Chino Hills, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Handles building permit intake, plan review, permit issuance, and inspections for projects within the incorporated City of Chino Hills. Separate permits or approvals may also be required from outside agencies, especially Chino Valley Fire District for fire-code scope and other utility or county/state agencies depending on the project.

Department

City of Chino Hills Community Development Department, Building & Safety Division

Address

14000 City Center Drive, Chino Hills, CA 91709

Phone

909-364-2780

Email

communitydevelopment@chinohills.org

Website

https://www.chinohills.org/122/Building-Safety

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm whether the work needs a permit by reviewing the City's "When is a permit required?" page and exempt-work handout.
2. Gather the correct application and supporting materials from the City's permit applications and handouts page. The standard Building Permit Application is used for projects that do not have a more specific form.
3. Create a Virtual Development Services account and submit the application online through the portal.
4. Upload plans and documents requested for the project type. The Building & Safety Division provides digital plan review and digital permit issuance.
5. Respond to plan-check corrections if the City requests revisions.
6. After approval, pay permit fees through the portal or other City payment instructions.
7. Request inspections through the same portal as work progresses and obtain final inspection approval before occupancy or project closeout.

Source: City of Chino Hills Community Development Department, Building & Safety Division

General Requirements

Chino Hills states the online portal is used for all building permit applications, and its Building & Safety Division oversees residential, commercial, and other construction to ensure compliance with adopted codes. Use the City's "When is a permit required?" page and exempt-work handout to screen scope before applying.

Required Documents

• At minimum, the standard Building Permit Application asks for project address, APN, tract/lot/block, project valuation, scope of work, owner information, applicant information if different from owner, and contractor information including contractor license number, workers' compensation information, and City business license number. Plans and project-specific forms/checklists are required where applicable

Permit validity

Not clearly stated on the public Chino Hills Building & Safety pages reviewed; confirm permit expiration and extension rules with Building & Safety at permit issuance.

Building code

Ordinance No. 427 adopts the 2025 California Building Code Volumes 1 and 2, 2025 California Electrical Code, 2025 California Mechanical Code, 2025 California Plumbing Code, 2025 California Residential Code, 2025 California Energy Code, and 2025 California Green Building Standards Code.

Owner-builder

The public application packet reviewed includes owner information and a homeowner smoke alarm/carbon monoxide alarm verification statement, but no separate city-specific owner-builder rule summary was located on the public pages reviewed.

Contractor requirements

The standard application requires contractor license number, classification, workers' compensation information, and City business license number. Contractors should be prepared to provide current licensing information with the permit application.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

No single general minimum building permit fee was clearly stated in the posted fee schedule. Many minor permits have flat listed fees; for example, reroof is $302 and a residential HVAC changeout split-system permit is $96.

Plan check fee

The posted fee schedule does not clearly publish one standalone general plan-check percentage on the excerpt reviewed, but it does list a Plan Check Re-Submittal fee of $538 after three reviews and state-law percentage add-ons tied to permit and plan-check fees.

Permit fee formula

New construction, additions, tenant improvements, and conversions are valuation-based under the City's fee tables; many common permit types are charged as flat fees.

Reinspection fee

Re-Inspection Fee $336; Investigation Fee for Missed Inspection Steps $269 minimum; started work without a permit triggers an additional surcharge of 50% of the base permit fee; after-hours inspection fee $807 minimum.

Penalty (no permit)

Re-Inspection Fee $336; Investigation Fee for Missed Inspection Steps $269 minimum; started work without a permit triggers an additional surcharge of 50% of the base permit fee; after-hours inspection fee $807 minimum.

Payment note

A 3.75% convenience fee is charged on all credit/debit card transactions paid to the City, and a $1.95 process fee is charged on e-check payments through the VDS online portal.

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 if not over 120 square feet and not over 10 feet in height, subject to setback rules
• Fences not over 6 feet high
• Oil derricks
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding certain liquids
• Water tanks supported directly on grade if capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the height-to-diameter or width ratio does not exceed 2 to 1
• Sidewalks and driveways 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
• Certain above-ground prefabricated swimming pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancy that are less than 24 inches deep and do not exceed 5,000 gallons
• Shade cloth structures for nursery or agricultural purposes, excluding service systems
• Swings, playground equipment, certain window awnings, movable fixtures and partitions, certain flagpoles, qualifying tree houses, and decks or raised platforms not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade

Important: Chino Hills states separate plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits may still be required for otherwise exempt items, and exemption from permit requirements does not authorize work that violates other laws or ordinances.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Building inspections are requested online through the Virtual Development Services portal (online)
• 909-364-2780 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

The City allows inspection requests for a future date or next-day inspections. Next-day requests must be received by 2:00 p.m.; requests received after 2:00 p.m. are scheduled for the following business day after next.

Typical inspection sequence: The City does not post one universal sequence on the main Building & Safety page reviewed; sequence depends on project scope, but applicants should expect inspections during construction and a final inspection before project completion or occupancy.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Ordinance No. 427 adopts the 2025 California Building Code Volumes 1 and 2, 2025 California Electrical Code, 2025 California Mechanical Code, 2025 California Plumbing Code, 2025 California Residential Code, 2025 California Energy Code, and 2025 California Green Building Standards Code.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Development Code
• GIS Maps and Zoning Map access
• Municipal Code
• Building code adoption ordinance
• Work exempt from permit handout
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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