Montebello, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Handles building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and grading permits within the City of Montebello city limits. Some projects also require Planning, Fire, Public Works, County Sanitation, school fee, or Health Department sign-offs.

Department

City of Montebello Building & Safety Division, within the Planning & Community Development Department

Address

1600 W. Beverly Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640

Phone

(323) 887-1497

Email

buildingsafety@montebelloca.gov

Website

https://www.montebelloca.gov/departments/planning_community_development/building_safety_division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm whether your project needs city approvals, permits, and inspections by contacting Building & Safety before work starts.
2. Submit a complete building permit application through the city's online form. The city states complete application requests must be submitted via email to buildingsafety@montebelloca.gov, and incomplete applications may delay processing.
3. If plan review is required, upload plans electronically through Montebello's goPost portal. Plan review submittals must include the project scope, owner and consultant information, site details, and plan sheets required for the project type.
4. Obtain any required interdepartmental approvals noted by the city or on the permit form, including Planning, Fire, Public Works, school fees, LA County Sanitation, or Health Department approvals where applicable.
5. After plan approval, pay permit and plan check fees and obtain permit issuance. Approved plans and the permit inspection card must remain on site.
6. Schedule required inspections through the Building Inspection Form. All listed inspection record items must be approved before concealment of work.
7. Obtain final inspection approval, and for new buildings, structures, and remodeling work, obtain a Certificate of Occupancy before use or occupancy.

Source: City of Montebello Building & Safety Division, within the Planning & Community Development Department

General Requirements

Montebello states applicants should contact Building & Safety before starting any project to determine whether city approvals, permits, and inspections are required. The division issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and grading permits, and plan review covers new construction, renovations, additions, remodeling, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and structural work.

Required Documents

• At minimum, the city's building permit application requests site address, scope of work, valuation, owner/applicant/tenant/contractor information, contractor license information, and plan-check details. For projects requiring plan review, Montebello requires electronic plans and project information such as owner name, job address, consultants, legal description, APN, scope, occupancy, construction type, square footage, sheet index, and plot plan. Trade-specific and engineered documents may be required depending on scope.

Permit validity

The city's permit application states a permit becomes null and void if work is not commenced within, or becomes inactive for, 180 days.

Building code

Montebello's plan review page states applicable codes are the 2022 California Building Standards Code (Title 24) and the Montebello Municipal Code. Title 15 of the Montebello Municipal Code includes adopted chapters for the California Building Code, Residential Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Electrical Code, Green Building Standards Code, Energy Code, Fire Code, and related administrative code chapters.

Owner-builder

The permit applicant declaration allows the signer to certify that they are a California licensed contractor, the property owner, or authorized to act on behalf of the property owner.

Contractor requirements

The permit form requires contractor name, company, license number, expiration date, and classification.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Building permit / inspection fee starts at $263.11 for projects valued from $1.00 to $500.00. Trade permits also include lower flat issuance and item fees for specific plumbing, mechanical, and electrical work.

Plan check fee

Building plan check fee is 54% of building permit fees. Expedited plan check is 125% of the plan check fee per submittal. Additional plan review is charged hourly.

Permit fee formula

Building permit / inspection fees are valuation-based for building permits. Plumbing, mechanical, and electrical permits use flat and itemized fees. Engineering, grading, and related permits use separate flat or unit-based schedules.

Trade permit fee

Building permit / inspection fees are valuation-based for building permits. Plumbing, mechanical, and electrical permits use flat and itemized fees. Engineering, grading, and related permits use separate flat or unit-based schedules.

Reinspection fee

Reinspection fee is $177.00.

Penalty (no permit)

Investigation fee for clearance is $354.00.

Payment note

No online payment processing notes were identified on the cited pages.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Important note: Montebello's public pages reviewed do not publish a standalone exempt-work list. The summary below is inferred from the standard 2022 California Building Code / California Residential Code permit exemptions that Montebello states it has adopted.
• One-story detached accessory structures not more than 120 square feet, when not used as sleeping quarters and subject to code limits.
• Fences not over 7 feet high.
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet measured from bottom of footing to top of wall, unless supporting surcharge or impounding Class I, II, or III-A liquids.
• Water tanks supported directly on grade if capacity and height remain within code exemption limits.
• Sidewalks, driveways, and certain platforms or walks meeting code exemption limits.
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops, and similar finish work.
• Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancy that are less than 24 inches deep and within code size limits.
• Playground equipment, movable cases, and similar miscellaneous exempt items allowed by the adopted California codes.

Important: Even if work is exempt from a building permit, Montebello may still require zoning, planning, fire, floodplain, grading, public works, or separate electrical/plumbing/mechanical approvals. The city expressly instructs applicants to confirm permit requirements before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Building inspections are requested through the Building Inspection Form at (online)
• Building inspections are requested through the Building Inspection Form at https://montebelloca.seamlessdocs.com/f/8ob6wgt17dvq or by contacting the Building Inspector / Building Department at (323) 887-1497. Fire inspections use a separate online form at (online)
• (323) 887-1497 (phone)
• (323) 887-1507 (phone)

Inspection hours

Building inspections are conducted Monday through Thursday during city hours, with estimated windows of 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM.

Time windows

Building inspections are conducted Monday through Thursday during city hours, with estimated windows of 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM.

Typical inspection sequence: Montebello states each permit receives an Inspection Record showing required approvals based on scope and permit type. All applicable inspections must be approved before work is covered, followed by final inspection and, where applicable, Certificate of Occupancy.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Montebello's plan review page states applicable codes are the 2022 California Building Standards Code (Title 24) and the Montebello Municipal Code. Title 15 of the Montebello Municipal Code includes adopted chapters for the California Building Code, Residential Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Electrical Code, Green Building Standards Code, Energy Code, Fire Code, and related administrative code chapters.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Planning Division
• Current Planning / development process
• Building forms
• Inspection FAQ
• Permit fee schedule
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

Other cities in Los Angeles County