Covina Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

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

Covina’s Building & Safety Division, part of Community Development at City Hall, 125 E. College Street, reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction for addresses inside the City of Covina. This guide explains how permits work for Covina homeowners: which jobs get an over-the-counter express permit, what you must bring, how long plan checks and permits last, how inspections are scheduled and how permit history affects a sale.

The city updates forms and processes, so confirm current details with the division before you start work.

Covina permits at a glance

Department	Building & Safety Division, Community Development, City of Covina
City Hall	125 E. College Street, Covina, CA 91723
Plan check appointments	(626) 384-5460
Inspection scheduling	Email bldinspections@covinaca.gov with the address, permit number, inspection type and your phone number; Grading and Right-of-Way inspections: (626) 384-5440
Inspection days	About 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday; none Friday to Sunday or on holidays
Request cutoff	Requests before 3:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day
Plan check validity	180 days; permits are good for 365 days after issue
Who it covers	Addresses within the City of Covina only, not West Covina or unincorporated county addresses

What the Building & Safety Division does

The city describes the division as providing plan review, inspection and investigative services to advance public safety in the built environment. It verifies building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical construction practices. Permit technicians also verify contractor licenses before issuing any permit, and the city points homeowners to the Contractor State License Board to check whether a contractor’s license is active and what type it is.

One limit matters: the division can only process applications for addresses inside the City of Covina. A home with a Covina mailing address that sits in West Covina or in unincorporated Los Angeles County has a different permitting agency, so confirm your jurisdiction first.

Express permits and plan check permits

The city issues express permits over the counter to keep simple jobs moving. It lists like-for-like re-roofs, minor mechanical, electrical and plumbing work, and like-for-like window and door changeouts as examples. Anything outside that description will likely need a full building plan check.

Two details catch people out. First, every project needs a site plan, whatever the scope of work. Second, if a mechanical or electrical unit sits outside, your site plan must show a 5-foot setback from the unit to the property line.

Some jobs need Planning approval before the Building & Safety Division will take the plans. The city lists roof material or pitch changes, landscaping, exterior modifications, added square footage, new structures, all sheds regardless of size, new pools or spas, tenant improvements with a change of use, and all walls and fences. A submittal that needs Planning approval but arrives without a planning approval clearance or stamp is rejected.

Step by step: a Covina permit

1. Decide whether Planning comes first

If your job touches the exterior, adds floor area, builds a new structure or changes a wall, fence or roof, start with Planning at (626) 384-5450. A wall or fence needs Planning approval first regardless of height, and a shared block wall also needs a Property Owners Agreement.

2. Gather your documents

For an express permit you need a completed application, a site plan and one applicant option. A homeowner brings an Owner-Builder form and ID, plus the grant deed if you have owned the property less than two years. A contractor brings a copy of the license and ID.

An agent of a contractor brings the license and a letter of authorization to pull permits. Other permits also need the project-specific handout requirements and the planning clearance, if one applies.

3. Submit and book plan check

Call (626) 384-5460 to set up a plan check appointment or ask about your submittal. The city says most steps can be done remotely, but a visit is still required for applicant verification and to pick up your job card. Check the city’s building page for whether its online permitting platform is live yet, because earlier city notices said hard copy submittals only until that system launched.

4. Clear outside approvals

Work in the public right of way, or close to the front property line where there is no sidewalk, can require an engineering encroachment permit. New buildings or added square footage will likely need a school district check before permits are issued.

5. Build and request inspections

Email bldinspections@covinaca.gov with the project address, permit number, inspection code and type, and your name and phone. Request by 3:00 p.m. for next-business-day scheduling. The daily inspection route is posted by 5 p.m. each day and is also on a recorded message at (626) 384-5460, option 2.

How long plans and permits last

The city’s FAQ says a plan check is good for 180 days. If you do not pull the permit in that time, you pay additional fees to re-activate it. A permit is good for 365 days after issue.

A permit also expires if work does not start within 180 days of issuance or if 180 days pass without passing an inspection. You can ask for one extension of up to 180 days, in writing, before the permit expires, and the Building Official approves extensions based on hardship. Reviving an expired permit requires renewal fees.

This matters when you sell. An expired permit is not a finaled permit, and a buyer’s lender or inspector may notice. Closing out or reviving an old permit before listing can be simpler than explaining it later.

