Santa Clarita 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 Santa Clarita; sources are listed at the end.

Building permits for homes inside the City of Santa Clarita come from the city’s Building & Safety Division, which provides plan review and inspection services. Permits are handled at the Permit Center in City Hall, Suite 140, and through the city’s online eService system.

Santa Clarita building permits at a glance

Who issues building permits in Santa Clarita?

Inside Santa Clarita city limits, the city’s Building & Safety Division issues permits. Unincorporated areas near the city, such as parts of the Santa Clarita Valley, are handled by Los Angeles County, so confirm the jurisdiction first.

How do I get a building permit in Santa Clarita?

The city’s Permit Center page, Plan Review Information page and Forms, Applications, and Fees page cover the process, and the eService system accepts submissions online.

1. Confirm the jurisdiction and zoning of the lot.
2. Get the right forms from the Forms, Applications, and Fees page.
3. Schedule inspections with the inspection line as the work proceeds.
4. Make sure the permit is finaled after the last inspection.

How do I check the permit history on a Santa Clarita house?

Ask the Building & Safety Division what permit records the city holds for the address, and look at what eService shows. Look 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 Santa Clarita 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. 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. If the house has been cited, see our Santa Clarita code enforcement guide.

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

1. Ask the city what the permit records show.
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 Santa Clarita houses as they are. See how we buy houses in Santa Clarita, 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.

How Santa Clarita plan review works

The city’s Plan Review Information page explains what Building and Safety expects before a permit can be issued. Detailed construction plans are required for most projects and must show the location, nature and extent of the work and how it complies with the building codes.

For most project types the plans must be prepared by a California licensed architect or engineer. Smaller projects that need no more than about 30 minutes of review can typically be handled over the counter, and the page says over-the-counter review is available during morning counter hours only.

Clearances from all applicable agencies must be obtained before Building and Safety can issue the permit.

Faster review, and what it costs

Plan review for projects over $100,000 in valuation may be expedited. The city says the expedited turnaround is half the current turnaround for projects of similar scope, and the fee is an additional 50% of the plan review fee.

Solar energy systems and electric vehicle charging systems are expedited at no additional cost. The page also warns that submitting incomplete, inaccurate or non-compliant plans could result in additional plan review fees, which is a reason to confirm the submittal list before you apply rather than after a rejection.

Inspections and the final

Once a permit is issued, city building inspectors perform the inspections needed to confirm the work, and the city’s inspection request hotline is (661) 286-4097. The final inspection is what closes a permit. For work that creates or changes living space, the city also publishes a Certificates of Occupancy page, which is worth reading if your project added space or changed the use of a room.

What buyers and their agents ask about permits

• Was the work permitted, and is there a final inspection on record?
• Were the plans prepared by a licensed professional where required?
• Were any agency clearances (school, sewer, planning) part of the permit?
• Is anything still open, expired or waiting on a correction?

If the answer to any of these is no or unknown, you have a choice: close the permit, sell with a price credit, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who accounts for the risk. Our California guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains how disclosure works for each route.

Santa Clarita building permits FAQ

Can I sell a house in Santa Clarita 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 is the Santa Clarita Permit Center?

At City Hall, Suite 140.

How do I schedule an inspection in Santa Clarita?

Call (661) 286-4097 before 2:30 p.m. one working day before the inspection.

How do I sell a house in Santa Clarita 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.

Can small Santa Clarita projects be reviewed the same day?

The city says projects needing no more than about 30 minutes of review can typically be handled over the counter, during morning counter hours only.

Does Santa Clarita offer expedited plan review?

Yes, for projects over $100,000 in valuation, at an additional 50% of the plan review fee. Solar and EV charging systems are expedited at no additional cost.

Sources

• City of Santa Clarita: Building & Safety
• City of Santa Clarita: Permit Center
• City of Santa Clarita: Plan Review Information
• City of Santa Clarita: Forms, Applications, and Fees
• City of Santa Clarita: eService

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