Building permits in Pasadena, CA
Pasadena (Los Angeles 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.
Pasadena runs permits through its Citizen Self Service portal (EnerGov). New construction, ADUs, tenant improvements, additions, and commercial solar and seismic retrofits must be submitted online, and permits not available online can be submitted in person at the Permit Center, 175 North Garfield Ave. The city adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Code with local amendments by Ordinance 7461 (effective January 1, 2026 per the city's codes page), with an optional 2022-code path for qualifying Eaton Fire rebuilds. The Express Permit Portal issues mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits within minutes.
Verified local data — Pasadena
Every fact below is sourced from a public City of Pasadena document or portal page. Each carries the source URL and the date we last verified it. Full dataset last re-verified .
- Permit portal
- Pasadena Citizen Self Service (EnerGov)
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source · Stable city shortlink; resolves to https://mypermits.cityofpasadena.net/EnerGov_Prod/SelfService, which sits behind a Cloudflare browser check
- Submission methods
Online · In-person
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source · New construction, ADUs, tenant improvements, additions, commercial solar, and commercial seismic retrofits must be submitted online; permits not available through Permit Center Online can be submitted in person at the Permit Center, 175 North Garfield Ave.
- Adopted code edition
2025 California Building Standards Code (with Pasadena amendments)
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source · Ordinance No. 7461 adopts the 2025 California Building Standards Code with local amendments, and the city's codes page lists the 2025 California Building Codes as effective January 1, 2026. The same page lists "Eaton Fire Rebuild Building Codes (Optional)", and the ordinance keeps the 2022 local amendments applicable to projects qualifying under Executive Order N-29-25 — https://www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/permit-center/codes-and-regulations/
Other local notes
Permit Center hours: Monday–Thursday and alternate Fridays, 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Questions on permits or inspections: (626) 744-4200 or permit_center_manager@cityofpasadena.net.
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
Contractors must present a valid contractor license, verified through the California Contractors State License Board, and a current City of Pasadena business license, and must carry workers' compensation insurance.
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
Inspections are scheduled online with call, text, or email confirmation of the inspection window, and permit applications can be tracked online.
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
The Express Permit Portal issues mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits within minutes, and plan check submittals are reviewed by all required plan reviewers at the same time.
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
Official building department
City of Pasadena Permit Center (Planning & Community Development)Verified Pasadena specifics are shown above. For project-specific fees, timelines, and counter staff, this department is the authority.
Permits by trade in Pasadena
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 →
Common jobs in Pasadena
Each job below is combined with Pasadena's verified permit data — portal, fee schedule, and adopted code edition.
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