Hemet Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

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

In Hemet, building permits are handled by the Building and Safety Division of the Community Development Department at City Hall, 445 E. Florida Avenue, with a counter that the city lists as open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This guide walks Hemet homeowners through the steps the city publishes for plan review, permit issuance and inspections, including the shift to an online permitting platform, and explains how permit history affects a sale.

City pages, forms and fees change, so confirm each detail with the division before you start work.

Hemet permits at a glance

Department	Building and Safety Division, Community Development Department, City of Hemet
Office	445 E. Florida Avenue, Hemet, CA 92543
Phone	(951) 765-2475
Counter hours (per the city’s permit handout)	Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Over-the-counter plan review	Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., for small projects; arrive before 4:30 p.m.
Inspection request line	(951) 765-2428, a 24-hour request line
Online permitting	Tyler Enterprise Permitting and Licensing (EPL) portal
Fees	The city issues an invoice for permit fees and any plan check fees

What the Building and Safety Division does

The division reviews plans, issues permits, makes field inspections and issues certificates of occupancy so that buildings meet the adopted construction standards. The city’s page also says the division supports the city’s emergency preparedness and disaster response and works to keep structures habitable and safe to occupy.

For a homeowner that means plan check, permit issuance and inspection for work such as additions, remodels, electrical, plumbing and mechanical changes, re-roofs, water heaters and accessory dwelling units.

The city publishes a handout titled Do I Need a Building Permit? that lists the work that generally needs a permit and the minor work that does not. Read it before you decide that a project is too small to permit.

If you are unsure, call (951) 765-2475 and ask, because assuming an exemption that does not apply is one of the most common ways unpermitted work ends up attached to a house.

Step by step: a Hemet building permit

1. Confirm that your project needs a permit

Start with the city’s permit handout and the Forms, Handouts and Bulletins page, which lists applications and forms for plan review, permit issuance, certificates of occupancy and inspections. If the project touches the structure, the electrical, plumbing or mechanical systems, or adds living space, plan on a permit.

2. Prepare plans and the application

The permit issuance page says the applicant completes a permit application, which can be brought to City Hall, while licensed contractors can apply through the online portal. Gather the plans, calculations and forms that match your project type.

3. Use the online portal if it applies

The city has launched Tyler Enterprise Permitting and Licensing (EPL), and an Applications and Forms page notice says new permit applications must be submitted through the new Tyler portal while existing permits continue under the old system. That notice gives a start date without a year, so confirm with the division which route applies to your project today.

4. Plan review

Small projects can be reviewed over the counter, and the plan review page lists Monday through Thursday hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., asking applicants to arrive before 4:30 p.m. Larger projects are submitted for full plan check, and staff may return comments that you must answer before approval.

5. Pay fees and pick up the permit

After review, the applicant is provided an invoice for permit fees and any plan check fees and pays the outstanding amount. The applicant is then notified that the permit is ready. The city does not publish a single fee figure that fits every project, so ask for an estimate.

6. Request inspections

Inspections are requested through the city’s 24-hour inspection request line at (951) 765-2428, and the city’s FAQ says inspections are performed between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on the weekdays it lists. Keep every inspection record. The final sign-off is the proof a buyer’s agent, appraiser or lender will ask for.

Expired permits and renewals

Permits and plan reviews do not last forever. The city posts an Expired Permits and Plan Review form, and a copy of that form includes a statement that a non-refundable fee of $96 is submitted with the renewal request along with the reason the work was not completed.

The version we could read carried no date, so treat that figure as something to verify. The practical point is that an old permit with no final inspection can lapse, and a lapsed permit is an open item on the property’s record that a buyer’s agent may find.

If a prior owner or contractor started work and never called for a final, ask the division what the status is before you list.

Engineering permits and the self-service portal

Some work outside the structure, such as work in the public right-of-way, is handled by the Engineering Division rather than Building and Safety. The city’s page for engineering permits says plans and permit submittals are done through the City of Hemet Self-Service Portal. If your project includes new driveway approaches, sidewalk repair or utility connections, ask whether an engineering permit is needed in addition to a building permit.

Permits and selling a Hemet 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 Hemet 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 Hemet 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 Hemet

1. Ask the Building and Safety Division for the permit 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 Hemet page, the Hemet cash offer process, selling a Hemet house as-is, selling an inherited Hemet house and the Riverside County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Hemet Building and Safety Division?

The city’s permit handout lists City Hall at 445 E. Florida Avenue, Hemet, CA 92543, phone (951) 765-2475, with counter hours Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

How do I request an inspection in Hemet?

The city lists a 24-hour inspection request line at (951) 765-2428. Its FAQ says inspections are performed between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Can I apply for a permit online?

The city says licensed contractors can apply through the online portal, and it has launched the Tyler Enterprise Permitting and Licensing platform for new applications. Confirm with the division which route applies to your project.

Does Hemet offer over-the-counter plan review?

Yes, for small projects. The plan review page lists Monday through Thursday hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and asks applicants to arrive before 4:30 p.m.

What happens to an expired permit?

The city has an Expired Permits and Plan Review form. A copy we read mentions a non-refundable $96 fee, so ask the division for the current amount.

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

Sources

• City of Hemet: Building and Safety
• City of Hemet: Permit Issuance
• City of Hemet: Plan Review Process and Information
• City of Hemet: Do I Need a Building Permit?

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