Ontario, CA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

City of Ontario building permits within the city limits in San Bernardino County; related reviews may also involve Planning, Engineering, Fire, and OMUC depending on project scope.

Department

City of Ontario Building Department

Address

303 East B Street, Ontario, CA 91764

Phone

(909) 395-2023

Email

BuildingCounter@ontarioca.gov

Website

https://www.ontarioca.gov/government/community-development/building

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Create a Citizen Portal Access account, start a building application, choose the permit type, and upload plans/supporting documents as PDFs. Paper plan submittals are not accepted.
2. After submittal, Ontario sends a confirmation email with a pre-application number. Staff states it will review for minimum filing requirements and provide comments within about 2 regular business days.
3. When minimum filing requirements are met, the city emails the plan review fees due. Pay online by credit card or e-check through the payment portal.
4. Track status online. Ontario states first review plan checks are typically completed in about 5 weeks and later review cycles in about 4 weeks. If corrections are issued, upload a complete revised plan set and response list through the portal.
5. After approval, visit the Building Department at 303 East B Street to obtain an inspection card. The city emails the stamped digital plans, and the applicant is responsible for printing the field set.

Typical processing time: Minimum filing review about 2 regular business days after confirmation; first plan check about 5 weeks; subsequent reviews about 4 weeks.

Source: City of Ontario Building Department

General Requirements

Ontario requires a written construction permit before erection, construction, reconstruction, installation, moving, or alteration of a building or structure, subject to exempt work under adopted code Section 105.2 and minor repairs as determined by the enforcing agency. City FAQs also confirm permits are required for examples such as retaining walls over 2 feet high, fences/walls over 3 feet high, and replacement of a gas water heater in a single-family dwelling.

Required Documents

• Building permit application
• project information
• PDF plan set
• separate supporting PDFs as applicable such as soils reports, structural calculations, and other studies
• sealed/signed sheets by the designer of record where required. On resubmittal, Ontario requires a complete revised plan set plus a separate response list

Permit validity

Plan check expires 12 months after the plan check fee is paid. A permit expires if work does not start within 6 months of issuance, or if work starts and then stops for more than 6 months.

Building code

City materials reference enforcement of the 2022 California Building, Residential, Existing Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy, Fire, and Green Building Standards codes, as amended by the Ontario Municipal Code.

Owner-builder

A homeowner may obtain the permit and perform construction, alteration, or repair on the house and accessory buildings/facilities if the owner resides or will reside in the dwelling.

Contractor requirements

The city permit application requires contractor name, license number, and class. If changing contractors after permit issuance, Ontario generally requires a relinquishment letter from the original contractor or a new permit process; owner-builder conversion rules are addressed in the city FAQ.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

The Building Department fees page states the minimum fee for any permit is $47.50; the citywide fee schedule also shows valuation-based building permit base fees starting at $25 plus additional line-item charges, so applicants should confirm the exact total with the city.

Plan check fee

Building plan check fee is 80% of the permit fee; track/duplicate building plan check is 40%; expedited plan check adds 10% to 50% depending on project valuation tier.

Permit fee formula

Primarily valuation-based for standard building permits, with flat fees for some miscellaneous permit types and separate trade permit schedules.

Trade permit fee

Primarily valuation-based for standard building permits, with flat fees for some miscellaneous permit types and separate trade permit schedules.

Reinspection fee

Reinspection fees are listed separately by trade in the citywide fee schedule, including electrical reinspection $129.70/hour, mechanical reinspection $185.20/hour, and plumbing reinspection $124.00/hour. Additional extension requests after the first approved extension are also charged.

Payment note

At submittal, Ontario collects only the plan review fee. The city instructs applicants to pay through the online payment portal by credit card or e-check. The Building Department says posted fees are estimates and applicants should contact permit technicians for exact issuance amounts.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Work exempt from permits under the city-adopted code Section 105.2 and minor repairs as determined by the enforcing agency
• City FAQ examples of work not requiring a permit include replacement of a residential garbage disposer
• City FAQ examples of work not requiring a permit include installation of a domestic cooking range, broiler unit, or domestic-type clothes dryer in a single-family dwelling
• City FAQ examples of work not requiring a permit include portable ventilating, comfort-cooling, or evaporative cooler equipment
• City FAQ examples of work not requiring a permit include gas piping less than 6 feet in length between an existing gas outlet and a gas appliance in the same room

Important: Ontario does not appear to publish a single complete local webpage listing all permit exemptions; broader exemptions flow from the adopted California code, and exemption does not authorize work that violates zoning, fire, utility, or other code requirements.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Online through the city permit portal (online)
• (909) 395-2362 (phone)
• (909) 395-2023 (phone)

Inspection hours

The Building Department public counter hours are Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m..

Time windows

The city website references a daily inspection schedule, but a public inspection-window schedule was not clearly published in the sources reviewed.

Typical inspection sequence: Inspections occur at critical stages in sequence. The city FAQ lists common inspections such as foundation excavation, concrete, wood framing, ventilation equipment, plumbing, electrical, shear wall nailing, roof nailing, and final inspection.

Additional Resources

• Building code: City materials reference enforcement of the 2022 California Building, Residential, Existing Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy, Fire, and Green Building Standards codes, as amended by the Ontario Municipal Code.
• Verify contractor license: CSLB License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• https://www.ontarioca.gov/government/community-development/building/building-permits-and-plans
• https://www.ontarioca.gov/government/community-development/building/general-requirements/building-permit-faqs
• https://www.ontarioca.gov/government/community-development/building/building-department-fees
• https://www.ontarioca.gov/government/community-development
• License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement

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