Permits

Permits, in plain terms

What a permit is for, who normally applies for one, and what happens when an inspector turns up.

Before the detail

Three things first

Enough to make the rest of the page useful, and no more than that.

A photograph used elsewhere on this site
  • A permit is permission, not paperwork

    It is the local authority agreeing in advance that the work may be done, and keeping a record that it was.

  • The rules are local

    They are written and enforced town by town, so the only reliable answer comes from your own building department.

  • Ask before the work is booked

    Who applies, who pays the fee and who closes it out all belong in the scope rather than in a conversation.

Who does what

Who pulls the permit

Either the property owner or the contractor can usually apply, and which of the two it is should be settled in writing before the job starts rather than assumed. It is a fair question to ask of anybody quoting for work, and the answer belongs in the scope.

A tradesperson at work on site

If the contractor applies

They are generally the one the authority holds responsible for the work that the permit covers.

If the owner applies

The owner generally takes that responsibility on themselves, for the work and for closing it out.

What an inspection is

  1. 01

    An inspector visits

    At arranged points in the job, not at random. Access has to be available, so somebody usually needs to be there.

  2. 02

    They check the work

    Against the codes in force locally, and against what the permit said would be done. Work that has been covered over may have to be opened up.

  3. 03

    It passes, or it comes back

    A failed inspection is normally a list of corrections and a return visit rather than a disaster. The permit closes once the last one passes.

None of the above is a ruling about your address. If you want to know whether your job needs one, describe it to us and we will tell you what we know and where to check what we do not.

Next step

Not sure where your job lands?

Tell us what the work is in Redondo Beach and you get a straight answer with a figure attached.