La Habra, CA Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

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

La Habra’s Building & Safety Division reviews construction plans, issues permits and inspects permitted work from City Hall at 110 East La Habra Boulevard. This guide covers where to apply, who to call, how inspections are scheduled and why permit history matters when you sell a La Habra house.

The city’s pages give contact details and inspection procedures but not every fee or turnaround, so confirm those directly with the division before you plan around them.

La Habra permits at a glance

Division	Building & Safety Division, City of La Habra
Office	City Hall, 110 East La Habra Boulevard, La Habra, CA 90631
Phone	562-383-4116
Email for permit applications	buildingpermits@lahabraca.gov (listed on the city’s permit application form)
Planning Division	562-383-4100
Inspections	Call 562-383-4116 to request one; the city lists a two-hour window starting at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the inspection
Inspection days	One city page says Monday through Thursday and another says Monday through Friday; confirm when you call
Fees	The city publishes a Permit & Inspection Fees page; amounts are not repeated here

Where and how to apply for a permit

The city’s Permit Process page describes the steps for obtaining a building permit, and the Building Permit Application form lists the Building and Safety Division at 110 East La Habra Boulevard and the email address buildingpermits@lahabraca.gov. Start by calling 562-383-4116 to confirm whether your project needs plans, whether it needs Planning Division review first, and what to submit. Planning can be reached at 562-383-4100.

Bring a clear description of the work, the property address, and any drawings or contractor information the division asks for. Smaller jobs such as a water heater or a window replacement are often handled differently from an addition, so ask what applies to your project rather than assuming.

What the Building & Safety Division does

According to the city’s Building & Safety page, the division is responsible for reviewing construction plans and, once they are approved, issuing permits and inspecting the permitted work. For a homeowner that means three things: a permit before work starts, inspections at the stages the division requires, and a final inspection that closes the permit.

The city also keeps handouts and general information for homeowners on a separate page, so check that page for the checklist that matches your project before you submit.

Scheduling inspections

The city’s inspection pages say to call 562-383-4116 to request an inspection before any work is covered up. They describe a two-hour inspection window that begins at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the inspection.

The pages disagree on the days: one says inspections are conducted Monday through Thursday, while the handouts page says Monday through Friday with calls taken between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Ask which schedule applies this week, and never cover framing, wiring or plumbing until it has been inspected.

Permit fees

The city lists a Permit & Inspection Fees page and a Permits & Fees page, and its application form notes that some work is subject to a stormwater (NPDES) inspection and fee. Because dollar amounts change with each fee update, this guide does not quote them. Ask the division for a written fee estimate for your project and compare it with the cost of the work itself.

Permits, inspections and selling your house

Open permits and unfinished work are common reasons a sale slows down. A buyer’s inspector may notice a room or a garage conversion that does not match the city’s records, and a lender may question living area that was never permitted. If you are not sure what is on file for your address, ask the division before you list, and keep final inspection records with your closing documents.

Permits and selling a La Habra 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 La Habra 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 La Habra 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 La Habra

1. Ask Building & Safety what is on file for 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 La Habra page, the La Habra as-is sale page, the La Habra inherited house page and the Orange County hub. La Habra Heights is a separate city; this guide covers the City of La Habra only.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I apply for a building permit in La Habra?

The Building & Safety Division is at City Hall, 110 East La Habra Boulevard. Call 562-383-4116 or email buildingpermits@lahabraca.gov, which is the address listed on the city’s permit application form.

How do I schedule an inspection in La Habra?

Call 562-383-4116 to request one. The city lists a two-hour inspection window beginning at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the inspection.

Which days are inspections done?

The city’s pages disagree, listing Monday through Thursday on one page and Monday through Friday on another, so confirm when you call.

Do I need Planning approval too?

Possibly. The Planning Division is at 562-383-4100, and the permit process page explains how Planning and Building & Safety fit together.

Does the city publish fees and review times?

It publishes fee pages, but this guide does not quote amounts, and the pages reviewed did not state a plan-check turnaround. Ask the division for a current estimate.

Can I sell my La Habra 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 La Habra
• We Buy Houses in Orange County
• Orange County Property Tax Guide
• La Habra Code Enforcement Guide
• La Habra Zoning and ADU Guide
• Sell Your La Habra House As-Is
• La Habra Cash Offer Process
• Sell My La Habra House Fast
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of La Habra: Building & Safety
• City of La Habra: Permit Process
• City of La Habra: Inspections
• City of La Habra: Permit & Inspection Fees
• City of La Habra: Handouts & General Information
• City of La Habra: Building Permit Application

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