the city.
4. Wait for the city to send an invoice and payment instructions. The city states that review or permit issuance proceeds after fees are paid.
5. For plan-check projects, respond to corrections and resubmit revised plans and supporting documents as required until approved.
6. After permit issuance, schedule inspections with at least 24 hours notice. Final building approval may depend on prior sign-off from Planning, Engineering, and Los Angeles County Fire, depending on the project.

Typical processing time: No standard turnaround time was published in the sources reviewed. The fee schedule lists an optional expedited plan check for a timely 5 working day review at double the plan check fee.

Source: City of Baldwin Park Building and Safety Division

General Requirements

The city states a permit is required for any construction work conducted on buildings or structures. Examples listed by the city include work on water and gas pipes, lawn sprinklers, driveways, water heaters, furnaces, framing, modification of windows and doors, re-roofing, porches, additions, and remodeling.

Required Documents

• Completed permit application
• plan check submittal form for projects requiring review
• plans and documents as applicable, including architectural, structural, civil/grading/drainage, electrical, mechanical, landscape, retaining wall plans, structural calculations, soils report, and Title 24 energy calculations
• contractor license and workers' compensation information
• owner-builder declaration if applicable
• and any separate approval materials required by Planning, Engineering, or Los Angeles County Fire.

Permit validity

The application form states the permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within 180 days after issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after commencement. The Building Official may grant written extensions of up to 180 days each for justifiable cause.

Building code

Baldwin Park has adopted the 2022 California Building Code, 2022 California Residential Code, 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, 2022 California Electrical Code, and 2022 California Existing Building Code, with local amendments.

Owner-builder

The city application includes an owner-builder declaration citing California Business and Professions Code sections 7031.5 and 7044, including options for owners doing the work themselves or contracting exclusively with licensed contractors.

Contractor requirements

The application requires the contractor to affirm licensure under Chapter 9 of Division 3 of the California Business and Professions Code and provide state license, class, expiration date, and workers' compensation information.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

The fee schedule lists Permit Issuance at $37.50 per permit and a Minimum Building Permit Fee at $69.00 per permit; many specific building permit categories then start at higher minimums, such as $273 for listed building permit schedules on the building fee pages.

Plan check fee

Varies by discipline and project type. The fee schedule lists a minimum building plan check fee of at least 1 hour of staff time or the calculated amount, whichever is greater. For any item without a listed fee, plan check is based on hourly rate and time as determined by the Building Official. Expedited plan check is double the plan check fee.

Permit fee formula

Mixed schedule. Fees are flat, area-based, unit-based, or based on staff hourly rate depending on permit type. For listed building permit categories, the schedule commonly uses square-foot thresholds; for unlisted items, the Building Official may charge based on hourly staff time.

Reinspection fee

The schedule lists reinspection at $92.00 in the Building and Safety fees section and also provides for some reinspection charges at full billed hourly rate (FBHR) depending on category.

Penalty (no permit)

The city also warns that work without a required permit may result in significant penalties and unauthorized construction may be subject to demolition.

Payment note

The city instructs applicants to submit the application first, then wait for an invoice and payment instructions. For the workflows published by the city, fees must be paid before permit issuance or before plans review proceeds.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory buildings used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses if they do not exceed 120 square feet, are 14 feet or less in height, and contain no electrical, mechanical, or plumbing work.
• Fences not over 7 feet high.
• Oil derricks.
• Non-fixed and movable fixtures, cases, racks, counters, and partitions not over 5 feet 9 inches high.
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet high measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding certain liquids.
• Water tanks supported directly on grade if capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the height-to-diameter or width ratio does not exceed 2 to 1.
• Platforms, 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.
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work.
• Temporary motion picture, television, and theater stage sets and scenery.
• Shade cloth structures for nursery or agricultural purposes, not including service systems.
• Swings and other playground equipment accessory to detached one- and two-family dwellings.
• Window awnings for detached one- and two-family dwellings and Group U occupancies when projection is not more than 54 inches and no additional support is required.
• Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to detached one- and two-family dwellings when entirely above grade, not more than 5,000 gallons, and less than 24 inches deep.
• Replacement, repair, or overlay of less than 10% of an existing roof within any 12-month period.

Important: Baldwin Park Municipal Code section 150.062 states separate plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits are still required for exempt items unless otherwise exempted. Zoning or other departmental approvals may still apply.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• No public online building inspection scheduler was identified in the sources reviewed. The city application instructs applicants to request inspections by phone at 626-813-5265 or 626-813-5267. Building Division page (online)
• 626-813-5265 (phone)
• 626-813-5267 (phone)

Inspection hours

The application requires 24-hour notice. Building and Safety office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and the form states inspections are performed Monday through Friday.

Time windows

The application requires 24-hour notice. Building and Safety office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and the form states inspections are performed Monday through Friday.

Typical inspection sequence: The city form lists common inspections including reroof sheathing/decking, underground plumbing, underground conduit, rough mechanical, rough electrical, rough plumbing, gas test, insulation, drywall, stucco lath/felt, framing, sign/wall foundation, pool fencing, and final inspections for building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, planning, engineering, and fire as applicable.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Baldwin Park has adopted the 2022 California Building Code, 2022 California Residential Code, 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, 2022 California Electrical Code, and 2022 California Existing Building Code, with local amendments.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Municipal code library
• Residential plans correction list
• Nonresidential plans correction list
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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