Before starting any residential or commercial construction project in Orange County, California, you’ll need to follow local building permit requirements. Whether you’re remodeling a kitchen in Irvine or constructing a multi-family building in Anaheim, permits are required for most structural, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work.
This guide walks through all Orange County building permit requirements, such as what projects need a permit, how much it costs, and how to apply online through the Orange County Permit Portal.
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What requires a building permit in Orange County?
The Orange County Building Department requires permits for most construction, renovation, or repair work that affects structure, safety, or utilities.
That includes:
- New buildings and additions: New houses, ADUs, garages, carports, major decks, covered patios, new rooms, second stories, attached or detached accessory buildings
- Structural changes: Moving or removing load-bearing walls, adding beams/headers, changing roof structure, new foundations or underpinning, cutting new exterior doors/windows in bearing walls
- Conversions of space: Turning garages, attics, basements, porches, or accessory structures into habitable space (bedroom, office, ADU, etc.)
- Most roof and siding work: Full reroofs, large roof repairs, or replacement of exterior wall coverings where sheathing/structure is exposed or replaced
- Window / exterior door changes: New openings, resizing, or replacements that affect egress, safety glazing, or framing (typical Orange County practice is to require permits for most window/door changes, especially if size or type changes)
- Pools, spas, and hot tubs: In-ground pools and spas, and most permanently installed above-ground units when water depth is 24 in or more, including required barriers and related electrical
- Retaining walls with structural impact: Retaining walls over 4 ft in height (measured from bottom of footing to top) or any wall supporting a surcharge (slopes, driveways, buildings)
- Most electrical, plumbing, and mechanical system work: New or upgraded service panels, new circuits, rewiring, new or relocated plumbing lines/fixtures, water heaters, gas piping, new or replacement furnaces, condensers, heat pumps, or duct systems (even when no building permit is needed for the structure, separate trade permits are typically required)
- Demolition and major repair: Demolition of buildings/garages, substantial fire or dry-rot repairs, or any repair that affects structural members or life-safety systems
What doesn’t require a building permit in Orange County, CA?
Certain small-scale improvements don’t need permits:
- Small one-story accessory structures: Sheds, playhouses, and similar detached structures with floor area <120 sq ft, no plumbing, and no complex electrical or mechanical
- Fences up to about 7 ft high: Many fences at or below 7 ft do not need a building permit, though height, location, and corner visibility are still controlled by zoning; taller fences or special conditions can trigger a permit
- Short retaining walls without surcharge: Retaining walls <4 ft (bottom of footing to top of wall) that do not support a surcharge and do not retain hazardous liquids
- Cosmetic interior work: Painting, wallpaper, flooring, tile, trim, cabinets/countertops in the same locations, and similar finish work that does not alter structure, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems
- Very low, small decks and platforms: Decks and platforms <200 sq ft, <30 in above grade, not attached to a dwelling, and not serving the required exit door
- Shallow prefabricated pools and play equipment: Pre-fab pools less than 24 in deep and typical residential play structures (swingsets, slides, small playhouses that fall under the small-accessory rule)
- Small awnings: Window awnings supported by an exterior wall, projecting <54 in and not requiring additional supports
Orange County building permit cost
Orange County building permit fees are based on project valuation, square footage, use type, and inspection scope. You can also expect plan check, impact, and technology fees on top of the base permit.
Note: Every permit also has a $45 issuance charge (on top of the fees below).
Valuation-based fees:
Residential building permit fees
Commercial / non-residential building permit fees
For full details on building permit fees, review the Development Services fee schedule.
How long do building permits last in Orange County?
Building permits in Orange County are typically valid for 180 days from the date of issuance. If construction does not begin within that timeframe, the permit may expire unless extended. For active projects with ongoing inspections, extensions are available by request.
Orange County trade permits
Plumbing permits
Plumbing permits are required for any installation, alteration, or replacement of piping, water heaters, sewer lines, and more.
Electrical permits
Covers panel changes, wiring, service upgrades, lighting, and EV charger installations.
HVAC permits
Applies to all heating, air conditioning, and mechanical ventilation systems.
Special permits
Special permits are often required for standalone or exterior improvement work.
To learn more about other trade permit fees, visit the Development Services fees page.
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How to get a building permit in Orange County
Step 1: Prepare your plans and documents
Orange County requires a building permit before construction starts or before a change in occupancy, and plans are required for permit issuance. Your plans are reviewed for county codes (building/plumbing/mechanical/electrical) and state rules such as energy, green Building, and accessibility standards.
Before you upload, gather scaled PDF drawings and related docs such as:
- Site plan (show distances to property lines)
- Foundation plan + details (footings, rebar, slab, attachment to existing)
- Floor plans (existing + proposed, room use, door/window sizes, dimensions)
- Roof plan (slopes, vents, flashing, drainage, materials)
- Exterior elevations (heights, finishes, openings)
- Building sections (show relationship + attachment to existing)
- Structural info + details (member sizes, beams, details)
- Engineer structural calculations (stamped + signed)
- Energy compliance forms
- Soil report (less than 6 months old)
- ESCP, WQMP/BMP (if required)
Step 2: Apply online through the OC Permit Portal
Go to myOCeServices and create your account. After that, sign in and start your Orange County building permit application by clicking “Apply for…”, then choose “Permit Applications.” From there, you’ll pick the option that matches your scope of work (what you plan to build or change).
Notes for this stage:
- If you get stuck in the portal or you’re not sure which option to choose, you can ask for help:
- privateproperty@ocpw.ocgov.com: private property projects in Unincorporated Orange County
- encroachment@ocpw.ocgov.com: public projects in the County right-of-way (ROW), Flood Control channels, or transportation permits in County ROW
- You can also call 714-667-8888, or submit a question directly inside the MyOCeServices portal (look for the online inquiry/help option)
Step 3: Outside agency clearances (do this early)
After you submit, you may need to contact outside agencies for approvals/clearances (for example, Fire Authority, Health Care Agency, Sanitation District, etc.). If you wait on these, the permit can stall, so try to start these calls early.
Step 4: Pay final permit fees and receive your permit
You’ll pay plan check fees after submission.
Step 5: Plan review and corrections
A plan checker acts as the Project Manager and can help guide you through clearances and permit issuance.
Typical review timelines:
- First plan check: 15 business days
- Re-check after you resubmit: 10 business days
If corrections are required, the County uploads a digital copy of plans + a correction list to the portal, and you must update the plans and resubmit.
Step 6: Permit issuance
For permit issuance, the County lists these items:
- Workers’ compensation insurance
- California licensed contractor ID
- Permit can also be issued as owner-builder
Step 7: Inspections and final sign-off
You can schedule inspections online or contact Inspection Services:
- General building inspection: (714) 667-8820
- Grading/Subdivision/Encroachment: (714) 245-4550
After final inspections and after you meet the conditions of approval and clearances, the Inspection Office issues the Certificate of Use & Occupancy.
Orange County permitting resources
- Orange County Development Services
- Address: 601 North Ross Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701
- Phone: (714) 480-2788
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Building permit information
- MyOCeServices Permit Portal
- Applications and forms
- Development services fees
- Permit FAQs
- Inspection services
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Permitting in Orange County means coordinating across 34 independent municipal systems. Anaheim doesn’t operate like Irvine, and Santa Ana follows different processes than Huntington Beach. Each city runs its own building department with unique forms, requirements, and review timelines, which turns permit management into a time-consuming burden.
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- Local permitting expertise: Our team understands requirements across all 34 cities and county areas, helping applications move forward without unnecessary friction.
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