Inspections and what the city calls them

The city lists several inspection types: field inspections, public grading and right-of-way inspections, landscape inspections, special inspections and tank application inspections. Landscape inspections go through Planning at (626) 384-5450 and need two business days of notice. Special inspections require registration with the City of Covina Building Department.

Inspectors can usually be reached by phone from 7:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. on business days, and messages left later may not be returned until the next business day.

Hours and noise rules to plan around

City Hall is closed Friday through Sunday and on holidays, and plan checks are not conducted then. The FAQ also says construction work or use of construction equipment is unlawful between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., at any time on Sundays and at any time on public holidays. Contractors who ignore these hours can generate complaints that lead to a code enforcement visit.

Solar and fast-track projects

The city says it was awarded a California Energy Commission CalAPP grant to implement SolarAPP+ with new permitting software, and that it accepts SolarAPP+ approved plans for qualifying projects. If you are adding solar before a sale, ask the division whether your system qualifies for that route.

Permits and selling a Covina house

Buyers and lenders ask about permit history, and California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work on the Transfer Disclosure Statement. Our statewide guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains what disclosure involves, and the seller closing costs guide shows what else to budget. If tenants live in the home, read the tenant-occupied home sale guide.

When a Covina home has an open permit, an expired one, or work done without a permit, you generally have three options: finish and finalize the permit before listing, disclose the work and negotiate on the open market, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who takes the house in its current condition. Use this checklist:

• Ask the city’s building division for the permit record on your address.
• List every addition, garage conversion, enclosed patio or outbuilding, and note which have permits.
• Gather final inspection records, plans and contractor invoices.
• Ask what plans, fees and inspections it would take to permit each unpermitted item.
• Compare that cost and time with a no-repairs cash sale. New construction can also be reassessed for property tax, which our Prop 13 guide explains.

Questions to ask the Covina building division before you start

• Does my project need Planning or Engineering approval in addition to a building permit?
• Is there an exemption that applies, and what conditions come with it?
• What plan-check deposit and fees apply, and how long will review take right now?
• What inspections will be required, and in what order?
• Can an existing unpermitted structure be legalized, and what would that involve?

Common permit mistakes homeowners make

The most common problems are starting work before the permit is issued, letting a permit expire, skipping a required inspection, and assuming a contractor pulled a permit when none exists. Each one can surface years later when a buyer’s agent, appraiser or lender asks for records.

A lapsed or never-finalized permit is easier to resolve while you still own the home and can answer questions from the city. If you are not planning to stay, decide early whether finishing the permit or selling the house as it stands makes more sense.

If you hired a contractor, ask for a copy of the permit and the final inspection record and keep them with your closing documents. A finaled permit is the clearest evidence that the work was inspected. Our capital gains guide also explains how improvement costs may matter when you sell.

How to sell a house in Covina

1. Ask the city for the permit record on your address.
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.

See also our Covina page and the Los Angeles County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Covina’s Building & Safety Division?

At City Hall, 125 E. College Street, Covina, CA 91723. Plan check questions go to (626) 384-5460.

What is an express permit in Covina?

An over-the-counter permit for simple work such as like-for-like re-roofs, minor mechanical, electrical and plumbing work, and like-for-like window and door changeouts. Every project still needs a site plan.

How long does a Covina permit last?

The city says a permit is good for 365 days after issue, plan checks are good for 180 days, and one written extension of up to 180 days is possible with approval.

How do I schedule an inspection in Covina?

Email bldinspections@covinaca.gov with the address, permit number, inspection code and type, and your contact details. Requests made before 3:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day.

Do I need Planning approval before a building permit?

For roof changes, landscaping, exterior modifications, added square footage, new structures, all sheds, new pools or spas, and all walls and fences, yes. Call Planning at (626) 384-5450.

Can I sell my Covina house with unpermitted work?

Yes. You can disclose it and sell as-is, including to a cash buyer. Our statewide guide explains the disclosure rules.

More guides

• We Buy Houses in Covina
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• Covina Code Enforcement Guide
• Covina Zoning and ADU Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Covina: Building & Safety
• City of Covina: Apply for a Permit
• City of Covina: Building & Safety FAQs
• City of Covina: Building Inspections

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