South Pasadena, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

City building permits for work within South Pasadena city limits; the City also adopts Los Angeles County fire code provisions and may require Fire Department review for some projects.

Department

City of South Pasadena Community Development Department, Building Division

Address

1414 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Phone

Community Development Department (626) 403-7220; Building Official / Permit Technician (626) 403-7224; Building Inspector (626) 403-7226

Email

permittech@southpasadenaca.gov

Website

https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/Your-Government/Department-Service-Areas/Community-Development/Building-Division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm whether the project also needs Planning/design review before permit issuance, especially for exterior work and historic properties. Minor Chair Review items typically take 7 to 10 days; smaller code reviews may be over-the-counter, while more formal building plan review is typically 1 to 2 weeks.
2. Complete the applicable South Pasadena permit application and declaration forms. If using a contractor, include the contractor declaration; if acting as owner-builder, include the owner-builder declaration. If plan review is required, include PDF plans with the application.
3. Email the completed application package to permittech@southpasadenaca.gov to open the permit record.
4. If the project requires plan check, contact the Permit Counter to arrange payment of plan review fees, then upload plan sets in PDF through the Building and Safety Division Plan Submittal Portal.
5. Respond to plan-check comments or correction requests until approved. For eligible small residential solar projects, licensed contractors may use SolarAPP+ first, then submit the SolarAPP+ permit in the Accela portal for instant issuance.
6. Pay permit fees and receive the permit. The fee schedule includes a permit issuance fee in addition to discipline-specific permit and plan-check fees.
7. Request inspections through the City inspection request form and obtain final approval before occupancy or use of the permitted work.

Typical processing time: Over-the-counter for some smaller projects; formal building plan review typically 1 to 2 weeks; Chair Review typically 7 to 10 days.

Source: City of South Pasadena Community Development Department, Building Division

General Requirements

The City says permits are required for most types of construction and many home-improvement projects, including plumbing, heating, air conditioning, decks, new homes, some sheds, additions, swimming pools, and hot tubs. Building permits cover erection, alteration, demolition, and moving of buildings and structures.

Required Documents

• Permit application
• PDF plans if plan review is required
• contractor declaration or owner-builder declaration
• workers' compensation information on the declaration form
• for SolarAPP+ jobs, contractor declaration and SolarAPP+ approval document.

Building code

Current city notice states South Pasadena adopted the 2025 California Building, Residential, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy, Green Building, Historical Building, Existing Building, Referenced Standards, and Administrative Codes, plus Chapter 96 of Title 26 of the Los Angeles County Code, effective January 1, 2026.

Owner-builder

Owner-builders must sign the City's owner-builder declaration and acknowledge legal and financial responsibility, worker-injury risk, employer obligations if labor is hired, and restrictions on building single-family structures for sale unless statutory conditions are met.

Contractor requirements

Contractor declaration requires licensure under California Business and Professions Code Chapter 9 (starting at Section 7000) with license in full force and effect. The City FAQ also says contractors and subcontractors must have a City business license to work in South Pasadena. Some work, such as certain multifamily electrical work, may only be pulled by a licensed contractor.

Fees

Plan check fee

Generally 85% of the building permit fee where plan check is required; minimum plan review shown in the fee schedule is $118.64; additional review beyond the second plan check is $158.63 per hour.

Permit fee formula

Building permit and plan-check fees are generally valuation-based; trade permits use schedule or unit fees; grading fees are volume-based.

Trade permit fee

Building permit and plan-check fees are generally valuation-based; trade permits use schedule or unit fees; grading fees are volume-based.

Penalty (no permit)

Investigation fee for work without a required permit equals the permit fee, but not less than $487.88; exception for owner-builder work on one- and two-family dwellings is $243.94. Other noncompliance and revision fees also apply.

Payment note

Applicants are told to contact the Permit Counter to file the application and arrange payment of required plan review fees. SolarAPP+ permits are paid in the City portal; SolarAPP+ also charges its own processing fee.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Inference from South Pasadena's adoption of the California Building and Residential Codes: common permit-exempt items usually include ordinary finish work such as painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work.
• Small detached accessory structures below the code exemption threshold are commonly exempt under the California codes, but South Pasadena specifically warns that permits are required for some sheds.
• Certain low fences and retaining walls, certain window awnings, and certain small prefabricated pools are commonly code-exempt if they stay within California code limits.
• Minor repair work may be exempt when it does not affect structural features, egress, sanitation, safety, or accessibility, as determined by the enforcing agency.

Important: The City FAQ states the Building Official may exempt minor work, and exemptions do not waive zoning, historic review, fire, or other code requirements. Because South Pasadena does not publish the full local exemption text on its permit page, applicants should confirm project-specific exemptions with the Building Division before proceeding without a permit.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Inspection request form (online)
• (626) 403-7226 (phone)
• (626) 403-7224 (phone)

Inspection hours

Inspections are conducted Monday through Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and the current Building Division page also notes Friday inspections between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Time windows

Inspections are conducted Monday through Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and the current Building Division page also notes Friday inspections between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence is foundation and rough inspections as applicable, then final inspection; exact sequence depends on scope and permit type.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Current city notice states South Pasadena adopted the 2025 California Building, Residential, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy, Green Building, Historical Building, Existing Building, Referenced Standards, and Administrative Codes, plus Chapter 96 of Title 26 of the Los Angeles County Code, effective January 1, 2026.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Planning resources and applications
• Master fee schedule page
• Fire prevention page
• Department contact directory
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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