Rolling Hills Estates Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Rolling Hills Estates is a contract city that uses Willdan for building and safety services, and it runs permits through an electronic process that starts with an email to the planning office. This guide explains the steps a homeowner follows, which projects need permits, how inspections are requested, and what permit history means if you plan to sell.

Rolling Hills Estates permits at a glance

Department	Community Development Department (Planning and Building and Safety), 4045 Palos Verdes Drive North, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
Building and Safety provider	Willdan, under contract to the city
Phone	310-377-1577, ext. 105 for general building and safety questions and appointments
Email	planning@rollinghillsestates.gov for inquiries and electronic submittal of plans
Hours	Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Inspection requests	Phone or text 562-727-1848; at least 24 hours in advance
Fee schedule	Updated fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 (Resolution No. 2637)

When you need a building permit in Rolling Hills Estates

The city’s Building and Safety page lists the work that needs a permit: new construction, additions, alterations and demolitions; accessory dwelling units; small additions; interior remodels; tenant improvements; electrical, plumbing, mechanical and sewer work; new or replacement windows and doors; solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage; electrical panel upgrades on properties with an overhead service line; EV chargers; and roof covering and repairs.

Because the city also has HOA and zoning layers, even a small project may need approval from more than one office before a building permit is issued.

Step by step: the Rolling Hills Estates electronic process

1. Choose your form and email it

Pick the form that matches your project from the city’s list and email the form with the required plans and documents to planning@rollinghillsestates.gov. For ADUs, the city asks for fully dimensioned plans, including a site plan showing existing and proposed lot coverage, building elevations and a floor plan, a completed project statistics form, and one set of plans signed by the HOA and adjacent neighbors.

2. Get HOA review if required

If your property is in a homeowners association, obtain its review and submit the reviewed form along with the Minor Work Zone Clearance form.

3. Hold a current business license

The process requires a current business license, which is usually the contractor’s. Confirm your contractor’s license is active before you start.

4. Planning approval, then Building and Safety

Once Planning approves the project, the application materials are forwarded to the Building and Safety contact at Willdan. The city’s page does not state a plan check timeframe, so ask when you submit.

5. Pay fees and receive the permit

Building and Safety confirms permit fees by email. Pay by check made out to the City of Rolling Hills Estates with the project address in the memo line, either in person, by mail, or by calling for a credit or debit card payment. The permit is issued electronically once payment is received.

Inspections in Rolling Hills Estates

Inspection requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance. The city says same-day requests cannot be accommodated, and it recommends requesting two to three days ahead, before 3 p.m., to allow 24 business hours for a response.

Request by phone or text at 562-727-1848 and give the job address, permit number, type of inspection and requested day. Building inspections for permitted work are available Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

A next-day request can also be emailed to the Willdan inspector by 3 p.m., with inspections on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for that method.

If your project includes an energy storage system, you also schedule the fire code inspection with the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Division, separately from the building inspection with the city.

Solar, EV chargers and ADUs

Solar systems, battery storage, panel upgrades and EV chargers are each on the city’s permit list. The city is also developing an ADU program with an interactive web page and pre-approved plans, and it directs ADU questions to the Planning Department at 310-377-1577. Confirm current ADU rules with the Planning Department before you design.

Permits and selling a Rolling Hills Estates house

Permit history matters at sale time. Buyers, lenders and appraisers often ask whether additions, garage conversions and remodels were permitted, and California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work on the transfer disclosure paperwork. Our statewide guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains the disclosure rules, and the seller closing costs guide covers what else to budget for.

If your home has an open permit, an expired permit or work done without one, you generally have three paths: finish and close the permit before listing, disclose the work and accept a lower price on the open market, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who takes the house in its current condition. A checklist helps you choose:

• Ask Planning and Building and Safety for the permit history on your address.
• List any garage conversion, enclosed patio, added room or detached structure built without a permit.
• Check whether an HOA approval was part of any past project.
• Gather final inspection records and contractor invoices.
• Compare the time and cost of legalizing the work with a no-repairs cash sale.

How to sell a house in Rolling Hills Estates

1. Review which work on the property was permitted and which was not.
2. Collect permits, final inspection records and any city notices.
3. Request a no-obligation cash offer for the house as it stands.
4. Choose your closing date.
5. Close with no repairs, permit cleanup or showings required.

Our local pages cover related situations in Rolling Hills Estates, including selling as-is and selling fast.

Frequently asked questions

Who handles building and safety in Rolling Hills Estates?

The city is a contract city and uses Willdan for building and safety services, with applications coming in through the city’s planning office.

How do I apply for a permit in Rolling Hills Estates?

Email the form for your project with plans and documents to planning@rollinghillsestates.gov, obtain HOA review if required, and hold a current business license. After Planning approval the materials go to Building and Safety.

How do I pay permit fees?

Building and Safety confirms fees by email. You pay by check, in person or by mail, or call for a card payment, and the permit is issued electronically after payment.

How do I request an inspection?

Phone or text 562-727-1848 with the address, permit number, inspection type and requested day, at least 24 hours ahead. Same-day requests cannot be accommodated.

On what days are building inspections available?

The city says building inspections for permitted work are available Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Can I sell my Rolling Hills Estates house with unpermitted work?

Yes. You can disclose it and sell as-is, including to a cash buyer.

More guides

• We Buy Houses in Rolling Hills Estates
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Rolling Hills Estates: Building and Safety Division
• City of Rolling Hills Estates: Community Development
• City of Rolling Hills Estates: Planning FAQs

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.