Building & Safety Division (FAQ's)

The new 2022 California Building Standards Code will become effective January 1, 2023. All Over-the-Counter permits issued after January 1, 2023, must comply with the new 2022 California Building Standards Codes. All projects submitted for plan check to the Building Division after January 1, 2023, must comply with the new 2022 California Building Standards Code.

Construction Hours and Days

Unless otherwise noted, construction hours and days are as follows:

• Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM
• Saturday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Construction is prohibited on Sunday and the following City observed holidays:
  • New Year's Day
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • Presidents' Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Columbus Day
  • Veterans' Day
  • Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Day

113.1 Violations. No person shall erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building, structure or building service equipment or perform any grading in the City or cause or permit the same to be done contrary to, or in violation of, any of the provisions of this code or any of the technical codes.

113.4 Penalties. Any person who violates any provision of this code or any of the technical codes shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which any violation continued or was permitted, and upon conviction is punishable as set forth in Section 1.08.010 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code.

113.5 Penalty fees. The permit fees and charges made pursuant to Title 15 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code shall be tripled (not including fees for nonstructural fixture) when work requiring a permit has been started or continued or finished prior to obtaining permit. The triple fee shall be based on the structural permit fee, or square footage of remodel area, or a minimum fee as established pursuant to city council resolution.

(Ord. 468 § 6 (part), 2008: Ord. 469U § 6 (part), 2007)

(Ord. No. 516, § 6, 12-7-10; Ord. No. 551, § 6, 12-17-13; Ord. No. 554U, § 6, 12-17-13; Ord. No. 589, § 5, 11-1-16; Ord. No. 630, § 5, 11-6-19; Ord. No. 669, § 7, 11-15-22)

https://library.municode.com/CA/Rancho Palos Verdes/CODES/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT15BUCO_CH15.18ADCO_15.18.040ADCOAMIOPE

It depends on the type of revisions being made. A simple minor clarification will not necessitate the need to revise the plans to comply with the new 2022 California Building Standards Code. A major change and/or addition to a project will need to comply with the new 2022 California Building Standards Code. Each specific case will need to be reviewed by the Building Department to determine which edition of the California Building Standards Code the revisions must comply with.

• Requires a Approval from the Recreational Waters Program/ La County Health department.
• Requires Planning Approval if pool is being altered in anyway or equipment is being changed or removed.
• A Building Permit is required for all alterations to a pool.

Plan checks for development projects where permits have expired for a period of less than one year shall be assessed a fee equal to half of the amount of the applicable plan check fee, as set forth in the resolution establishing said fee, if the plans that are being resubmitted are identical to the prior plans. Said fee shall be paid when the plans are re-submitted for review by the building official.

105.5 Expiration. Every permit issued by the building official under the provisions of the technical codes shall expire by limitation and become null and void, if the building or work authorized by such permit is not completed through final inspection within the allowed time from the date of issuance of such permit, which time shall be as follows: up to 5,000 square feet, 18 months; 5,000 to 10,000 square feet, 24 months; over 10,000 square feet, 30 months. For good cause, upon initial application for a permit, the building official may establish a different expiration date when it is anticipated such date will be necessary to complete construction due to extenuating circumstances. Upon expiration, before work under the permit can be recommenced, a new permit shall be obtained. Such new permit shall be valid for 24 months, and the fee therefore shall be one half the amount required for a new permit for such work, if no changes have been made or will be made in the original plans and specifications for the work and not more than one year has passed since the expiration of the permit; otherwise, such new permit shall be subject to all terms and conditions applicable to new permits.

Any permittee holding an unexpired permit may apply for an extension of the time within which the permittee may complete work under that permit when the permittee is unable to complete the work within the time required by this section although proceeding with due diligence. Application for extension shall be filed on forms prescribed by the building official and be accompanied by payment of the fee as established by city council resolution. The building official may extend the time for completion of work under the permit by the permittee for a period of time not exceeding 180 days upon finding the permittee has been proceeding with due diligence and that circumstances beyond the control of the permittee have prevented action from being completed. No permit shall be so extended more than once.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, for any property where construction has been performed pursuant to one or more unexpired permits for a period of at least four years and is adversely affecting adjacent properties or the owners or occupants thereof, as documented in written complaints submitted to the Building Official or Director of Community Development, the Building Official shall not issue a new building permit for any new work or an extension of an existing unexpired permit until all work being performed pursuant to any unexpired building permit has been completed and the City has issued a final approval or a certificate of occupancy thereof. This provision shall not apply to: 1. emergency work; 2. work that is necessary to preserve the integrity of the structure; or 3. work that, in the opinion of the Building Official, will mitigate impacts to an adjacent property.

https://library.municode.com/CA/Rancho Palos Verdes/CODES/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT15BUCO_CH15.18ADCO_15.18.050ADCOAMXPPE

The number of the Los Angeles County Building Division is (562) 946-1390. The number for the Department of Regional Planning is (213) 974-6411.

Unpermitted work is construction that doesn’t have the necessary approval by the city. This means the city either isn’t aware of the work, wouldn’t approve the work, or doesn’t know whether it is up to code. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes requires permits to be obtained for most types of construction and remodeling projects to ensure that the work done complies with local building codes and safety standards. However, there are occasions where the homeowners build without permits without city approval. Fortunately, The City of Rancho Palos Verdes allows getting a retroactive building permit if the work meets the minimum local codes and standards without demolishing the entire building or starting from scratch. 

