City Building Permits

Santa Ana, CA Building Permit Guide

How to apply for a building permit in Santa Ana, California. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

California Orange County Updated March 2026

Permit Authority

Building Safety Division issues building, plumbing, heating/cooling, and electrical permits and conducts plan review and inspections for work within the incorporated City of Santa Ana. Fire plan check services are provided by Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) for applicable projects.

Department
City of Santa Ana Building Safety Division
Address
20 Civic Center Plaza, Ross Annex, M-20, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Phone
(714) 647-5800
Website
https://www.santa-ana.org/departments/building-division/

Online Permit Portal

Open Online Permit System (OPS)

Platform: Online Permit System (OPS) • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online or in-person

Application Process

  1. Check zoning and planning requirements first. Santa Ana states that Planning Division approval is required for the majority of building permit applications before Building Division submittal. Use the property information search and Planning Division resources to confirm site constraints and zoning. Processing time estimate: none published for standard review. Source URL: https://www.santa-ana.org/permits-counter/ ; https://apps.santa-ana.org/property-info/ ; https://www.santa-ana.org/departments/planning-division/
  2. Prepare the permit application and supporting plans. Santa Ana requires a building permit worksheet plus plans, specifications, calculations, diagrams, soils reports, special inspection programs, and other data as applicable. Plans must clearly show the location, nature, and extent of work. Source URL: https://www.santa-ana.org/documents/building-permit-application/ ; https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/santaanaca/2022/02/BLD-01_BuildingPermitInfo_2022.pdf
  3. Choose the intake path. Eligible simple permits can be obtained through OPS/PBx Express online or at the counter; eligible small projects may qualify for same-day OTC plan review; larger projects can use Planning and Building E-Plan / ProjectDox; other projects can be submitted through the permit counter. Processing time estimate: same day for qualifying PBx Express and qualifying OTC plan check projects; no citywide estimate published for standard plan check. Source URL: https://www.santa-ana.org/pbx-express-permit/ ; https://www.santa-ana.org/what-is-over-the-counter-otc-plan-check/ ; https://www.santa-ana.org/pba-e-plan/ ; https://www.santa-ana.org/permits-counter/
  4. Pay plan check fees at submittal when plan review is required. Santa Ana states plan check fees are payable at the time of submittal. Source URL: https://www.santa-ana.org/permits-counter/
  5. Respond to corrections and resubmittals until all applicable city departments approve the plans. Once all applicable departments approve, Building Safety is authorized to issue the permit. Source URL: https://www.santa-ana.org/permits-and-plan-check/
  6. Pay remaining permit fees and obtain the issued permit before starting work. Santa Ana states permits must be obtained before performing work when a permit is required. Source URL: https://www.santa-ana.org/question/when-is-a-permit-required/ ; https://www.santa-ana.org/permits-counter/
  7. Schedule required inspections using the permit number and PIN, keep the job card and approved plans on site, and obtain final approval. Source URL: https://www.santa-ana.org/building-inspection-scheduling/ ; https://www.santa-ana.org/permit-faqs/

Source: City of Santa Ana Building Safety Division

General Requirements

A permit is required when an owner or authorized agent intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change occupancy of a building or structure, or install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems.

Required Documents

  • Depending on scope, Santa Ana requires a building permit worksheet/application plus plans, specifications, engineering calculations, diagrams, soil investigation reports, special inspection and structural observation programs, and other supporting data. Planning approval is required first for most building permit applications.
Permit validity
Issued permits expire if work is not commenced within 180 days after issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after commencement. Written extensions of up to 180 days each may be granted for justifiable cause. Permit applications themselves are deemed abandoned after 180 days if the permit is not issued; one extension may be granted.
Building code
Santa Ana's older plan check page still lists the 2022 California code set effective January 1, 2023, but the City's newer notice states that all new building permit applications submitted after 2:00 PM on December 24, 2025 must comply with the 2025 California Building Codes effective January 1, 2026. As of March 21, 2026, the current code set is therefore the 2025 California Building Code Standards (Title 24) plus the Santa Ana Municipal Code, while projects submitted complete before that cutoff may still be reviewed under the prior 2022 code cycle.
Owner-builder
OPS includes owner-builder declarations under Business and Professions Code sections 7031.5 and 7044. Santa Ana states owner-builder declarations must be completed by the property owner before issuance of an owner-builder permit, and agents for owners are not permitted to obtain owner-builder permits through OPS.
Contractor requirements
Permits may be issued to the property owner, authorized agent, or licensed contractor. The appropriately licensed contractor must provide proof of CSLB licensing and must obtain a current City of Santa Ana business license. Santa Ana notes photovoltaic permits shall only be issued to a licensed contractor.

