Blythe, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Applies within the City of Blythe city limits. Unincorporated areas in Riverside County use Riverside County permitting, not the City of Blythe.

Department

City of Blythe Development Services Department, Building Department / Building Division

Address

235 North Broadway, Blythe, CA 92225

Phone

(760) 922-6130

Email

jbrown@cityofblythe.ca.gov , mvandyke@cityofblythe.ca.gov

Website

https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm scope and permit type with the Building Department, then download the City of Blythe permit application and the applicable checklist from the Building page. Source URL: https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building
2. Prepare the application with project address, APN, valuation, owner/contractor information, signatures, and permit type. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/311/Building-Permit-Application
3. Assemble submittal documents. For most residential remodels/patios/pools the city checklist requires three plan sets; for new/major projects or work involving city right-of-way/utilities, four plan sets. The checklist also calls for scaled site plans, floor plans, elevations, construction details, electrical/mechanical/plumbing details as applicable, Title 24 energy calculations, and other supporting items. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/699
4. Submit plans and pay plan-check fees at submittal. The checklist states the plan-check fee is due when plans are submitted. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/699
5. Respond to corrections if issued. The city's housing element states applications are reviewed for completeness and, once deemed complete and fees are paid, the city gives a response within 30 days on accepting the application submittals or requesting revisions. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2104
6. After approval, obtain the permit and complete required inspections before concealment/final completion. For EV charging permits, Blythe allows electronic submittal and says complete applications are to be promptly processed and administratively approved when they meet checklist requirements. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2081/Ordinance-No-916-22

Typical processing time: General building-permit turnaround was not published on the building page. Blythe's EVCS checklist publishes 5-10 business days for completeness review and 20-40 business days for approval/denial for expedited EVCS applications. Source URL: https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2152

Source: City of Blythe Development Services Department, Building Department / Building Division

General Requirements

Blythe states permits are required not only for houses, pools, and room additions, but also for patios, block walls, wrought-iron fencing, reroofing/roof repairs, water-heater replacement, drywall repairs, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, signage, decks, and bathtub/shower changeouts or repairs. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/185/Building-Permits---Do-you-need-one ; https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/180/Water-Heater-Changeouts

Required Documents

• City permit application
• scaled plans
• site/vicinity plan
• structural/foundation/floor/elevation/construction details
• electrical/plumbing/mechanical details as applicable
• Title 24 energy calculations
• engineered truss calculations if applicable
• septic/well clearance where city services are unavailable
• school form
• and any required landscaping, utility, fire sprinkler, solar, grading, drainage, and pad-elevation materials listed on the city checklist. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/311/Building-Permit-Application
• https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/699

Permit validity

Blythe says it applies the 2022 California codes. Under current California Building Standards Commission guidance and Health and Safety Code Section 18938.6, permits remain valid if work is commenced within 12 months after issuance; written extensions of up to 180 days each may be granted for justifiable cause. I did not find a Blythe-specific ordinance changing that general state rule. Source URL: https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building ; https://www.dgs.ca.gov/en/BSC/Resources/2022-Title-24-California-Code-Changes/Part-2-Chapter-1-Scope-and-Administration ; https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/BSC/07-About/Law/CBSC_LAW_2025-Eff01-01-2026.pdf

Building code

Blythe's Building page lists the current adopted codes as the 2022 California Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire, Energy, Residential, Administrative, Green Building Standards, Referenced Standards, Existing Building, and Historical Building Codes, plus the 1997 Uniform Housing Code and 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings. The city's housing element also states Blythe applies the 2022 California Building Codes and has not adopted local amendments that constrain housing development. Source URL: https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building ; https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2104

Owner-builder

Blythe warns that if the property owner pulls the permit instead of the licensed contractor, the owner assumes responsibility for the overall job, including legal and insurance-related obligations. CSLB's owner-builder guidance also applies statewide. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/182/Risks-of-Hiring-Unlicensed-Individuals ; https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Consumers/Building_Officials/Owner_Builder_Overview.aspx