 If a property owner can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director that an unpermitted structure which is the subject of an after-the-fact application was constructed prior to the current property owner taking title to the property and was not disclosed by the previous property owners, then the penalty fees may be waived by the director.

https://library.municode.com/ca/rancho_palos_verdes/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZO_ARTVIIIAD_CH17.86EN_17.86.080PEFE

A permit is required to be issued by the Building and Safety Department, whenever a building is being demolished. This is to assure that construction debris has been removed, sewer or septic lines have been properly capped, and the site is restored to a safe condition to ensure that all health and safety hazards have been removed. Demolition permits are usually issued over-the- counter at the Building and Safety Division and the permit fees are minimal.

California State Law also requires that all contaminants, such as asbestos, lead, and soil contaminants, be properly disposed of. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that all demolition permit applicants first obtain clearance from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, prior to applying for a demolition permit from the City of Rancho Palos Verdes. This may include a requirement to have the property tested for lead, and/ or asbestos by a certified testing agency.

South Coast Air Quality Management District may be reached at 21865 Copley Dr. - Diamond Bar CA 91765, via telephone at (909) 396-2000, or the District’s website.

For further information, please contact the Building and Safety Division at (310) 544-5280 for additional information regarding demolition permits or stop by our counter at City Hall.

A building permit must be obtained before you construct, enlarge, alter, move, replace, repair, improve, convert, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure. Building permit is not required for certain work such as  one-story detached accessory structure (Sheds, Playhouse, etc.) not exceeding 120 square feet, fences not over 7 ft. high, retaining walls not over 4 ft. in height (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall), etc. For complete list of work exempt from permit see California Residential Code Section R105 and California Building Code Section 105.

All retaining walls, regardless of height, supporting a surcharge (i.e. road, structure or hillside, etc.) require a building permit.

Yes! All permits can be applied for online. Smaller permits can be applied

for through our eTrakit - Over the Counter Permitting Portal .These smaller permits

include: Electrical permits, HVAC, Solar, Electrical Panel Upgrades, 

Re-Roofs, Plumbing permits, Water Heater* permits (*May need planning

approval prior to B&S Issuance*), etc.

-Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels, Exterior Door, Window & Skylight

Changeouts, ESS, etc can also be submitted for online “over-the-counter”

review when submitted to Buildingsafety@rpvca.gov .

-Any other reviews must be uploaded onto our online portal.

Online-Plan-Check-Portal .

 PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE FOLLOWING:

1. New Attached or Detached Buildings and Structures (Residential and Non-Residential) with a floor area greater than 120 square feet*
2. Tenant Improvements
3. Roof and Ground Mount Solar Installation
4. Patio Covers (Solid and Lattice)
5. Enclosed Patios
6. Electric Charging Station
7. Additions and Alterations
8. Pools and Spas
9. Carports, Garages and Barns
10. Fences over 6 ft. in height
11. Retaining Walls over 4 ft. in height, measured from the bottom of the footing or retaining walls supporting a surcharge.
12. Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical and Structural Repairs
13. Re-roofing (Residential and Non-Residential)
14. Temporary structures such as a modular unit, recreational vehicle/trailer.
15. Onsite Grading of 50 cubic yards (cut & fill) or more
16. Demolition
17. Erosion Control
18. Wall or Monument Signs
19. Other types of construction activities, not listed here, may require a permit. All building setbacks must be maintained, whether a building requires a permit or not. Please contact a representative of the Building and Safety Division at (310) 544-5280

The County of Los Angeles Building Code requires that building plans be retained for a minimum of 90 days from the date of completion of the work covered on the plans. After 90 days, residential plans are typically discarded. The space required to store plans for every house built in the unincorporated county areas makes it prohibitive to keep them. One possible option for finding the as-built plans for any structure is to contact the original builder, designer, and/or engineer. This information can typically be found on the original building permit.

A: The California Building Standards Code (CBSC) is maintained by the California Building Standards Commission (www.bsc.ca.gov) and contains the codes and laws that regulate the construction of all buildings and structures in the State of California. The CBSC is Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) and consists of twelve parts: Five (5) parts are authored by the State of California and seven (7) parts are based on model codes that are authored by various model code writing bodies.

The new 2022 California Building Standards Code includes:

• Part 1, 2022 California Administrative Code (CAC) published by the International Code Council (ICC)
• Part 2, 2022 California Building Code (CBC), which is based on the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) published by the International Code Council (ICC)
• Part 2.5, 2022 California Residential Code (CRC), which is based on the 2022 International Residential Code (IRC) published by the International Code Council (ICC)
• Part 3, 2022 California Electrical Code (CEC), which is based on the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• Part 4, 2022 California Mechanical Code (CMC), which is based on the 2021 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)
• Part 5, 2022 California Plumbing Code (CPC), which is based on the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Part 6, 2022 California Energy Code (CEC), which is written by the California Energy Commission (CEC), and published by the California Building Standards Commission
• Part 8, 2022 California Historical Building Code (CHBC) published by the International Code Council (ICC)
• Part 9, 2022 California Fire Code (CFC), which is based on the 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) published by the International Code Council (ICC)
• Part 10, 2022 California Existing Building Code (CEBC), which is based on the 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) published by the International Code Council (ICC)
• Part 11, 2022 California Green Building Standards Code (CGBSC), which is based on the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) published by the California Building Standards Commission
• Part 12, 2022 California Referenced Standards Code (CRSC) published by the International Code Council (ICC)

The Building Department only does non-structural plan check over the counter. This includes Kitchen Remodels, Bathroom Remodels, and Solar Plans. Solar Plans can be expedited through our

ETrakit-Online-Permitting-Portal . Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels can also be submitted for online as an “over-the-counter” review when submitted to BuildingSafety@rpvca.gov . Any other major type of reviews must be uploaded onto our online portal. Online-Plan-Check-Portal