Cudahy Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

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

Cudahy’s Building & Safety Department, based at City Hall on Santa Ana Street, enforces the city’s building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical codes and handles permit applications and inspections for homeowners. This guide explains how to reach the department, how the city says permit applications are submitted, how inspection requests now work, which handouts the city publishes and why permit history matters when you sell.

Fees, forms and procedures change, so confirm the current steps with the department before you start work.

Cudahy permits at a glance

Department	Building & Safety, City of Cudahy
Address	Cudahy City Hall, 5220 Santa Ana Street, Cudahy, CA 90201
Phone	(323) 773-5143
Email	buildingdepartment@cityofcudahyca.gov
Applications and permit issuance	By appointment; the city asks you to request one by email
Required with applications	A completed permit application plus the city’s Permit Worksheet form
Inspection requests	Online form only, effective Monday, September 14, 2026
Inspection notice	At least 24 hours in advance, with a 4:00 p.m. cutoff on a city business day

How to start a Cudahy building permit

The city’s Building & Safety page says the department is responsible for enforcing the building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical codes. For submission of permit applications and permit issuance, the city asks applicants to request an appointment by emailing the building department at buildingdepartment@cityofcudahyca.gov or by calling (323) 773-5143. Plan on contacting the office before you travel to City Hall rather than walking in.

The city’s Applications and Forms page lists the permit applications that can be downloaded and filled out.

It says they must be submitted together with a Permit Worksheet form, and it invites homeowners who are unsure which applications apply to their project, what fees will be due, or how to complete the forms to contact the department for help.

The same page links requirement sheets, including one for accessory dwelling unit plans and one for tenant improvements.

Zoning clearance before a building permit

Cudahy publishes a Zoning Clearance form for the pre-building-permit stage. The form is how the Planning Division confirms that a proposed project meets zoning rules before the building permit is issued.

For accessory dwelling units, the form directs applicants to contact the Planning Division by email at planning@cityofcudahyca.gov or by phone at (323) 773-5143. If your project adds floor area, converts a garage or builds a detached structure, expect Planning to look at it as well as Building & Safety. Our Cudahy zoning and ADU guide covers the ADU standards the city publishes.

Requesting inspections in Cudahy

The city’s online inspection request page says inspection requests must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance and that the cutoff time is 4:00 p.m. on a city business day.

A separate city form notice states that, effective Monday, September 14, 2026, the Building & Safety Division will accept inspection requests only through the online form. Calling in a request is therefore no longer the way to schedule an inspection.

The city also lists set inspection days and time windows on its pages, but the excerpts reviewed for this guide were cut off, so check the page for the current schedule before you book.

A permit is only as useful as its final inspection. Ask your contractor to confirm that each required inspection was requested, passed and recorded, and keep the final inspection card or record. A permit that was issued but never finaled is one of the most common items a buyer’s agent or title company asks about.

Handouts the city publishes

Beyond applications, Cudahy posts practical handouts in its Document Center. One example is an egress window requirements sheet issued by the building department, which matters for bedroom additions and garage conversions because bedrooms generally need a compliant way out. Another is the ADU handout described in our zoning guide.

If you plan a remodel, ask the department which handouts apply, since a requirement sheet can save you a round of plan corrections.

Fees, plan check and timing

The city pages reviewed for this guide do not publish a fee table, a plan check turnaround or a permit expiration period, and this guide does not quote any.

Ask the department for an itemized fee estimate and a current review time before you accept a contractor’s bid or set a closing date. If a lender or buyer is waiting on a permit, that timeline can matter more than the fee.

Permits and selling a Cudahy 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 Cudahy 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 Cudahy 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 Cudahy

1. Ask Building & Safety for the permit record on your address.
2. Collect permits, final inspection records and contractor invoices.
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 Cudahy page and the Los Angeles County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Cudahy’s Building & Safety Department?

The department is at Cudahy City Hall, 5220 Santa Ana Street, Cudahy, CA 90201. The city lists (323) 773-5143 and buildingdepartment@cityofcudahyca.gov.

How do I submit a permit application in Cudahy?

The city asks you to request an appointment by emailing the building department for application submission and permit issuance. Applications must be submitted with the city’s Permit Worksheet form.

How do I request an inspection in Cudahy?

Use the city’s online inspection request form. The city says that, effective Monday, September 14, 2026, online is the only way to request one, with at least 24 hours of notice and a 4:00 p.m. cutoff on a city business day.

Does Cudahy publish permit fees?

Not on the pages reviewed for this guide. Ask Building & Safety for an itemized estimate.

Who reviews zoning for my project?

The Planning Division issues zoning clearances and can be reached at planning@cityofcudahyca.gov or (323) 773-5143.

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

Sources

• City of Cudahy: Building & Safety
• City of Cudahy: Applications and Forms
• City of Cudahy: Online Inspection Request
• City of Cudahy: Zoning Clearance Form
• City of Cudahy: Egress Window Requirements

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