Irwindale, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, sewer, grading, and occupancy permitting within the City of Irwindale; separate occupancy permits are required for new business licenses and new tenants/building occupancy in the city

Department

City of Irwindale Building & Safety

Address

16102 Arrow Highway, Irwindale, CA 91706

Phone

626-430-2205

Email

Not publicly listed on the staff directory page reviewed

Website

https://www.irwindaleca.gov/195/Building-Safety

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Create a user account in the City of Irwindale online permit portal.
2. Complete the permit or plan review application for the applicable permit type.
3. Upload plans and required supporting documents in PDF format.
4. Submit the application online; projects can be submitted 24/7, but items submitted outside business hours are not reviewed until the next business day.
5. City staff contacts the applicant with the applicable plan check or permit fee.
6. Pay fees by mail or in person; the public Building & Safety page says payments are currently accepted by check by mail and cash or check in person.
7. Use the same portal to request inspections.

Typical processing time: No general turnaround time is published on the city pages reviewed. The city only states that after-hours submissions are reviewed the following business day.

Source: City of Irwindale Building & Safety

General Requirements

A building permit is required for alteration, construction, connection, improvement, repair, movement, conversion, or demolition of any new or existing building or structure; signs; storage racks over 8 feet tall; chain link fences over 12 feet, other fences over 6 feet, and retaining walls over 4 feet. Mechanical permits are required for new equipment or repairs/additions/alterations to existing equipment; rooftop units and fire dampers require plan check. Electrical permits are required for new service or repair/addition/alteration to existing service; panels or subpanels of 400 amps or more require plan check. Plumbing permits are required for new plumbing service or repair/addition/alteration to existing service; water or gas piping 2 inches or more and medium/high gas pressure work require plan check. Occupancy permits are required for new business licenses and new tenants/building occupancy.

Required Documents

• The building permit application asks for project address, APN, scope, owner/applicant/contractor/designer information, project valuation, and document checklist items including sets of plans, energy calculations, structural calculations, mechanical plans, plumbing plans, electrical plans, and soils reports as applicable. The city also states other agency approvals may be required before permit issuance, including Fire, Health, and other agencies listed on an agency referral form.

Building code

City materials refer to compliance with the current Irwindale Building & Municipal Codes and, for some projects, Los Angeles County minimum plan submittal requirements. The specific code edition was not stated on the public permit pages reviewed.

Owner-builder

The application form includes an owner-builder designation. The fee schedule also shows a reduced investigation-fee minimum exception for one- or two-family dwellings when work is performed by an owner-builder.

Contractor requirements

The application requires contractor license number, class, expiration date, and workers' compensation information. A city planning resolution also states grading, drainage, building, and trade permits are to be obtained through Irwindale Building & Safety by California licensed contractor(s).

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Building permits include a $79.98 permit issuance fee in addition to the valuation-based building permit fee table. Public fee pages also show occupancy permit issuance at $79.98 and trade permit issuance at $79.98.

Plan check fee

Building plan check fees are valuation-based; the fee schedule notes a minimum standard-plan plan check fee of $436.34. Mechanical plan check is generally 50% of the required mechanical permit fee. Plumbing plan check is generally 40% of the required plumbing permit fee. Additional review beyond the first and second plan check is billed at $317.25 per hour, and expedited plan check adds a 50% surcharge.

Permit fee formula

Building permit and plan check fees are valuation-based using City of Irwindale fee tables. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits use trade-specific schedules, with plan check fees and surcharges where applicable.

Trade permit fee

Building permit and plan check fees are valuation-based using City of Irwindale fee tables. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits use trade-specific schedules, with plan check fees and surcharges where applicable.

Penalty (no permit)

The fee schedule includes investigation fees for work done without a required permit, equal to the permit fee subject to minimums, including $975.76 for mechanical work and a reduced $487.88 owner-builder exception for one- or two-family dwellings. The building fee schedule also lists noncompliance fees and hourly charges for additional review or inspections not otherwise covered.

Payment note

The Building & Safety page states permit application and plan-submittal payments are accepted by mail by check and in person by cash or check. Checks should be payable to City of Irwindale and include the project address and phone number. The occupancy packet also states occupancy permit issuance is cash or check only.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Fence or brick wall less than 6 feet high and not a retaining wall does not require a Building & Safety permit.

Important: Planning review and approval is still required for fences or brick walls regardless of size. Retaining walls over 4 feet in height, measured from the bottom of footing to the top of wall, require a permit unless they do not support a surcharge or impound Class I, II, or III-A liquids. The city pages reviewed do not publish a broader building-permit exemption list, so applicants should verify project-specific exemptions directly with Building & Safety.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Inspection requests can be made online through (online)
• 626-430-2205 (phone)

Inspection hours

The Building & Safety office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The city does not publish inspection arrival windows on the pages reviewed.

Time windows

The Building & Safety office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The city does not publish inspection arrival windows on the pages reviewed.

Typical inspection sequence: The city does not publish a universal sequence on the pages reviewed. For occupancy permits, the published packet says to move into the facility, schedule an inspection through the portal, and then bring the signed paperwork back after the County Building Inspector signs off so the permit can be stamped "READY FOR BUSINESS LICENSE."

Additional Resources

• Building code: City materials refer to compliance with the current Irwindale Building & Municipal Codes and, for some projects, Los Angeles County minimum plan submittal requirements. The specific code edition was not stated on the public permit pages reviewed.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• https://www.irwindaleca.gov/197/Permits
• https://www.irwindaleca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10759/Application-for-Building-Permit
• https://www.irwindaleca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12048/Updated-Occupancy-Permit-Packet
• https://www.irwindaleca.gov/m/faq
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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