Commerce Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

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

Commerce’s Building and Safety Division, part of the Community Development Department at 2535 Commerce Way, reviews construction plans, issues building permits and performs inspections. This guide explains how permits work for Commerce homeowners: where to apply, which forms the city publishes, how electronic plan check and solar permits work, and how permit history affects a sale.

The city’s pages carry current forms and fees, so confirm details with the division before you start work.

Commerce permits at a glance

Department	Building and Safety Division, Community Development, City of Commerce
City Hall	2535 Commerce Way, Commerce, CA 90040
Phone	(323) 722-4805
Hours	Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Codes in force	Plans submitted on or after January 1, 2026 are checked against the 2025 California Building, Electrical, Green, Mechanical, Plumbing and Residential Codes
Submit plans	Electronic plan check portal; completed permit applications are emailed to the permit technician
Solar	Residential solar permits can go through SolarAPP+, an online automated-review portal
Construction waste	Covered projects must recycle at least 65% of construction and demolition waste

What the division does

The city describes the Building and Safety Division as responsible for reviewing construction plans and carrying out building inspections, including issuing building permits. It says the division protects public welfare by regulating the design, construction, quality of materials, use, occupancy, location and maintenance of buildings and structures in Commerce. For a homeowner, that means anything structural, electrical, plumbing or mechanical generally runs through this office.

Forms and fees the city publishes

The Building and Safety page lists a Permit Worksheet, an Owner Builder Declaration, a Contractor’s Declaration, a Schedule of Fees, an EV Charger Checklist and a Permit Fee Request form. Completed permit applications are emailed to the permit technician at the address on the city page.

The city’s fee schedule is a separate document, so ask for a current estimate before you commit to a project. Grading and public improvement plans for private development go through the Public Works Engineering Services Division’s Development Review and Permitting section, also reachable at (323) 722-4805.

Step by step: a Commerce permit

1. Describe the project to the division

Call (323) 722-4805 or visit City Hall Monday to Thursday. Ask whether your project needs a permit, which departments review it and which form applies.

2. Check zoning

Additions, new structures and ADUs also involve Planning, which posts its own applications. See our Commerce zoning and ADU guide.

3. Submit plans and pay

The city runs an electronic plan check portal. Because the 2025 codes apply to plans submitted from January 1, 2026, make sure your designer is using them.

4. Recycle construction waste

Covered projects must recycle at least 65% of C&D waste, and the city links to its program page and forms.

5. Inspections and final

The city directs applicants to its Building and Safety page for how to schedule inspections. A finaled permit is your proof that the work was inspected.

Solar, batteries and fire sign-off

For residential solar, the city accepts SolarAPP+ approvals: you register, submit the design, pay the permit fee through the portal, then email the approval, a checklist and a single-line drawing to the permit technician and schedule the inspection online.

The city also states that, under a Los Angeles County Fire Department memo, solar and energy storage installations need a Fire Department final before use. Its listed contact for that is (323) 890-4125.

Permits and selling a Commerce 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 Commerce 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 Commerce 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 Commerce

Ask the city 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.

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

Own a Commerce home with unpermitted work? Sell as-is for cash.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is the Commerce Building and Safety Division?

At City Hall, 2535 Commerce Way, Commerce, CA 90040. The main number is (323) 722-4805, Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Which building codes does Commerce apply?

Plans submitted for plan check on or after January 1, 2026 are checked against the 2025 California Building, Electrical, Green, Mechanical, Plumbing and Residential Codes.

Can I submit plans electronically?

Yes. The city links an electronic plan check portal from its Building and Safety page.

Can I get a residential solar permit online?

Yes. The city accepts SolarAPP+ approvals, with a Fire Department final required before solar or storage is used.

Does the city publish a fee schedule?

Yes. The page links a Schedule of Fees and a Permit Fee Request form.

Can I sell my Commerce 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.