Chino, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Handles building permits for properties within the incorporated City of Chino. Properties in unincorporated San Bernardino County are handled by San Bernardino County, not the City of Chino.

Department

City of Chino Development Services Department, Building Division

Address

13220 Central Avenue, Chino, CA 91710

Phone

909-334-3251

Email

developmentservices@cityofchino.org

Website

https://www.cityofchino.org/178/Building

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Register for an Accela Citizen Access account or sign in to an existing account.
2. Start the correct building permit or plan check record in the City of Chino ACA portal and enter project, applicant, and contractor or owner-builder information.
3. Upload plans and supporting documents as separate PDF files. The city instructs applicants to upload plans, Title 24 documents, structural calculations, soils reports, and other supporting items as separate files.
4. Wait for the city to review the submittal for completeness and issue an invoice. The online guide says the city generally emails payment instructions within 3 to 5 business days after submittal, and plan check does not start until the invoice is paid.
5. Pay plan check or permit fees through the portal, respond to corrections through the portal if required, then download the issued permit and job card and keep the job card at the job site for inspections.
6. For larger new residential or commercial projects, the Building Division FAQ says the first plan check review typically takes 4 to 5 weeks, with later reviews commonly taking 1 to 2 weeks, assuming complete submittals and no referral issues.

Typical processing time: 3 to 5 business days for initial invoicing/payment instructions after online submittal; for new residential or commercial work, about 4 to 5 weeks for first review and 1 to 2 weeks for subsequent reviews.

Source: City of Chino Development Services Department, Building Division

General Requirements

The Building Division states there are very few areas of new construction or repair that do not require permits, and that the California codes generally require permits unless a listed exception applies. The city advises applicants to confirm specific scope with the Building Division.

Required Documents

• Building permit application
• project description and valuation
• applicant and owner information
• contractor license information or owner-builder declaration
• workers' compensation declaration
• and project plans/supporting documents uploaded as separate PDFs. Depending on project type, the city may require Title 24 energy documents, structural calculations, soils reports, approval letters, and other supporting materials

Permit validity

The Building Division FAQ says a permit expires 180 days after issuance, or 180 days after work is suspended or abandoned. The city also states one 180-day extension may be granted by the Building Official at no cost if requested before expiration. The permit application form separately states the application and subsequent approval expire within 180 days from the submittal date of the application or approval.

Building code

The Building Division page states the City of Chino has adopted the 2025 Edition of the California Building Code with local amendments in Chapter 15 of the Chino Municipal Code.

Owner-builder

The permit application includes an owner-builder declaration. Owners may claim the exemption if they do the work themselves or through employees and the structure is not intended or offered for sale, or if they contract with licensed contractors. The form warns that, except for a qualifying personal residence, an owner-builder generally cannot legally sell a structure built as owner-builder if it was not constructed entirely by licensed contractors.

Contractor requirements

The permit application requires the permit to be issued in the name of the licensed contractor or property owner as permit holder of record. The online permit guide says contractor information must be entered in ACA and, if no contractor record is found, a City contractor business license may need to be obtained or the contractor information added to the Building Division database. The City of Chino business license page also says anyone conducting business in Chino, including contractors, must obtain a City business license.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$25.00 for building permits for valuation from $1 to $1,000.

Plan check fee

Building plan check is 75% of the building permit fee.

Permit fee formula

Building permits are valuation-based. The fee schedule sets tiered charges by total project valuation, then adds other applicable charges such as technology, school, strong-motion, and discipline-specific permit fees.

Reinspection fee

Reinspection fee is $246.00 per hour with a two-hour minimum, or the jurisdiction's total hourly cost if greater. Additional plan review caused by changes, additions, or revisions to approved plans is $164.00 per hour with a one-hour minimum.

Payment note

The ACA guide says payment instructions are sent after submittal review, outstanding fees can be paid through the portal, and plan check will not start until invoiced fees are paid. The guide notes that various payment options are presented in the portal during checkout, but the city materials reviewed did not state a separate convenience fee.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Painting
• Wallpapering
• Carpet installation
• Tile work
• Repairing leaky plumbing faucets
• Maintenance of mechanical equipment

Important: The city says these are only examples and that very few construction or repair activities are exempt. The Building Division advises applicants to confirm permit exemptions with staff before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Online inspection request form (online)
• 909-334-3252 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

Inspections are conducted Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Requests submitted before 3:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day.

Typical inspection sequence: The city materials reviewed do not publish a universal inspection sequence on the public pages reviewed. In practice, inspections follow the approved permit scope and must occur while work is accessible; applicants should keep the permit and job card on site and follow the inspection stages assigned to the permit record.

Additional Resources

• Building code: The Building Division page states the City of Chino has adopted the 2025 Edition of the California Building Code with local amendments in Chapter 15 of the Chino Municipal Code.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• https://www.cityofchino.org/180/Building-Applications-Forms
• https://www.cityofchino.org/201/Maps
• https://www.cityofchino.org/584/Development-Services-Permitting-Process
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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