Building permits in Irvine, CA
Irvine (Orange County) follows California's statewide codes, but runs its own permit intake, forms, fees, and review timelines through its building department. Here's the general picture for the trades — and where to confirm the specifics.
Irvine accepts permits through two online portals — Irvine Ready! for plan-review and engineering submittals, and PermitsDIRECT! (powered by Symbium) for instant minor residential and solar permits — plus in-person service at the Permit Processing Counter. The City Council adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Code on October 28, 2025, effective January 1, 2026, with local amendments in Division 9 of Title 5 of the Irvine Municipal Code.
Verified local data — Irvine
Every fact below is sourced from a public City of Irvine document or portal page. Each carries the source URL and the date we last verified it.
- Permit portal
- Irvine Ready! (online permit portal)
verified May 22, 2026 · source · Irvine Ready! handles plan-review submittals (grading, new construction, residential additions, tenant improvements, signs, solar); PermitsDIRECT! (powered by Symbium) issues instant minor permits for eligible residential/commercial projects
- Submission methods
Online · In-person
verified May 22, 2026 · source · Online via Irvine Ready! + PermitsDIRECT!; in-person at the Permit Processing Counter
- Adopted code edition
2025 California Building Standards Code (with Irvine amendments)
verified May 22, 2026 · source · Adopted Oct 28, 2025; effective Jan 1, 2026; local amendments in Title 5, Division 9 of the Irvine Municipal Code. All plan review applications submitted on or after Jan 1, 2026 must comply.
- Fee schedule
- City of Irvine Community Development Fee Schedule — building plan check and permit issuance fees
verified May 22, 2026 · source
Other local notes
Permit Processing Counter phone: (949) 724-6313. Plan check fees are paid at submittal; permit fees at issuance.
verified May 22, 2026 · source
PermitsDIRECT! (powered by Symbium) automatically checks code compliance and issues permits in real time for residential solar/energy storage and select minor maintenance/replacement projects.
verified May 22, 2026 · source
Permit tracking and inspection scheduling at https://permits.cityofirvine.org/irvinepermits/ — separate from Irvine Ready! submittal.
verified May 22, 2026 · source
Official building department
City of Irvine Community Development — Building & SafetyVerified Irvine specifics are shown above. For project-specific fees, timelines, and counter staff, this department is the authority.
Permits by trade in Irvine
Electrical permits
Service panel upgrades · Rewires and circuit additions · EV charger installs →
Plumbing permits
Water heater replacement · Repipes · Sewer line repair →
HVAC permits
AC / furnace changeouts · Heat pump installs · Mini-split systems →
ADU permits
New detached ADU · Garage or accessory-structure conversion · Junior ADU (JADU) within the existing home →
Solar permits
Rooftop solar PV systems · Battery energy storage (ESS) · Solar + storage retrofits →
Roofing permits
Full roof replacement (tear-off) · Re-roof / overlay where allowed · Structural sheathing or deck repair →
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