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Huntington Beach permit search

The Huntington Beach Permit Center processes building permits through HB ACA Portal. Search by permit number or address, then open Processing Status for progress. The city publishes 5 business days for initial application review and 20 business days for first plan review. Search building permits on HB ACA Portal

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Sources read: 2026-10-31Updated 2026-10-31

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Huntington Beach application and plan-review stages

Initial application review“Initial Application Review - 5 Business Days”Building & Inspections, City of Huntington Beach, read 2026-10-31
First plan review“Plan Review 1st Submittal - 20 Business Days”Building & Inspections, City of Huntington Beach, read 2026-10-31
Second plan review“Plan Review 2nd Submittal - 10 Business Days”Building & Inspections, City of Huntington Beach, read 2026-10-31

Download this table: CSV · JSON

Huntington Beach permit status

After opening the permit record, use Record Info and Processing Status to follow its permit and plan-check progress. The city describes the hourglass as the marker of the current project stage. Expand the black triangle for the additional detail available within that stage.

Processing Status will have information on permit and plan check status. The hourglass location indicates the current project progress. Clicking on the black triangle will also show more details of the status.

Source: Welcome to Huntington Beach, CA, read 2026-10-31

Keep the record number from your application. The city tells applicants to write it down for later status checks and inspection requests, so it can also help you return to the same record rather than repeating an address search.

Huntington Beach building permit records

The Building search directs records from before 1996 to the online records library. Use that historical route when the record you need predates the current search range. The library is a separate link from the current HB ACA Portal search, so keep the record period in mind when choosing where to look.

Historical record lookup: Here.

do i need a permit for a shed in Huntington Beach

The city exemption sheet identifies tool and storage sheds among its detached accessory-structure examples. Its BUILDING item 1 ties the exemption to the structure being one story and to its floor area. That item also retains zoning setback, height and Fire Code conditions.

1. One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, pagodas, gazebos and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet. Such structures shall comply with setback and height requirements of the Zoning Subdivision Ordinance and the Fire Code.

Source: Work Exempt from Permit Requirements, read 2026-10-31

The floor-area line is part of the city’s building exemption list. The same sheet separately addresses plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits and identifies planning-related cases that do not qualify for the exemption. Read those limitations together with the shed item.

Start my request for a shed in Huntington Beach

Do I need a permit to repair or replace a roof in Huntington Beach?

Re-roofs appear in the city FAQ’s examples of work requiring a building permit. The exemption sheet then identifies a narrower re-roofing exception in BUILDING item 15, based on the area involved and compliance with the applicable application requirements. The exception does not state a rule for a complete roof replacement.

15. Re-roofing an area smaller than 100 square feet while satisfying all applicable application requirements.

Source: Work Exempt from Permit Requirements, read 2026-10-31

Use the FAQ requirement statement and the exemption item together when describing roof work to the Permit Center. The exemption sheet’s separate-trade and planning limitations also accompany this item.

Start my request for a roof repair or replacement in Huntington Beach

Can a homeowner pull their own permit in Huntington Beach?

The city allows property owners to obtain permits for their property as owner-builders. Its FAQ calls for an owner-builder form with each application and a state photo ID. A business owner may use this route when they also own the property.

An agent obtaining a permit for a property owner must provide the form completed by that property owner together with a copy of the owner’s driver’s license. The FAQ separately describes the contractor route and its city business, state contractor and workers’ compensation documents, including the working-alone exception.

The FAQ also has a separate Fuse Up entry. It distinguishes a contractor’s application documents from a tenant’s documents; the tenant route includes the landlord’s owner-builder form, ID copy and electrical permit application. Use that entry when your request concerns that specific permit.

What work does not need a permit in Huntington Beach?

The city’s exemption sheet includes finish work such as painting, tiling, carpeting and cabinets. It also cautions that an exemption does not authorize work that violates the code or other applicable rules. The finish-work item sits within that broader limitation.

7. Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work.

Source: Work Exempt from Permit Requirements, read 2026-10-31

Separate plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits remain part of the sheet’s limitations unless the code provides otherwise. The planning note also excludes listed work in a Floodplain Overlay District, an Environmentally Sensitive Area or a case requiring discretionary planning or another agency’s permission.

The city FAQ’s requirement statement is:

Building permits are required to erect, enlarge, alter, remove, demolish, or repair a building or structure in the City of Huntington Beach. For example, permits are required for patio covers, fences, block walls, re-roofs, stairway & guardrail replacements, tenant improvements, signs, and when paving and restriping a parking lot.

Source: Building & Inspections, read 2026-10-31

The FAQ points readers to its exemption sheet for the exceptions. The shed and re-roof items on this page come from that sheet.

How much is a permit and how long does it take in Huntington Beach?

City building permit fees — effective July 1, 2026

These are components from the City of Huntington Beach building fee schedule, effective July 1, 2026. The processing charge and initial valuation tier are separate entries. The schedule also states an automation surcharge on the listed fees.

Permit Processing Charge Flat fee @ Permit or Plan Review Submittal $41.00

Source: Work Exempt from Permit Requirements, read 2026-10-31

$1 to $500 $85.00

Source: Work Exempt from Permit Requirements, read 2026-10-31

A 6.0% Automation Fee will be added to all fees listed pursuant to Resolution 2023-21

Source: Work Exempt from Permit Requirements, read 2026-10-31

The city publishes initial application review separately from plan review. Its table distinguishes the first plan submittal from later submittals and revisions. The durations in the table above describe those published stages; they are not presented as one end-to-end construction timeline.

Before you apply in Huntington Beach: checklist

Describe the proposed construction scope in the application’s details step. For application submittals, the city requires a PDF upload of the completed permit application or certificate-of-occupancy application form. Keep that completed form with the files you prepare for the online submission.

For all application submittals, a PDF file upload of the completed permit application or certificate of occupancy application form is required.

Source: Welcome to Huntington Beach, CA, read 2026-10-31

Save the record number after submission for status checks and inspection requests. If you apply as an owner-builder, include the owner-builder documentation described in the city FAQ. An agent applying for the owner has a separate document instruction in that same FAQ.

How do I contact the Huntington Beach building department?

The Permit Center handles permits for construction and alteration within the city. Its Building & Inspections page publishes weekday counter hours and provides a Submit Question link. Use the city’s question form to reach the department about your permitting question.

The Permit Center hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 am-3:00 pm.

Source: Building & Inspections, read 2026-10-31

Send a question to the city: Submit Question.

Sources

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