Rolling Hills, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Rolling Hills controls planning and development approvals inside city limits. For projects requiring building permits, the city states that Building and Safety services are provided through contracted entities, Los Angeles County and Willdan Engineering; the city also notes RHCA review and approval is separate where applicable.

Department

City of Rolling Hills Planning and Community Services Department; building permits and inspections are provided through contracted Building and Safety providers, including Los Angeles County Building and Safety for the Rolling Hills contract city office

Address

2 Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, CA 90274

Phone

(310) 377-1521

Email

EMontes@cityofrh.net , bjohnson@cityofrh.net , BSD-RollingHills@dpw.lacounty.gov

Website

https://www.rolling-hills.org/government/planning_and_community_services/index.php

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Review the city's project examples and planning materials, then contact or visit City Hall before starting work to confirm whether the project is exempt, over-the-counter, administrative, Planning Commission, or building-permit level work.
2. Submit the appropriate city planning application through the Rolling Hills iWorQ portal or city forms. Minor work may use the over-the-counter application; larger or discretionary projects may require site plan review, administrative approval, CUP, variance, or other listed applications.
3. Obtain any separate non-city approvals the city identifies. The over-the-counter form states that, before construction starts, approvals and building permits are also required from RHCA and the Department of Building and Safety when applicable.
4. If the project needs a building permit, apply through the city's contracted Building and Safety path. The city's project guide says applicants may choose Los Angeles County or Willdan Engineering for Building and Safety services; the Willdan option is described as faster but with a 25% surcharge on fees.
5. After permit issuance, schedule required inspections with the permit issuer. For Los Angeles County contract-city permits, inspection requests are made by calling the local office that issued the permit at least 24 hours in advance.

Typical processing time: No general citywide processing time is published for standard Rolling Hills planning applications. Los Angeles County states over-the-counter plan checks may be available for projects reviewable in 15 minutes or less, while full plan-check turnaround varies by workload.

Source: City of Rolling Hills Planning and Community Services Department; building permits and inspections are provided through contracted Building and Safety providers, including Los Angeles County Building and Safety for the Rolling Hills contract city office

General Requirements

The city says approval is required before any development, remodel, addition, or construction activity, and its sample matrix shows many projects also require building department review and permits, including remodels involving new windows or doors, new or expanded electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work, retaining walls, pools, grading, solar panels, reroofing, additions, and new residences. Los Angeles County also states permits are generally required for new buildings, additions, remodels and renovations, new or replaced electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work, and grading.

Required Documents

• Typical submittals include the applicable city application form, project description, and potentially a recent survey and/or plot plan. County building plan check guidance requires a completed permit application, payment of plan-check fees, and plans/specifications
• digital submittals should include the plans as a single PDF with calculations/specifications as separate PDFs. Small rooftop solar submittals also require the eligibility checklist, standard plan, structural criteria, and owner-builder or contractor affidavit.

Permit validity

Los Angeles County states permit applications expire if no permit is issued within 1 year after initiation, with up to two 180-day extensions on written request. County-issued permits expire if work has not started within 12 months of issuance or if work lapses for more than 180 days after starting; extensions may be granted on written request, and expired permits require a new application and new fees.

Building code

Rolling Hills building-permit review is administered through contracted Building and Safety providers. Los Angeles County states Title 26, the Los Angeles County Building Code, and Title 30, the Los Angeles County Residential Building Code, apply to construction, alteration, demolition, repair, use, and grading handled through its Building and Safety process. This is the operative code framework for the county contract-city path in Rolling Hills.

Owner-builder

County solar guidance requires owner-builders using the expedited rooftop solar path to sign the county owner-builder affidavit and acknowledge that the solar system cannot be installed on an unpermitted structure.

Contractor requirements

Los Angeles County states permits may be issued only to contractors with the appropriate CSLB license, to property owners in certain cases, or to authorized agents representing one of those permittees.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

City planning fee schedule lists Construction and Demolition at $150 per single-project permit. Under the Los Angeles County building fee schedule for Rolling Hills, the permit issuance fee is $89.98 in addition to applicable permit fees, and the minimum standardized plan-check fee listed is $490.88.

Plan check fee

City planning fee schedule includes flat review fees such as $1,500 for site plan review and $1,500 for conditional use permits. County building fee schedule lists a minimum standardized plan-check fee of $490.88 and additional hourly review charges for complex plans or revisions.

Permit fee formula

City planning fees are largely flat by application type. County building fees are schedule-based by permit type, occupancy, floor area, or grading quantity, with some valuation-based components such as geotechnical review and plan maintenance.

Penalty (no permit)

County building fee schedule lists investigation fees for work done without a required permit equal to the permit fee, but not less than $1,097.73, with a reduced $548.86 exception for certain one- or two-family owner-builder work. The city fee schedule also lists a $1,500 zoning violation and construction penalty fee and $200 for each additional stop-work order beyond the original one.

Payment note

The C&D portal states permit applications are not accepted and permits are not issued until payment is received. County permit issuance also requires payment of all required fees before the permit is issued.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Tree trimming on private property
• Re-landscaping with plants only
• Fumigation or pest control
• Sprinkler repair
• Painting interior or exterior, new flooring, and change-out-only cabinets, sinks, and showers with no new plumbing or electrical
• Small tree house not exceeding 64 square feet and 8 feet high
• Playground equipment or playground fort not exceeding 120 square feet and 15 feet high
• Under County Title 26, one-story detached accessory buildings used as tool sheds, storage sheds, playhouses, shade structures, and similar uses are exempt if they do not exceed 120 square feet, 12 feet in height, and 24-inch roof projection; certain fences, retaining walls up to 4 feet without surcharge, and flagpoles up to 15 feet are also exempt

Important: The city's sample list is only a guide and says a survey and/or plot plan may still be required. Work that appears minor can still trigger city review, building permits, traffic review, RHCA approval, or Planning Commission review if it affects setbacks, lot coverage, grading, height, or similar zoning constraints.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• county guidance says contract-city inspections are scheduled by calling the local office that issued the permit. General county inspection guidance (online)
• District office directory (online)
• (310) 534-3760 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

County guidance says inspection requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance and inspections are performed during regular working hours.

Inspection hours

The Rolling Hills contract-city office listing shows Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. County guidance says inspection requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance and inspections are performed during regular working hours.

Time windows

The Rolling Hills contract-city office listing shows Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. County guidance says inspection requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance and inspections are performed during regular working hours.

Typical inspection sequence: Permit issued, inspection record card posted if provided, inspections requested at required construction stages, inspector signs off corrections or approvals phase by phase, then final inspection and project completion. For small residential rooftop solar under the county expedited policy, one combination inspection may be sufficient if supporting evidence is provided.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Rolling Hills building-permit review is administered through contracted Building and Safety providers. Los Angeles County states Title 26, the Los Angeles County Building Code, and Title 30, the Los Angeles County Residential Building Code, apply to construction, alteration, demolition, repair, use, and grading handled through its Building and Safety process. This is the operative code framework for the county contract-city path in Rolling Hills.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• https://www.rolling-hills.org/government/planning_and_community_services/index.php
• https://www.rolling-hills.org/contact/staff_directory/index.php
• https://library.municode.com/ca/rolling_hills/codes/code_of_ordinances
• https://dpw.lacounty.gov/building-and-safety/permits/
• https://dpw.lacounty.gov/building-and-safety/plancheck/building
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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