Monrovia, CA Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

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

Monrovia’s Building Division, part of the Community Development Department, regulates construction under the city’s building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical codes. This guide walks through what the city publishes: the forms and handouts on its Building Division page, how to email plans, how to search permit records on your address, and what open or unpermitted work means when you sell.

The city’s pages did not show a fee table, plan-check turnaround or inspection scheduling steps in the text we could read, so we do not state any. Call the division before you start.

Monrovia permits at a glance

Department	Building Division, Community Development Department, City of Monrovia
Where	City Hall, 415 S. Ivy Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016
Email	building@monroviaca.gov (the ADU handout says to submit plans electronically to this address)
City Hall phone	(626) 932-5550, the number the city lists for City Hall
Permit record search	City document portal at pav.cityofmonrovia.org; the city says to search within Community Development for building permits
Key forms	Permit Application, Plan Review Application, Permit Extension Request, Smoke and Carbon Alarm Form
Fees and timelines	Not stated in the city text we could read; ask the division

What the Building Division page offers

The division’s page is mostly a library of forms. It lists a Permit Application and a Plan Review Application, a Permit Extension Request, and a Smoke and Carbon Alarm Form.

It also links standards and certificates that come up on real projects: Block Wall and Retaining Wall Standards, Residential and Commercial EV charging checklists, a Rough and Final Grade Certificate, a Building Pad Elevation Certificate and a Building Location Certificate.

A Damaged Home flyer and a Nonprofit Permit Fee Waiver application round out the list. If your project involves a new wall, an EV charger or grading, open the matching form before you call so you know what the city expects to see.

Plans, email submittal and the ADU handout

The city’s ADU Plan Check Submittal Handout is the clearest description of what plan check looks like in Monrovia.

It tells applicants to submit plans electronically to building@monroviaca.gov and lists what the drawings should contain: general notes, building data, a site plan showing lot lines, setbacks and utilities, floor plans, a roof plan, exterior elevations, sections and schedules, foundation and framing plans, shear wall details, Title 24 energy forms and CALGreen notes, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing layouts.

Projects in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone must also show the details required by Section R337 of the 2019 California Residential Code. Even for a non-ADU remodel, this checklist is a useful preview of how much documentation a reviewer may ask for.

Step by step: a Monrovia permit

1. Decide whether you need a permit

Structural work, additions, new circuits, plumbing changes, HVAC replacement, re-roofing, block walls and garage conversions generally fall under the building codes. Cosmetic work usually does not. Email building@monroviaca.gov or call City Hall at (626) 932-5550 to confirm.

2. Get the forms

Download the Permit Application and, if plans are required, the Plan Review Application from the Building Division page.

3. Check other approvals

Ask whether Planning, Fire or Public Works must also sign off. The Planning section of the city site includes pages on oak trees and historic preservation, which can matter on certain lots.

4. Submit and respond to comments

Submit electronically as the city directs, and respond to plan-check comments in writing. Keep copies of every revision.

5. Extension and final

If work stalls, the city has a Permit Extension Request form. A finaled permit is your proof the work was inspected, so file it with your closing documents.

Searching Monrovia permit records on your house

The city runs a public document portal where you can browse documents online. Its description says to search within Community Development and use key words to find building permits.

Sellers should try the portal before listing: search by street address and see whether additions, garage conversions or re-roofs show a permit, and whether a final inspection was recorded. If a record is missing or looks incomplete, ask the Building Division what it has on file. Learning this early lets you decide whether to finish the paperwork or sell as-is.

Permits and selling a Monrovia 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 Monrovia 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 Monrovia 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 Monrovia

1. Search the city’s document portal for permits 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 Monrovia page, the Monrovia as-is sale page, the inherited house page and the Los Angeles County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Monrovia Building Division?

The Building Division is part of Community Development. The city lists City Hall at 415 S. Ivy Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016, and building@monroviaca.gov as the email for plan submittals.

How do I submit plans in Monrovia?

The city’s ADU Plan Check Submittal Handout says to submit plans electronically to building@monroviaca.gov. Ask the division whether the same method applies to your project type.

How do I look up permits on my Monrovia house?

Use the city’s public document portal at pav.cityofmonrovia.org and search within Community Development for building permits, or ask the Building Division.

What forms does the city offer?

The Building Division page lists a Permit Application, Plan Review Application, Permit Extension Request, Smoke and Carbon Alarm Form, EV checklists, grade and pad certificates and wall standards.

Does the city publish permit fees and review times?

Not in the text we could read. Ask the division for a current estimate before you apply.

Can I sell my Monrovia 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 Monrovia
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• Monrovia Code Enforcement Guide
• Monrovia Zoning and ADU Guide
• Sell Your Monrovia House As-Is
• Monrovia Cash Offer Process
• Sell My Monrovia House Fast
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Monrovia: Building Division
• City of Monrovia: ADU Plan Check Submittal Handout
• City of Monrovia: Browse Documents Online
• City of Monrovia: Community Development

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