Artesia Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

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

Artesia’s Building & Safety Division works out of 18747 Clarkdale Avenue, keeps short counter hours, and schedules inspections on only three days a week. This guide covers what the city publishes about Building & Safety for Artesia homeowners: where the counter is and when it is open, how inspections are requested, what the city says about plans and Planning approval, and how permit history affects a sale.

Hours and procedures change, so call the division before you plan a trip or a project.

Artesia permits at a glance

Department	Building & Safety Division, City of Artesia (Community Development)
Address	18747 Clarkdale Avenue, Artesia, CA 90701
Counter hours	Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; every other Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Phone	(562) 865-6262, ext. 238 or 270
Email	building@cityofartesia.us
Inspection line	(562) 865-6262, ext. 0, or the building email; give the permit number and address
Inspection days	Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only; request through OpenGov or by phone
Online requests	The city’s request portal lists a building permit request, plan check submission, general inquiry and inspection request

What Building & Safety does

Building & Safety is the city department that reviews construction plans, issues building permits and inspects work for compliance with the building code.

The Artesia Municipal Code sets the city’s Building Code in Chapter 1 of its code of ordinances, and the code says the fees required for permits issued under it are collected by the Department of Building and Safety.

The city does not publish a single fee table on the pages we could read, so the fee for your project is something to ask the division to quote when you submit plans.

The city’s page on required building plans says you must get approval from the Planning Department and building permits before starting any construction work, and it gives the building email as the contact for questions.

In practice that means two checks for a larger project: Planning confirms the work fits the zoning for your lot, and Building & Safety confirms the plans meet the construction codes.

If you are only replacing something in the same place, ask the division whether a permit is needed before you hire anyone.

Counter hours and how to reach the division

The staff directory lists the permit and counter hours as Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and every other Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. These are short windows, so plan to arrive early, bring your address and any permit number, and call ahead if you are unsure whether the counter is open on a given Friday.

The listed phone is (562) 865-6262, extension 238 or 270, and the division email is building@cityofartesia.us.

Because the counter closes at mid-morning, many questions are easier to settle by phone or email first. Ask what documents to bring, whether plans must be on paper or can be submitted electronically, and whether a Planning approval is needed before your application is accepted.

Step by step: an Artesia permit

1. Confirm what you are building

Write down the scope: a room addition, a garage conversion, a new fence or wall, a kitchen remodel with new electrical and plumbing, or a water heater swap. The scope decides whether Planning, Building or both need to review it.

2. Check with Planning

The city says Planning Department approval is required before construction starts. Ask Planning whether your zone allows the project and whether setback or height limits apply.

3. Prepare plans and apply

The city’s online request page includes a building permit request and a plan check submission, so applications can start there. Ask the division what plan sets, calculations and forms it needs for your job.

4. Pay fees and receive the permit

Fees come from the Building Code and the city’s fee resolution. Ask for the total before you commit to a contractor, and keep the receipt with your records.

5. Request inspections

The city’s inspection page says inspections are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only. You can schedule through OpenGov or by phone. When you call or email the inspection line, give the permit number and the address of the work.

6. Finish with a final inspection

Keep the signed inspection record. A final inspection on file is the clearest proof to a future buyer that the work was checked.

Inspections: days, scheduling and what to have ready

The most unusual detail in Artesia is that inspections are offered only three days a week. If your project has a hard deadline, for example a closing date or a contractor’s crew booked for a specific week, schedule the inspection early and confirm the day.

The city says you may request an inspection through the OpenGov portal or by calling (562) 865-6262, and the Building & Safety page lists an inspection line at the same main number, extension 0, plus the building email.

When you request an inspection, have ready the permit number, the job address, the type of inspection and a contact name and number for the person who will be on site. Make sure the work is accessible and the approved plans are on site. A missed or failed inspection means another request and another wait for one of the three available days.

Permit history and selling an Artesia home

Many Artesia homes are decades old, and additions, enclosed patios and converted garages are common. Buyers, lenders and appraisers ask whether those changes were permitted. The Building & Safety Division is the place to ask what is on file for your address.

If you find work with no permit, you can try to legalize it with plans and inspections, disclose it and sell with a price adjustment, or sell as-is to a cash buyer. Our checklist below walks through the options.

Permits and selling an Artesia 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 Artesia 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 Artesia 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 Artesia

1. Ask the city for the 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 Artesia page and the Los Angeles County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Artesia Building & Safety Division?

At 18747 Clarkdale Avenue, Artesia, CA 90701. The listed phone is (562) 865-6262, extension 238 or 270.

What are the counter hours?

The staff directory lists Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and every other Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Call ahead to confirm.

What days are inspections available?

The city’s inspection page says Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only. You can request one through OpenGov or by calling (562) 865-6262.

Do I need Planning approval before I build?

The city’s required building plans page says you must get approval from the Planning Department and building permits before starting any construction work.

What do I give the inspection line?

The Building & Safety page says to provide the permit number and the address of the work.

Can I sell my Artesia 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 Artesia
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• Artesia Code Enforcement Guide
• Artesia Zoning and ADU Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Artesia: Building & Safety
• City of Artesia: Inspections
• City of Artesia: Required Building Plans
• City of Artesia: Staff Directory, Building & Safety
• Artesia Municipal Code: Building Code

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