Santa Monica is a coastal Los Angeles County city of about 90,000 residents, a dense beachfront city with a large multi-family stock and a mandatory seismic retrofit programme that covers several building types. Its Building and Safety Division, within the Community Development Department at City Hall, 1685 Main Street, is the sole building authority inside the city.
This guide covers the Building and Safety Division, the electronic permit process, the seismic retrofit programme, and the green building standards that shape Santa Monica projects.
This guide covers work inside the City of Santa Monica limits. Unincorporated LA County and neighbouring cities are separate authorities.
Santa Monica’s seismic retrofit programme runs on Building Officer orders with fixed deadlines. Where a property is identified as potentially seismically vulnerable, a structural evaluation by a licensed engineer or architect must be submitted to Building and Safety by the compliance date in the order. If the evaluation shows the building meets the standard and the city agrees, it comes off the list; if not, a retrofit permit follows.
What requires a building permit in Santa Monica?
Permit required
- New commercial, multi-family and residential construction, additions and change of occupancy
- Structural alterations, load-bearing changes, foundations, decks and retaining walls
- Electrical work — services, panels, circuits, solar and EV charging — under the California Electrical Code
- Plumbing under the California Plumbing Code
- Mechanical and HVAC change-outs, and work affecting the Title 24 energy envelope
- Re-roofing above the exempt scope, pools, signs, and demolition
Often exempt
- Minor repairs and maintenance replacing materials in kind
- Small accessory structures below the local threshold, where zoning allows
- Painting, flooring, cabinetry and other finish work
- Like-for-like fixture or appliance swaps with no alteration to wiring or piping
Local amendments and thresholds differ from one jurisdiction to the next, so an exempt list from a neighbouring city is not reliable — a project waved through in one place needs a full permit set in the next. An exemption from a building permit is never an exemption from zoning, the statewide energy or green-building codes, or an electrical or plumbing permit. Confirm scope with Building and Safety before work starts.
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Get a free quote →The statewide layers that apply everywhere
Several parts of Title 24 apply on top of the base building code and routinely catch projects owners assume are exempt: the California Energy Code (Part 6); CALGreen (Part 11), California’s mandatory statewide green-building code; and the accessibility provisions in Chapters 11A and 11B. Seismic design is built into the code statewide, and in fire-prone areas the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (Title 24, Part 7, in force since 1 January 2026) and Cal Fire defensible-space requirements (Public Resources Code 4291) add a further layer. In the City of Santa Monica, the Building and Safety Division administers Title 24 with city amendments, including the city’s green building provisions for new buildings, additions and alterations, and the seismic retrofit ordinance.
California builds on one statewide code, Title 24, whose 2025 edition took effect on 1 January 2026; the editions in effect when the application is submitted apply, and cities and counties may adopt local amendments only with findings filed with the state (new residential amendments are largely frozen until June 2031). Title 24 and local amendments
Who handles permitting in Santa Monica?
Under the Community Development Department, the Building and Safety Division reviews building plans, issues building permits and performs building inspections.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division |
| Serves | The City of Santa Monica limits |
| Phone | 310-458-8355 · inspections 310-458-2202 |
| Counter | Permit Services Center, City Hall, 1685 Main Street (south entrance, from Olympic Drive), Santa Monica, CA 90401; Monday to Thursday 8am to 3pm; appointments at checkin.smgov.net |
| Code | Title 24 with Santa Monica city amendments |
| Filing | Electronic plan review; online submittal only |
| Licensing | State CSLB license; city business licence to operate |
| Records | Seismic inventory published on the city open data site |
The Building and Safety Division reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction for the City of Santa Monica, with all building permit applications accepted only through the city’s electronic plan review system. The city publishes a permit process guide that maps project type to the applicable route, along with distinct application types including combination permits, single trade permits, soft-story retrofit permits and commercial interior non-structural demolition permits.
Confirm the parcel is inside the city first; unincorporated LA County and the neighbouring westside cities file with different authorities under their own amendments.
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Get a free quote →Permit types
Residential permits
Residential work inside the city is permitted and inspected by the division under Title 24 and city amendments. Single trade permits often need no plans, while more complex work uses a combination permit covering building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing in one. Multi-family owners subject to a retrofit order must give tenants an advisory before construction begins.
Commercial permits
Commercial and multi-family work goes through electronic plan review against the California Building Code, the Energy Code, CALGreen and the city’s green building provisions. Only a registered civil or structural engineer or a licensed architect may prepare and stamp construction documents and calculations for a new building, and noise-critical multi-family projects carry a sound attenuation report.
Licenses, trade classifications and design professionals
Practically, three credential layers appear on California projects: a CSLB license in the correct classification for the contractor pulling the permit; the specialty C-classifications for the electrical, plumbing and mechanical trades; and, on commercial and larger residential work, drawings stamped by a California-licensed architect or engineer. Confirm what Building and Safety requires for the specific building before filing.
