Desert Hot Springs, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Handles building permits, plan check, and inspections for projects within the incorporated City of Desert Hot Springs. The city notes compliance with current city building codes, Riverside County ordinances, and state and federal laws; some projects also require Planning, Engineering, Fire, and other outside approvals.

Department

City of Desert Hot Springs Building & Safety Division, within the Community Development Department

Address

11999 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240

Phone

(760) 329-6411

Email

inspection@cityofdhs.org , vosuna@cityofdhs.org , kkauhane@cityofdhs.org

Website

https://www.cityofdhs.org/building-division/

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm whether the project also needs Planning, Engineering, Fire, or other related approvals before permit issuance. City plan-check sheets say applicable approvals may include Building & Safety, Planning, Engineering, Economic Development, Fire, Palm Springs Unified School District fee receipt when applicable, and proof of ownership with APN.
2. Submit the permit application online through the city portal or in person at City Hall. The city FAQ states building permits can be applied for online or by visiting City Hall at 11999 Palm Drive.
3. Upload or provide the required plans and supporting documents. The standard building permit application requires all applicable sections completed; for new construction it requires 3 complete plan sets, 2 sets of structural/energy/truss calculations, and a PDF. Project-specific checklists are posted for commercial, residential additions/new homes, tenant improvements, pools, EV chargers, and similar work.
4. Pay plan check and application fees. The city fee schedule states plan check fees are collected before permit issuance, and the application form states the application fee is non-refundable and due in full when submitted.
5. Respond to plan-check comments and obtain all required departmental approvals. The city states permits are issued by Building & Safety after plan check and approvals are completed.
6. After issuance, schedule inspections through the portal, by phone, or by email, complete corrections if needed, and obtain final inspection/close-out. The application form states no Certificate of Occupancy will be issued until all requirements are met before final inspection.

Typical processing time: No general citywide processing timeline found. One project-specific city guideline states residential pool comments or approval will be provided within ten working days after a complete application is submitted.

Source: City of Desert Hot Springs Building & Safety Division, within the Community Development Department

General Requirements

The city says Building & Safety issues permits and performs inspections for building construction, additions, and alterations. Its municipal code adopts the California Building Code administrative chapter except where locally amended, so permits are generally required for work regulated by the adopted California codes unless specifically exempt.

Required Documents

• Completed permit application
• project address and APN
• owner and contractor information
• project valuation and description
• plan sets sized and detailed per city checklist
• structural, energy, and truss calculations where applicable
• engineering calculations where required
• grading/soils documents where applicable
• proof of ownership with APN
• and Palm Springs Unified School District receipt when applicable. Commercial and tenant-improvement submittals may also require accessibility details and other departmental approvals.

Permit validity

Permit applications expire if no permit is issued within 180 days after application. The Building Official may grant one written extension of up to 90 days for circumstances beyond the applicant's control. The city also warns applicants that permits must be properly finalized or they may be treated as abandoned or invalid; nuisance-abatement permits expire in 60 days unless a longer period is authorized.

Building code

Applications submitted on or after January 1, 2023 must comply with the 2022 California Building Standards Code. The city publishes local administrative amendments in Desert Hot Springs Municipal Code Title 15.

Owner-builder

The general permit application may be signed by the legal owner or an authorized agent. For residential swimming pools, the city expressly requires a General B or C-53 contractor license and states no owner-builder applications will be accepted.

Contractor requirements

The application form requests both State Lic# and City Lic# for the contractor. For pools, the city specifically requires a General B or C-53 contractor license.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$168 for valuation from $0 to $1,500 under the building permit/construction fee chart

Plan check fee

Valuation-based. Standard plan check fees start at $115 for valuation from $0 to $1,500, then $115 plus $11.50 per $1,000 for $1,501-$20,000, with higher brackets above that. The fee schedule also states non-deposit plan check fees cover 3 plan checks.

Permit fee formula

Mixed. Main building permit/construction fees are valuation-based using ICC Building Valuation Data square-foot construction costs; many trade permits and specialty permits are fixed-fee.

Reinspection fee

Reinspection fee is $152.98. If work starts before permit issuance, the city imposes an investigation fee equal to the required permit fee, with the minimum investigation fee equal to the minimum fee in the city fee schedule.

Payment note

Plan check fees are collected before permit issuance. The application form states the application fee is non-refundable and due in full when the application is submitted. The municipal code allows refund of up to 80% of permit fees when no work has been done, and up to 80% of plan review fees if the application is withdrawn before review, if requested in writing within 180 days of payment.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• The city does not appear to publish a separate Desert Hot Springs-specific exempt-work list on its website.
• Because Desert Hot Springs adopts the California Building Code administrative chapter except where amended, standard California Building Code Section 105.2 exemptions appear to control unless a local amendment applies.
• Common CBC exemptions typically include small one-story detached accessory structures not over 120 square feet, certain fences not over 7 feet high, certain retaining walls not over 4 feet measured from bottom of footing to top of wall unless supporting surcharge or impounding certain liquids, some finish work such as painting/papering/cabinets/countertops, and certain minor repair work.

Important: Even if building-permit-exempt, the city warns that Planning approval may still be required to confirm zoning compliance. Trade, energy, fire, floodplain, accessibility, grading, or other code triggers may still apply depending on the project scope.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• https://deserthotspringsca.portal.opengov.com/ (online)
• (760) 329-6411 ext. 244 (phone)
• inspection@cityofdhs.org (email)

Scheduling deadline

Inspection requests must be received no later than 2:00 PM for next-day inspections. Requests received on Thursday by 2:00 PM are inspected the following Monday; requests received after 2:00 PM on Thursday and during the weekend are inspected the following Tuesday. City Hall hours posted elsewhere on the city site are Monday-Thursday, 7:00 AM-6:00 PM, Friday-Sunday closed.

Typical inspection sequence: Varies by project scope. Based on city checklists and adopted code requirements, applicants should expect inspections tied to footing/foundation, rough framing and rough trade work, insulation/lath-gypsum where applicable, and final inspection; specialty work may require additional inspections.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Applications submitted on or after January 1, 2023 must comply with the 2022 California Building Standards Code. The city publishes local administrative amendments in Desert Hot Springs Municipal Code Title 15.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• https://www.cityofdhs.org/building-and-safety/
• https://www.cityofdhs.org/building-permit-requirements/
• https://ecode360.com/43989169
• https://ecode360.com/43989206
• https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/f1aa5db9f611409990d40f06e6223172
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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