Compton Building Permits Guide for Homeowners and Sellers

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team. Information comes from the City of Compton Building and Safety pages; sources are listed at the end.

Compton’s Building and Safety Department issues permits for new construction, alterations, repairs and improvements to existing structures. It is the place to ask what is on file for a house before you list it, since a buyer’s inspector or lender may find a mismatch.

Compton building permits at a glance

How do I check permits on a Compton property?

Use the city’s Citizen Serve portal or contact the department with the address. Look for permits opened but never finaled, work you know was done with no permit, and additions or conversions that do not match the original plans.

When does a Compton project need a permit?

The department says it issues permits for new construction, alterations, repairs and improvements to existing structures. If you are unsure whether past work on your house was permitted, ask before a buyer does.

How permits affect selling a house in Compton

Permit problems usually surface when a buyer’s inspector or lender asks whether finished space was legally built. In California, sellers generally must disclose known problems, including work you know was done without a permit. On a traditional listing, the usual choices are to finish the open permit, permit the work after the fact, lower the price, or give a credit.

How to sell a house in Compton with unpermitted work or open permits

1. Pull the permit history first.
2. Write down what you know: who did the work, when, and what receipts or plans you have.
3. Compare options: fix it, sell with a credit, or sell as-is to a cash buyer.
4. Disclose honestly. A cash offer does not change disclosure duties but removes repair steps.

We buy Compton houses as they are. See how selling a house as-is in Compton works. If the house has been cited, read our Compton code enforcement guide, and for backyard units see our Compton zoning and ADU guide.

Not sure what your permit history means for a sale? Call (424) 435-2326 or request a cash offer. There is no cost and no obligation.

What Compton’s Building and Safety Division does

The city lists these services for the division: plan review for code compliance and review of construction documents for approval and permit issuance; inspection of construction-related activity for permits and compliance with city ordinances; permit issuance for new construction, alterations, repairs and improvements to existing structures; issuance of Certificates of Occupancy; enforcement of building and health and safety codes; and emergency abatement of unsafe property and illegal contracting.

For a seller, the key point is that any alteration or repair that required a permit should have a permit record and a final inspection, and the division is the office that holds those records.

Where to go and when

Building and Safety is at 205 S. Willowbrook Avenue, Compton, CA 90220. The division’s phone is (310) 605-5509, and its posted hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:00am to 6:00pm. The city also runs an online Citizen Serve portal for building and safety services. Confirm hours before you drive over, since city offices change schedules.

Certificates of occupancy and why buyers ask

Because the division issues Certificates of Occupancy, a buyer or lender may ask about one when a property was recently converted, enlarged or changed use. A garage converted to living space, for example, should have had permits and a final inspection before anyone lived in it. If you do not have the paperwork, start by asking the division what its records show.

Step by step: checking your Compton permit history

1. Search the Citizen Serve portal for your address and note each permit, its type and status.
2. Call (310) 605-5509 for anything the portal does not show, especially older work.
3. Compare the house to the record. Look for finished garages, patio covers, additions, panel upgrades, water heaters and re-roofs.
4. Ask what it takes to close an open permit or legalize unpermitted work.
5. Decide how to sell: resolve, credit the buyer or sell as-is.

Disclosure rules for permit gaps

California Civil Code section 1102.1 requires delivery of the transfer disclosure statement even in an as-is sale, and it leaves your duty to disclose material facts in place. Work you know was done without a permit is something to raise with your agent or escrow officer.

If a required disclosure reaches the buyer after an offer, section 1102.3 allows cancellation within three days of in-person delivery or five days of mailing or agreed electronic delivery.

Common Compton permit problems

• Unpermitted garage conversions and back units.
• Open permits that never received a final inspection.
• Electrical, plumbing or HVAC work done by someone without a license.
• Additions that do not appear in city records.

The city’s ADU FAQ is a good reference for accessory units; see our Compton zoning and ADU guide.

Visiting the Compton department

Building and Safety is at 205 S. Willowbrook Avenue and open Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The phone number is (310) 605-5509.

If you are checking a permit history in person, bring the property address and, if you have it, the parcel number or any old permit paperwork from the prior owner. Ask staff to explain any entry you do not understand, especially permits that show as open or expired.

Using the Citizen Serve portal

The portal linked from the department page is the online way to look up permit activity. Search by address, then write down each permit’s type, date and status. Compare the list to what you see in the house. A finished bathroom remodel with no permit, or a permit with no final, is worth raising before an offer arrives, not after.

What to do with what you find

If you find an open permit, ask the department what is needed to finish it. If you find work with no permit, ask whether it could be permitted now, and what inspection would involve. If neither is practical before you sell, you can disclose the issue and offer a credit, or sell as-is. See our Compton code enforcement guide and the California as-is guide.

Compton building permits FAQ

Where do I get a building permit in Compton?

From the Building and Safety Department at 205 S. Willowbrook Avenue, (310) 605-5509, Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

What permits does Compton issue?

The department says it issues permits for new construction, alterations, repairs and improvements to existing structures.

Can I sell a Compton house with an open permit?

Yes. An open permit does not legally stop a sale, but it can slow a traditional one. A cash buyer can purchase the house with the permit still open.

What are the Compton Building and Safety hours?

The city posts Monday through Thursday, 7:00am to 6:00pm, at 205 S. Willowbrook Avenue. The division phone is (310) 605-5509.

Does Compton issue Certificates of Occupancy?

Yes. The city lists Certificates of Occupancy among the services of the Building and Safety Division.

Does Compton have an online permit portal?

Yes. The city links a Citizen Serve portal from its Building and Safety page.

What are the Compton Building and Safety hours?

Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at 205 S. Willowbrook Avenue.

How do I look up Compton permits online?

Use the city’s Citizen Serve portal, linked from the department page.

Sources

• City of Compton: Building and Safety
• City of Compton: Online Services

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Permit rules and hours change; confirm requirements with the City of Compton.