Contractors are licensed statewide by the Contractors State License Board (Classes A, B, B-2 and C) for work of $1,000 or more or any permitted work; a city may also require a business licence or tax registration. Contractor licensing in California
Santa Monica permit costs and fees
Budget the city building permit and plan-check fees, separate trade permits, the state Building Standards and seismic surcharges, waste management plan requirements, and any development impact fees. Building permit applications for most projects are valid for one year from a complete submittal with fees paid.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Based on project valuation or square footage; set by the local schedule |
| Plan check | A percentage of the permit fee or a flat charge, at submittal |
| Trade permits | Separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees |
| State surcharges | Building Standards and seismic (SMIP) fees collected with the permit |
| Impact and school fees | Development impact and school-district fees in growth areas |
| Re-inspections and revisions | Additional fees for failed inspections, revisions and expired permits |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →California layers two uniform state surcharges — the Building Standards Administration fee and the Strong Motion Instrumentation seismic fee — on top of the local charges (Health and Safety Code 18931.6; Public Resources Code 2705). The building and plan-check fees themselves are local and change, and California law limits them to the reasonable cost of providing the service, so a figure from a neighbouring city is not reliable — ask Building and Safety for the schedule in force on your filing date.
Need a real number for a specific Santa Monica project? Send us the scope, address and valuation and we will identify the authority having jurisdiction, the code edition in force and the fee categories that will apply.
Trade permits and who may pull them
Permit required
- Service installations, panel upgrades, new circuits, solar PV and EV chargers
- New plumbing, repipes, water heater change-outs, fixtures, backflow and gas piping
- HVAC installation and change-out, ductwork, venting and commercial kitchen exhaust
- Sprinkler, standpipe and fire alarm work on commercial and multi-family structures
Typically exempt
- Replacing a fixture, switch, receptacle or light with no alteration to wiring or piping
- Clearing a stoppage without replacing or rearranging concealed piping
- Filter, thermostat and routine component service
- Like-for-like appliance repair that does not alter the connection
Each trade follows its part of Title 24 and is done by a contractor with the matching CSLB licence (C-10 electrical, C-36 plumbing, C-20 HVAC), a Class B contractor where allowed, or an owner-builder. Trade licences in California
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply for a Santa Monica building permit
Only work within the City of Santa Monica limits files with the division.
Identified buildings carry evaluation deadlines set by Building Officer order.
Combination, single trade, soft-story and soft demolition routes differ.
New buildings need a registered engineer or licensed architect.
All building permit applications are online only.
Most applications are valid a year from a complete, paid submittal.
Review, corrections and what actually causes delay
In California, the first cause of delay is uncertainty over jurisdiction — filing with the county when a city should have it, or missing a local amendment on top of Title 24. After that come Title 24 energy and CALGreen documentation, a CSLB classification that does not match the scope, and, in fire or coastal areas, defensible-space or coastal-zone requirements that were not addressed up front. Build the plan-check time into the schedule and confirm the checklist with Building and Safety before filing.
A building permit carries a validity period and can expire if work does not start or stalls between inspections; confirm the expiry with Santa Monica on phased or delayed work. Permit validity in California
Inspections in Santa Monica
Where a permit is required, standard checkpoints include footing and foundation, framing, rough-in electrical, plumbing and mechanical, insulation and Title 24 energy, CALGreen measures, fire systems on commercial work, and final, with a certificate of occupancy before use. Plan review timelines vary by project type and scope, and the city publishes estimated review timeframes alongside notices when reviews are running beyond them.
California inspections are made against the code editions in effect when the permit application was submitted (Health and Safety Code 18938.5), so the approved plans and any energy and green-building documentation need to be on site for the inspector to check against. Confirm the notice Building and Safety needs and schedule around its inspection windows.
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Get a free quote →Do not cover work before the required inspection has been approved. Keep the issued permit, the approved plans, product listings, Title 24 energy documentation and your correction responses available on site.
Santa Monica permit search and official resources
Permit records in California sit with the local authority that issued them. Where the City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division is the authority for the City of Santa Monica limits, it holds the building permit, the inspection history and the certificate of occupancy. If you are buying, refinancing or renovating, confirm that past work was permitted rather than assuming it was — and confirm the code edition that was in force.
Confirm the authority having jurisdiction and the local amendments first. California enforces one statewide code, Title 24, but each city and county adds its own amendments and fee schedule, so the requirements that apply vary by parcel. Confirm current requirements, fees and review turnaround for your filing date.
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- City of Santa Monica building permits and plan review
- California Building Standards Commission (Title 24)
- Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
- California Coastal Commission
- California Energy Commission (Energy Code)
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in the City of Santa Monica?
The Building and Safety Division, within Community Development, issues permits for work inside the city; unincorporated LA County and neighbouring cities are separate authorities.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How does the seismic retrofit programme work?
Identified buildings receive a Building Officer order with a compliance date. A structural evaluation by a licensed engineer or architect is submitted by that date, and a retrofit permit follows if the building falls short.
Is there a simplified retrofit route?
A soft-story retrofit permit application is used with a combination building permit, and its pre-screening questions can remove the need for planning and mobility review on eligible projects.
Do I need a local contractor registration?
California licenses contractors statewide through the CSLB; a city may still require a business licence or tax registration. A city business licence is required to operate in Santa Monica.
Can a designer stamp the plans?
For a new building, no. Only a registered civil or structural professional engineer or a licensed architect may prepare and stamp construction documents and calculations.
How long is an application valid?
Building permit applications for most projects are valid for one year from the date the city receives a complete submittal with fees paid.
Simplify Santa Monica permitting with Alliance Permitting
Santa Monica rewards knowing which of several permit routes fits the work, and treating a seismic order as a deadline rather than a notice. Both decide the programme here.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Santa Monica because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We confirm the parcel is inside the city and route it to the division.
- We check the seismic inventory and any compliance deadline.
- We select the correct permit application type for the scope.
- We build the city green building provisions into the design.
- We track the application validity and review timeframes.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in California. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
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Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Santa Monica permits while your crew stays on the job.
More California permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Santa Monica permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.