Pasadena Building Permits Guide for Homeowners and Sellers

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team. Information comes from the City of Pasadena Planning & Community Development Department; sources are listed at the end.

Building permits for homes inside the City of Pasadena come from the Permit Center of the Planning & Community Development Department. The city runs a Permit Center Online where you can submit applications and search for a permit, which is the quickest way to see whether past work on a house was permitted before you sell.

Pasadena building permits at a glance

Who issues building permits in Pasadena?

Inside Pasadena city limits, the Planning & Community Development Department issues building permits, and its Building and Safety Division enforces the city’s zoning, housing and environmental codes. Homes in nearby cities or unincorporated county areas are permitted by those agencies, and a Pasadena mailing address does not always mean the home is inside the city, so confirm the jurisdiction first.

How do I get a building permit in Pasadena?

Use the Permit Center Online to submit an application for the type of work you plan. Check the zoning code and map first, since the city notes that zoning permits are inspected by a code compliance officer to ensure zoning compliance.

1. Confirm the jurisdiction and the zoning of the lot.
2. Apply through Permit Center Online for the right permit type.
3. Schedule inspections as the work proceeds.
4. Make sure the permit is finaled after the last inspection.

How do I look up the permit history on a Pasadena house?

The city’s Apply for Permit page includes a way to search for a permit. Read the history for permits opened and never finalized, work you know was done that has no permit, and permits with a completed final inspection. A permit without a final is an open permit, and it is the one buyers and their lenders ask about.

What happens to permit problems when you sell a Pasadena house?

In California, sellers generally have to disclose known problems on the transfer disclosure statement, including work known to have been done without a permit. Pasadena also has a Presale Self-Certification Program, which requires that the property have no open code compliance cases; see our Pasadena code enforcement guide.

On a traditional listing the usual choices are to finish the open permit, apply after the fact, cut the price, or let the buyer take on the problem.

Which work needs a permit in Pasadena

The city’s Apply for Permit page says most construction projects need a building permit. Projects that need plan review include new structures, room additions, remodeling and tenant improvements. It also lists subtrade permits, such as upgrading electrical service or replacing a water heater, as permits homeowners may need.

Smaller items fall under zoning permits, which the city describes as covering fences up to 6 feet high, retaining walls up to 4 feet high measured from the footing, driveways and other paving in residential zones, and detached sheds and similar structures up to 120 square feet in residential zones. Zoning permits are inspected by a code compliance officer.

When you go back through a house’s history, check each of those categories. A fence, a patio slab or a shed can be as much a permit question as an addition.

How plan review and inspections work

New construction, ADUs, tenant improvements, additions and commercial solar must be submitted online through Pasadena’s Citizen Self Service portal. Other permits can be applied for in person at the Permit Center at 175 North Garfield Avenue.

If a project needs plans, the city asks for three hard copies and an electronic copy, and it says the review process does not start until the submittal is complete.

Simple projects that meet over-the-counter thresholds can be reviewed in as little as 5 to 10 minutes, while complex plans take roughly two to four weeks, and projects average about three plan submissions: the first and two revisions.

During construction, inspections are scheduled through Permit Center Online or by calling the building inspector at each stage. A final inspection is required before a certificate of occupancy can be issued, and the inspection card issued with the permit must be posted on the job site. For a seller, the practical point is that a permit without a recorded final is the one a buyer’s agent will find first.

The Certificate of Occupancy for sale of a home

Pasadena lists a Certificate of Occupancy for the sale of a home among its non-construction permits. The city says no fee is charged for the certificate itself, but any outstanding inspection or permit fees are collected before it is issued. If your sale involves a certificate or a Presale Certificate, read our Pasadena code enforcement guide for the presale program, which has its own fees and steps.

Contacts for permit questions

• Building and Safety Division: (626) 744-4200.
• Electronic permit applications through Citizen Self Service: ePermitting@cityofpasadena.net.
• Other building permit application questions: Permit_Center_Manager@cityofpasadena.net.

How permit problems surface during escrow

Buyers usually learn about permit gaps from their own inspection, from the lender’s appraisal, or from the city’s online records. California Civil Code section 1102.1 says delivery of the transfer disclosure statement cannot be waived in an as-is sale and that your duty to disclose material facts remains.

If the disclosure reaches the buyer after the offer, section 1102.3 gives the buyer three days to cancel after in-person delivery or five days after mailing or agreed electronic delivery. See our statewide as-is and unpermitted work guide for the details.

Your options with an open permit or unpermitted work

• Finish and final it. Cleanest for a traditional sale, but you pay for plan review, permit fees and any corrections.
• Apply after the fact. Expect plan submittals and possible revisions, and ask the Permit Center what it would require.
• Sell with a price credit. Disclose the issue and let the buyer decide how to resolve it.
• Sell as-is to a cash buyer. The buyer prices the risk and there is no lender appraisal to stall the sale.

How to sell a house in Pasadena with unpermitted work or open permits

1. Pull the permit history first.
2. Write down what you know: who did the work, when, and whether you have receipts or plans.
3. Compare your options: fix it, sell with a price credit, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who prices the risk in.
4. Disclose honestly. A cash offer removes the repair and inspection steps that cause delays.

We buy Pasadena houses as they are. See how we buy houses in Pasadena, our cash home buyer page, and the Los Angeles County property tax guide.

Not sure what your permit history means for a sale? Call (424) 435-2326 or request a cash offer. There is no cost and no obligation.

Pasadena building permits FAQ

Can I sell a house in Pasadena with an open permit?

Yes. An open permit does not legally stop a sale, but it can slow a traditional one because buyers and lenders ask for it to be finalized. A cash buyer can purchase the house with the permit still open.

Where do I apply for a building permit in Pasadena?

Through the Permit Center Online of the Planning & Community Development Department, which accepts applications for new construction, additions, ADUs and more.

Does Pasadena inspect zoning permits?

Yes. The city says a zoning permit is subject to inspection by a code compliance officer to ensure compliance with zoning regulations.

How do I sell a house in Pasadena with unpermitted additions?

Disclose the work, then choose between permitting it, discounting the price, or selling as-is to a cash buyer who accounts for the risk in the offer.

Does Pasadena require plans on paper?

If a project needs plans, the city asks for three hard copies and an electronic copy, and says review begins only after the submittal is complete. Larger projects such as new construction and ADUs are submitted online.

How long does Pasadena plan review take?

The city says simple projects can be reviewed over the counter in as little as 5 to 10 minutes, while complex plans take roughly two to four weeks and average about three submissions.

Is a shed or fence project a permit matter in Pasadena?

It can be. The city lists zoning permits for fences up to 6 feet, retaining walls up to 4 feet, residential paving, and detached sheds up to 120 square feet.

Sources

• City of Pasadena: Permit Center
• City of Pasadena: Permit Center Online
• City of Pasadena: Apply for Permit
• City of Pasadena: Building and Safety Division

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with the City of Pasadena.