City Building Permits

Inglewood, CA Building Permit Guide

How to apply for a building permit in Inglewood, California. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

California Los Angeles County Updated March 2026

Permit Authority

Applies to building permits within the incorporated City of Inglewood, Los Angeles County. Separate approvals may also be required from City Planning, Public Works, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and other outside agencies depending on scope.

Department
City of Inglewood Development Services Department, Building Safety Division
Address
One West Manchester Boulevard, 4th Floor, Inglewood, CA 90301
Phone
(310) 412-5294
Website
https://www.cityofinglewood.org/236/Building-Safety

Online Permit Portal

Open Accela Citizen Access (ACA)

Platform: Accela Citizen Access (ACA) • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only

Application Process

  1. Confirm scope and permit need with Building Safety, and check whether Planning review is required. Inglewood states most projects need a Planning project number before Building Safety submittal.
  2. If required, contact the Planning Division at (310) 412-5230 and obtain the Planning project number.
  3. Create an ACA account, log in, choose Building, and start a new application.
  4. Complete the application and upload the required PDF plan set and supporting documents such as structural calculations, energy calculations, soils/geotechnical reports, and special inspection forms as applicable.
  5. Staff performs an intake review. If accepted, the city says plan check payment instructions are usually emailed within about 48 hours.
  6. Pay plan check fees. Inglewood also offers expedited plan check at 1.5 times the permit fee.
  7. Respond to correction notices and resubmit complete revised packages if needed. The city says most projects are expected to be approved within three review cycles, and additional review fees apply after the third review.
  8. After plan check clearance, review the Pending Requirements notice in ACA, clear outside-agency or departmental conditions, then wait for the Ready-to-Issue notice.
  9. After RTI, schedule the permit issuance/payment appointment if required, pay remaining fees, obtain the permit, start work, and request inspections through the city's online inspection tools.

Typical processing time: Intake acceptance/payment instructions are usually issued within about 48 hours after submittal acceptance; the city says most projects are expected to be approved within three review cycles. No universal total permit turnaround time is posted.

Source: City of Inglewood Development Services Department, Building Safety Division

General Requirements

Inglewood requires a permit whenever a structure or building is altered, constructed, converted, demolished, enlarged, erected, improved, moved, or repaired. Under Inglewood Municipal Code Chapter 11, a permit is also required before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing, changing occupancy, or installing/altering regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems.

Required Documents

  • Building permit application
  • one PDF drawing set including all disciplines when plan check is required
  • separate PDF supporting documents such as structural calculations, soils/geotechnical reports, truss calculations, energy calculations, construction mitigation plan, and special inspection forms as applicable
  • response letter and clouded revisions for resubmittals
  • professional electronic seals/signatures where required
  • Planning project number for most projects.
Permit validity
The city handouts reviewed do not publish a local expiration summary. Inglewood's codified Chapter 11 adopts the California Building Code by reference and does not appear to amend CBC Section 105.5 in the cited section, so permit expiration likely follows the CBC default rule: expiration if work does not start within 180 days of issuance, or if work is suspended/abandoned for 180 days, subject to extensions from the Building Official. Verify with Building Safety before relying on this.
Building code
There is a source conflict. Inglewood Municipal Code Article 2 currently still shows adoption of the 2019 California Building Code by reference (Ord. 20-05), but recent 2025 city Building Safety handouts for scopes such as window replacement and temporary structures cite the 2022 California code cycle and current local handouts appear to operate on that basis. Confirm the currently enforced code set with Building Safety for any live filing.
Owner-builder
Inglewood links applicants to the California Contractors State License Board. Under CSLB owner-builder guidance, a person signing as owner-builder assumes responsibility for the entire project, including taxes, workers' compensation, subcontractor management, and legal liability.
Contractor requirements
City materials state the contractor schedules permit issuance after RTI, and the city links directly to CSLB resources. In California, contractor licensing rules are state-law driven; use a properly licensed California contractor when the work requires licensure, and be prepared to provide contractor/license information in the permit process. Verify project-specific licensing/classification with CSLB and Inglewood Building Safety.

Fees

Plan check fee
85% of total permit fee for all permit types. Expedited plan check is 1.5 times total permit fee. Additional plan reviews after changes or after the third review are $171 per hour minimum one hour.
Permit fee formula
Mixed. Building and fire code permit fees are primarily valuation-based using ICC Building Valuation Data and a California regional cost modifier; many miscellaneous, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, sewer, grading, and presale items use flat per-item or per-unit fees.
Trade permit fee
Mixed. Building and fire code permit fees are primarily valuation-based using ICC Building Valuation Data and a California regional cost modifier; many miscellaneous, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, sewer, grading, and presale items use flat per-item or per-unit fees.
Reinspection fee
Reinspection $45 each; emergency inspections are $171 per hour with minimum-hour rules; if construction starts before permit issuance, the city says the project will be penalized and charged double permit fees.
Payment note
The city says plan check fees are paid online after intake acceptance. After RTI, the contractor schedules an appointment to pay all remaining fees and obtain permits. Some outside-agency fees are paid separately, including LA County Fire, school fees where applicable, Public Works/C&D deposit matters, and county sewer connection fees.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

  • One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses if not over 120 square feet and not over 7 feet high; Inglewood's local amendment also allows certain temporary, portable, readily movable structures up to 120 square feet and 10 feet high if setback, utility, and spacing conditions are met
  • Painting, papering, carpeting, and similar finish work
  • Firework stands
  • No more than two construction trailers per permitted construction jobsite

Important: Inglewood's codified amendment expressly warns that permit exemptions do not authorize work that violates the building code or any other city law. Other CBC Section 105.2 exemptions may still apply, but the local code section reviewed only expressly amends and republishes certain items; confirm borderline exempt scopes with Building Safety before proceeding. Separate planning, public works, fire, zoning, right-of-way, or utility approvals may still be required even if a building permit is not.

Inspections

How to Schedule

Inspection hours
Inspector office hours are Monday through Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and every other Friday 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. The general Building Safety counter hours posted on the city page are Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with City Hall closed on alternating Fridays.
Time windows
Inspector office hours are Monday through Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and every other Friday 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. The general Building Safety counter hours posted on the city page are Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with City Hall closed on alternating Fridays.

Typical inspection sequence: Varies by permit scope. Typical building/combination sequences generally follow foundation/footing, rough framing and rough MEP inspections, insulation or lath/drywall when applicable, and final inspection. Applicants should follow the job-specific approved inspection card and correction notices.

Additional Resources

Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the City of Inglewood Development Services Department, Building Safety Division before applying.

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Important: This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from the permit authority listed above. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.

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