Fees

Minimum permit fee
Santa Ana publishes Building Safety minimum fees in its FY 2025-26 Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, including a minimum inspection fee of $203.95 and a minimum plan check fee of $282.75 (hourly, 1/2 hour minimum shown in the schedule). OPS also states permit refunds exclude the issuance fee. For scope-specific permit pricing, Santa Ana says building permit fees vary according to the scope of work.
Plan check fee
Plan check fees are due at submittal when applicable. The FY 2025-26 schedule shows a minimum plan check fee of $282.75 and notes certain revisions/deferred submittals are charged hourly with at least a one-hour minimum in the Building Permit Information handout.
Permit fee formula
Hybrid. Santa Ana uses a combination of scope-based, itemized, hourly, per-square-foot, and permit-specific fees. The city FAQ says building permit fees vary by scope of work, and electrical, plumbing, and mechanical fees are itemized on the respective applications.
Reinspection fee
Santa Ana's published FY 2025-26 miscellaneous fee schedule includes a reinspection fee minimum of $61.00 or hourly employee rate where work is not complete or corrections are not made; additional penalty charges may apply by permit type or code enforcement circumstance.
Penalty (no permit)
Santa Ana's published FY 2025-26 miscellaneous fee schedule includes a reinspection fee minimum of $61.00 or hourly employee rate where work is not complete or corrections are not made; additional penalty charges may apply by permit type or code enforcement circumstance.
Payment note
OPS routes online payments to an outside payment vendor. At the permit counter, outstanding permit fees are collected before permit issuance, and plan check fees are payable at submittal.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

  • One-story detached accessory buildings used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses when floor area does not exceed 120 square feet
  • Some fences not over 7 feet in height may not require a Building Safety Division permit, but all fences and walls require Planning Division review first
  • Oil derricks
  • Retaining walls not over 4 feet high measured from bottom of footing to top of wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding certain liquids; Planning Division review still required
  • Water tanks supported directly on grade if capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and height-to-diameter or width ratio does not exceed 2 to 1
  • Sidewalks, driveways, and decks not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, not over a basement or story below, and not part of an accessible route
  • Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work
  • Temporary motion picture, television, and theater stage sets and scenery
  • Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancies that are less than 24 inches deep, 5,000 gallons or less, and installed entirely above ground
  • Shade cloth structures for nursery or agricultural purposes, excluding service systems
  • Swings and other playground equipment accessory to detached one- and two-family dwellings
  • Window awnings meeting CBC accessory-use dimensional limits
  • Non-fixed and movable fixtures, cases, racks, counters, and partitions not over 5 feet 9 inches high

Important: Santa Ana states permit exemptions do not authorize work that violates the code or other laws. The city also notes exempt work may still require approvals from other city agencies, especially Planning Division review.

Inspections

How to Schedule

Inspection hours
Santa Ana does not publish a standard inspection arrival window on the main inspection page. For remote video inspections of occupied interior areas, the assigned inspector performs a pre-screen call approximately between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. on the scheduled day and then sets the video inspection time.

Typical inspection sequence: After permit issuance, the city provides a job card listing required inspections in chronological order. The permit holder schedules inspections by inspection code, the inspector signs the job card on site, and final results are entered into the permit database at the end of the day.

Available windows/hours: Santa Ana does not publish a standard inspection arrival window on the main inspection page. For remote video inspections of occupied interior areas, the assigned inspector performs a pre-screen call approximately between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. on the scheduled day and then sets the video inspection time.

Additional Resources

Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the City of Santa Ana Building Safety Division before applying.

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Important: This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from the permit authority listed above. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.

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