Agoura Hills Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

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

Agoura Hills’ Building & Safety staff review plans, issue building permits and inspect work from start to finish, and permit applications go through the city’s MGO Connect online portal. This guide explains where to go, the counter, plan check and inspection hours the city publishes, how the 180-day permit expiration works, what the municipal code says about work started without a permit, and how permit history affects a sale. Fees and hours change, so confirm current details with the city before you start.

Agoura Hills permits at a glance

Department	Building & Safety, Community Development Department, City of Agoura Hills
Address	30001 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Phones	City Hall (818) 597-7300; Building & Safety (818) 597-7334; Planning and Zoning (818) 597-7328
Counter hours	7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday
Cashier hours	7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday
Plan check	By appointment only: Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.; Monday and Wednesday 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Inspections	8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; call (818) 597-7334 at 7:30 a.m. on the day for a 2-hour window
Permit expiration	180 days after issuance if work has not started, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days; one written extension of up to 180 days

What Building & Safety does

The city’s Community Development page describes Building & Safety as the group that reviews plans, issues building permits and inspects work from start to finish. The city’s Permit & Development Hub links to online permits through MGO Connect, where you can apply for permits, request inspections and more.

The city’s building permits page says you set up a one-time profile that you can use for all permit and plan check applications, and then choose the application type that matches your project.

The same page states that if work requires plans and documentation, those documents must be approved before the permit is issued. The permit fee is based on the valuation of the material and labor for the scope of work, and it must be paid in full before the permit is issued and before any inspection takes place.

Counter, plan check and inspection hours

The city publishes separate hours for each function. The counter is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, and the cashier closes a half hour earlier on those days.

Plan check meetings are by appointment only, on the two windows listed above. Inspections run 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the city says to call (818) 597-7334 at 7:30 a.m. on the day of your inspection to get a two-hour time frame.

Because these windows are narrow, build them into your schedule if you are trying to close out a permit before listing a home.

Step by step: an Agoura Hills permit

1. Decide whether you need a permit

The city’s page points to Ordinance No. 19-445 for the list of work that does not require a permit, and it adds that an exemption does not authorize work that violates the building code or any other law. If you are unsure, call Building & Safety at (818) 597-7334 before you start.

2. Create a profile in MGO Connect

Use the online permitting portal to set up your one-time profile, then choose the application type for your project.

3. Submit plans if required and pass plan check

Work that needs plans must have approved plans and documentation before the permit is issued. Plan check meetings are by appointment on the days listed above.

4. Pay the permit fee

The fee is based on the valuation of the work and must be paid in full before the permit is issued.

5. Request inspections and close out the permit

Request inspections through the portal or by phone as the city directs, and keep the inspection record card posted or available on site. The city’s code lets it charge a reinspection fee when the work is not ready, when previously called-for corrections were not made, when the permit card or approved plans are not available, or when access is not provided on the requested date.

Permit expiration and extensions

Under the city’s Building Code section 8103, a permit becomes invalid unless work starts within 180 days of issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after it begins.

The building official can grant one extension of not more than 180 days, but the request must be in writing, must show justifiable cause and must be made before the permit expires.

Once a permit has expired, work cannot restart until a new permit is obtained, and a request to renew an expired permit is subject to the building official’s approval.

The city says the renewal fee is one half of the new-permit fee if the suspension or abandonment has not exceeded one year and no plans or code requirements have changed. After one year, a new full fee applies and the codes in effect on the new application date apply.

Work started without a permit

The city’s page quotes its municipal code on this point. Anyone who starts work on a building, structure or electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system before obtaining the required permit is subject to a special investigation by the building official before a permit can be issued.

An investigation fee equal to the permit fee is collected in addition to the permit fee, whether or not a permit is later issued.

For a homeowner thinking of selling, that is a practical reason to ask the city what it would take to legalize older unpermitted work before you decide between repairing, disclosing or selling as-is.

Construction noise and contractors

The city says the building official can suspend or revoke a permit if construction noise is generated between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday and on federal holidays. All contractors working in Agoura Hills must also hold a city business license, so ask any contractor you hire for proof.

Permits and selling an Agoura Hills 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 an Agoura Hills 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 Agoura Hills 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 Agoura Hills

Ask Building & Safety for the permit record on your address.
Collect permits, final inspection records and any city notices.
Request a no-obligation cash offer for the house as it stands.
Choose your closing date.
Close with no repairs, permit cleanup or showings required.

Own an Agoura Hills home with unpermitted work? Sell as-is for cash.

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Frequently asked questions

Where do I get a building permit in Agoura Hills?

Apply online through the MGO Connect permitting portal linked from the city’s Permit & Development Hub, or contact Building & Safety at (818) 597-7334. City Hall is at 30001 Ladyface Court.

What are the Agoura Hills building counter hours?

The city lists the counter as 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. Plan check meetings are by appointment only.

How do I schedule an inspection in Agoura Hills?

Inspections run 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The city says to call (818) 597-7334 at 7:30 a.m. on the day of your inspection to get a two-hour time frame.

How long is an Agoura Hills building permit valid?

Under section 8103, a permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 180 days of issuance or is suspended or abandoned for 180 days. One written extension of up to 180 days can be granted before expiration.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

The building official conducts a special investigation, and an investigation fee equal to the permit fee is collected in addition to the permit fee, whether or not a permit is later issued.

Can I sell my Agoura Hills 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

Sources

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