Maywood, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

City of Maywood issues building permits and performs inspections for work within city limits; the Building Division notes that work in the public right-of-way is excluded, and Maywood separately requires encroachment permit approval before any building, zoning, or right-of-way permit is issued where encroachment approval is required.

Department

City of Maywood Building Division / Building & Planning Department

Address

4319 E Slauson Avenue, Maywood, CA 90270

Phone

323-562-5700; Building Permit Technician / inspections: 323-562-5744; Planning: 323-562-5723

Email

building@cityofmaywood.org , planning@cityofmaywood.org

Website

https://www.cityofmaywood.com/160/Building-Division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm whether the project needs a permit and whether any planning or encroachment approvals are needed first. Maywood states permits are required for all new construction and, in most cases, modifications, replacements, and remodeling; its housing element also says permits are required for any property changes, including electrical, plumbing, or building changes.
2. Prepare the City of Maywood Building and Planning Permit Application and assemble project information. The city form asks for owner/contractor information, contractor license class/number, description of work, valuation, occupancy/construction type, and project-specific details. For most projects, plans and specifications are also required.
3. Submit through the GoGov permit portal, or schedule an in-person appointment for plan-check submittal if needed. Maywood advertises online permit applications 24/7 and separate appointment scheduling for in-person plan check.
4. Complete plan check and any outside-agency reviews. Maywood's housing element says a simple single-family project can be approved in about 2 weeks if no variance, exception, or zone change is needed, and building plan check for new construction averages about 3 to 4 weeks. It also says most residential projects are processed in about 1 to 3 months overall.
5. Pay permit fees and obtain issuance. For the city's SolarAPP+ workflow, Maywood specifically directs applicants to pay permit fees online through the city payment portal after uploading SolarAPP+ approval documents into GoGov.
6. Schedule inspections. Maywood conducts building inspections by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays; inspection requests can be made by phone at 323-562-5744 or through the city appointment page.
7. Complete final inspection and closeout. The permit record serves as the permanent record of improvements, and occupancy/certificate approvals are issued when applicable.

Typical processing time: About 2 weeks for straightforward single-family projects without discretionary approvals; about 3 to 4 weeks for building plan check on new construction; about 1 to 3 months overall for most residential projects, depending on complexity.

Source: City of Maywood Building Division / Building & Planning Department

General Requirements

Maywood says building permits are required for all new construction and in most cases for building modifications, replacements, and remodeling. Its housing element states permits are required for any changes, including electrical, plumbing, or building changes to any property.

Required Documents

• At minimum, the city permit application
• owner and contractor contact information
• contractor license number/class
• project description
• valuation
• construction/occupancy information
• and trade-specific scope details. Maywood's housing element says applicants and/or contractors are required to bring plans to City Hall for examination and approval, and the county's general permit-process guidance confirms that plans, specifications, and supporting documents are required when applicable.

Permit validity

Maywood's public building pages did not surface a separate local expiration rule. Los Angeles County Building and Safety's homeowner guidance, summarizing the California code standard used in the region, states that a permit expires if work does not start within 12 months of issuance or if work lapses for more than 180 days after starting; extensions may be granted on written request.

Building code

Maywood's CALGreen page publicly lists enforcement of the 2019 California Building Code, Residential Code, Green Building Standards Code, Mechanical Code, Electrical Code, Plumbing Code, Fire Code, Energy Efficiency Standards, and Existing Building Code effective January 1, 2020. However, a December 2025 public-draft city climate plan cites the 2022 California Building Standards Code as effective January 1, 2023. Because the city's public webpages are not fully synchronized, confirm the exact code edition being applied to the project with Building & Planning before submittal.

Owner-builder

Los Angeles County and CSLB guidance state that an owner-builder can obtain permits for a one- or two-family principal residence, subject to Business and Professions Code section 7044 limits. Owner-builders assume responsibility for permits, code compliance, inspections, and labor/insurance obligations.

Contractor requirements

Maywood says it verifies that contractors have a valid state license and required workers' compensation insurance. CSLB requires a California contractor license if the project requires a building permit, uses workers, or totals at least $1,000 in combined labor and materials. For SolarAPP+ permitting, Maywood also states the contractor must obtain a City of Maywood business license to complete the permitting process.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Not publicly located in current city materials reviewed.

Plan check fee

Public 2019 city fee table lists $0.96/sq. ft. as the typical plan check fee.

Permit fee formula

Public 2019 city fee table indicates a mixed formula: building permit $1.12/sq. ft.; plan check $0.96/sq. ft.; electrical permit $4.00 per outlet or fixture plus $45 issuance fee; plumbing permit $20.00 per fixture plus $45 issuance fee; mechanical permit $45 issuance fee; sewer/septic permit $60 per connection plus $45 issuance fee; grading permit based on cubic yards.

Trade permit fee

Public 2019 city fee table indicates a mixed formula: building permit $1.12/sq. ft.; plan check $0.96/sq. ft.; electrical permit $4.00 per outlet or fixture plus $45 issuance fee; plumbing permit $20.00 per fixture plus $45 issuance fee; mechanical permit $45 issuance fee; sewer/septic permit $60 per connection plus $45 issuance fee; grading permit based on cubic yards.

Reinspection fee

No current public reinspection fee schedule was located in the materials reviewed.

Penalty (no permit)

Maywood's building permit page says failure to obtain permits under the municipal code results in fines and penalties to both owner and contractor.

Payment note

For SolarAPP+ projects, Maywood directs applicants to pay permit fees online through the city payment portal after creating the GoGov permit record. For standard building permits, the city's public pages reviewed did not publish a general online payment instruction or accepted-payment-method list.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory sheds, playhouses, shade structures, and similar uses up to 120 sq. ft., up to 12 ft. high, with limited roof projection.
• Certain fences and monument signs up to 6 ft., subject to material and setback limits.
• Retaining walls not over 4 ft. high unless supporting surcharge or certain liquids.
• Decks, walks, and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade, not over a basement/story below, and not part of an accessible route.
• Prefabricated pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancy that are less than 18 inches deep or no more than 5,000 gallons and entirely above grade.
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work where accessibility requirements do not apply.
• Minor electrical repair work such as replacement of lamps, switches, receptacles, sockets, and similar items.
• Limited plumbing repairs such as repairing leaks or clearing stoppages where pipes or fixtures are not replaced or rearranged.
• Portable heating, cooling, ventilating, evaporative-cooling, and certain minor mechanical component replacements.

Important: The Los Angeles County exempt-work list states that separate plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits may still be required even when building-permit exemption applies, and exemption never authorizes work that violates code, zoning, or other laws. Because Maywood's own permit page ties permit requirements to state construction codes, confirm any claimed exemption with Maywood Building & Planning before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• appointment page (online)
• 323-562-5744 (phone)

Inspection hours

Inspections are by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Time windows

Inspections are by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: Permit issuance; inspections at required construction stages; final inspection and closeout. Los Angeles County's regional permit-process guidance describes the standard sequence as application, plan check, permit issuance, inspections during applicable phases, and project completion with final sign-off.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Maywood's CALGreen page publicly lists enforcement of the 2019 California Building Code, Residential Code, Green Building Standards Code, Mechanical Code, Electrical Code, Plumbing Code, Fire Code, Energy Efficiency Standards, and Existing Building Code effective January 1, 2020. However, a December 2025 public-draft city climate plan cites the 2022 California Building Standards Code as effective January 1, 2023. Because the city's public webpages are not fully synchronized, confirm the exact code edition being applied to the project with Building & Planning before submittal.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

Other cities in Los Angeles County