Westminster, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

City building permits and inspections for properties within Westminster city limits; Westminster also routes final approvals to Planning, Engineering (Public Works), and Orange County Fire Authority when applicable.

Department

City of Westminster Community Development Department, Building Division

Address

8200 Westminster Blvd., Westminster, CA 92683

Phone

(714) 548-3254

Email

Wbuilding@westminster-ca.gov

Website

https://www.westminster-ca.gov/departments/community-development/building-division

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm zoning and design requirements first. Westminster states that Planning Division approval on design and zoning requirements comes before Building Division plan review.
2. Prepare the permit package. Westminster requires a building permit application, declaration form, and construction documents containing the information required by California Building Code Section 107.
3. Submit through Westminster Build or use the City's building permit forms. The City promotes online submission for faster service, but City Hall also accepts walk-in business during posted hours.
4. City staff reviews the submittal for completeness and code compliance. Westminster notes incomplete, inaccurate, or non-compliant plans can delay processing and trigger additional plan review fees.
5. Small/simple projects may be reviewed over the counter. Westminster lists patio covers, residential solar, residential HVAC/water heater/electrical panel upgrades, engineered-standard pools/spas, commercial signs, and non-retaining block walls as typical over-the-counter reviews.
6. After all reviewing agencies approve the plans, the permit can be issued.
7. During construction, schedule required inspections through Westminster Build. Final approval and, when required, a Certificate of Occupancy are issued after departmental sign-off.

Typical processing time: Westminster does not publish a standard turnaround time on the cited pages. It does state some small/simple projects are normally reviewed over the counter.

Source: City of Westminster Community Development Department, Building Division

General Requirements

Westminster states that a permit is required unless work is exempt; its FAQ says no building, structure, or service equipment may be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted, or demolished without an appropriate permit from the Building Official.

Required Documents

• Building Permit Application
• Building Permit Declaration
• construction plans showing location, existing conditions, and proposed scope
• and, as applicable, site plan, roof/floor plans, elevations/sections, means of egress analysis, CALGreen requirements, Title 24 energy calculations, foundation plan, framing plans, structural details, and structural calculations. Westminster notes some projects must be prepared by a licensed architect, engineer, or licensed trade professional.

Permit validity

Westminster's local administrative code states a permit expires upon a change of ownership or change of contractor before the work is completed. The city sources reviewed do not publish a separate local expiration summary on the building webpages, so permit holders should confirm current expiration timing with the Building Division before relying on state default timelines.

Building code

Westminster adopted the 2025 California Building Code and 2025 California Residential Code effective January 1, 2026, with local amendments in Title 15. Westminster's November 2025 notice states permit applications submitted after December 22, 2025 had to comply with the 2025 California Building Code effective January 1, 2026.

Owner-builder

Westminster's declaration form requires an owner-builder exemption statement under Business and Professions Code Sections 7031.5 and 7044. The form states the owner-builder exemption applies when the owner or the owner's employees perform the work and the structure is not intended or offered for sale; if sold within one year of completion, the owner-builder bears the burden of proving it was not built or improved for sale.

Contractor requirements

Westminster's declaration form requires the contractor to affirm licensure under Chapter 9 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code and that the license is in full force and effect. The inspection page also requires subcontractors' proof of license to be available at the job site during inspections.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

The 2025-2026 fee schedule shows building plan checking at $50 minimum and construction inspection at $50 minimum, plus a $65 permit issuance fee per permit, before any project-specific or supplemental fees.

Plan check fee

$50 minimum or 1.55x UAC Table 3-A, 3-B, 3-C, or 3-D; expedited plan checking is 150% of plan check fees. Separate planning/building plan check fees also apply to listed project types.

Permit fee formula

Primarily valuation-based for core building permit charges; the fee schedule states project valuation is based on the most recently published International Code Council Building Valuation Data, with building plan checking and construction inspection each charged at $50 or 1.55x UAC Table 3-A, 3-B, 3-C, or 3-D, whichever applies.

Reinspection fee

The fee schedule lists planning construction inspection at $435 for the initial inspection and reinspection, with subsequent inspections charged at fully allocated hourly rates. Special building inspections are $30 administrative charge plus $200 per hour with a 2-hour minimum. I did not find a separately labeled general building reinspection penalty on the cited fee sheet.

Penalty (no permit)

The fee schedule lists planning construction inspection at $435 for the initial inspection and reinspection, with subsequent inspections charged at fully allocated hourly rates. Special building inspections are $30 administrative charge plus $200 per hour with a 2-hour minimum. I did not find a separately labeled general building reinspection penalty on the cited fee sheet.

Payment note

Westminster's online portal supports permit applications and account/invoice functions. The posted fee schedule notes the Community Development fee schedule became effective September 1, 2025; confirm current invoice totals in Westminster Build before payment.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory structures such as tool sheds, storage sheds, and playhouses up to 120 square feet, if they also conform to zoning
• Masonry walls or fences not over 4 feet high from grade on either side
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet high measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work
• Temporary motion picture, television, and theater stage sets and scenery
• Above-ground prefabricated swimming pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancy that are less than 18 inches deep and no more than 5,000 gallons
• 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 on Group R-3 and U occupancies projecting no more than 54 inches from the exterior wall
• Non-fixed and movable fixtures, cases, racks, counters, and partitions not over 5 feet 9 inches high
• Wood decks not over 30 inches above surrounding grade, not attached to a structure, and not serving any part of the means of egress
• Sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, not over a basement/story below, not part of an accessible route, and not part of a commercial site

Important: Westminster's code says exemption from permit requirements does not authorize work that violates technical codes or any other City law or ordinance. Westminster's FAQ also notes some common replacements are still permit-required, including windows and water heaters.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Schedule inspections through Westminster Build at https (online)
• (714) 548-3254 (phone)

Inspection hours

The inspection page says time frames might not be scheduled online and that same-day time-frame requests go through the inspector between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Community Development walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: Permit issuance after plan approval; inspections at the end of all major project phases; inspector sign-off when the project is complete; then final departmental checklist review for Planning, Engineering, and Fire Authority when applicable; then Building Official final approval and Certificate of Occupancy when required.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Westminster adopted the 2025 California Building Code and 2025 California Residential Code effective January 1, 2026, with local amendments in Title 15. Westminster's November 2025 notice states permit applications submitted after December 22, 2025 had to comply with the 2025 California Building Code effective January 1, 2026.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Building permits and plan checks
• Application forms
• Building inspections
• Building codes and standard guidelines
• Fee schedule page
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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