Contractor requirements

Blythe's older consumer-warning page says California licensing is required at $500+, but current CSLB guidance states that, effective January 1, 2025, a CSLB license is generally required if the project requires a building permit, uses employee labor/workers, or has combined labor-and-material cost of $1,000 or more. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/182/Risks-of-Hiring-Unlicensed-Individuals ; https://www.cslb.ca.gov/consumers/hire_a_contractor/What_Kind_Of_Contractor.aspx ; https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Resources/PressReleases/2024/AB2622.FINAL.pdf

Fees

Minimum permit fee

A current standalone adopted building-fee schedule page was not located. In the city-published 2019 user fee study, minimum mechanical and minimum plumbing fees are shown as $49.50 current fee / $65 suggested Year 1; the study also lists an issuance fee and many unit-based permit items.

Plan check fee

The city checklist says the plan-check fee must be paid at plan submittal. The housing element reports sample 2023 plan-check fees of $1,964 for a single-family residence and $4,257 for an 8-unit apartment example. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/699 ; https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2104

Permit fee formula

Mixed. The user fee study shows residential valuation at valuation x 0.0001 and commercial valuation at valuation x 0.00021, plus flat/unit-based fees for many trade permits and development-related charges. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1404/User-Fee-Study-2019

Reinspection fee

The 2019 user fee study lists reinspection fees of $49.50 current / $55 suggested for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing categories. The manufactured-housing packet on the city site separately warns of a $60 reinspection fee for missed/failed manufactured-home inspections. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1404/User-Fee-Study-2019; https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/697

Payment note

The city site clearly states plan-check fees are due at submittal. I did not find a building-permit payment-method page. For a related city licensing process, Blythe states payments are accepted as cash, check, or money order only; verify current permit payment methods with the Building Department before filing. Source URL: https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/699 ; https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/34/Business-License

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• City of Blythe does not publish a standalone exempt-work handout on its building page.
• Because Blythe applies the 2022 California codes, at least one state-code exemption clearly carried into California is one-story detached accessory structures not exceeding 120 square feet.
• The California code exemption does not authorize work that violates zoning, fire, utility, or other local requirements.

Important: Blythe's public pages emphasize checking with the Building Department before starting work. Even where a building permit is exempt, separate planning/zoning, public-works, utility, right-of-way, health, or fire requirements may still apply. Source URL: https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building ; https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/185/Building-Permits---Do-you-need-one ; https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/BSC/03-Rulemaking/2018-Triennial-Cycle/2018-CAC-Review/BFO/HCD/HCD0418IETPt25.pdf ; https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/BSC/03-Rulemaking/2024-Triennial-Cycle/CAC/2024-07-09-BFO/SFM-05-24-ISOR-PT2_5.pdf

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Source URL (online)
• https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building (online)
• (760) 922-6130 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

Building office hours published are Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM-4:00 PM, closed on holidays. Source URL: https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building

Typical inspection sequence: Blythe confirms it conducts inspections and states certificates of occupancy are issued only after full completion of a final inspection; temporary certificates of occupancy will not be issued. The city does not publish a general inspection sequence on its website, but for most building projects applicants should expect staged inspections keyed to the approved plans and adopted California codes before final inspection. Source URL: https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building ; https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/699

Additional Resources

• Building code: Blythe's Building page lists the current adopted codes as the 2022 California Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire, Energy, Residential, Administrative, Green Building Standards, Referenced Standards, Existing Building, and Historical Building Codes, plus the 1997 Uniform Housing Code and 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings. The city's housing element also states Blythe applies the 2022 California Building Codes and has not adopted local amendments that constrain housing development. Source URL: https://cityofblythe.ca.gov/29/Building ; https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2104
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/167/Zoning-Maps
• https://www.cityofblythe.ca.gov/171/Electronic-Vehicle-Charging-Stations
• https://www.cslb.ca.gov/
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

Other cities in Riverside County