Before any building related construction or installation occurs, plans must be prepared and submitted to the City. You will want to contact the Planning Division to check on compliance with zoning regulations and you should also make sure that plans meet all building related codes.

Some plans can be approved over-the-counter, while other plans will require a detailed plan check. During plan check, plans are reviewed for compliance with Building Code and similar requirements. If you are a property owner having work done on your property, we recommend that you use licensed and experienced professionals to prepare your plans to make the process most efficient. Fees for plan check are usually based on project valuation. In most cases, a first plan check will take one or two weeks. Plans can be submitted at the Community Development Department counter. The City does not have an online portal for plan submissions and does not accept submissions via e-mail at this time.

Once plans are approved and ready for permits, permit fees will be paid and a permit will be issued. Permits are valid for 180 days. This time is extended if work is active and there are regular City inspections to confirm that progress on the work has occurred.

Inspections by the Building Inspector are required for all permits. For many projects, there will be multiple inspections throughout the process to ensure that the work being done is consistent with approved plans. When complete, the project will have a final inspection. In almost every case, we provide the inspection on the next working day. 

You can contact the Building & Safety Division at (626) 357-7931 ext. 536 to schedule an inspection. If leaving a voice mail, please indicate the Building Permit number, address of the inspection, type of inspection requested, requested day of inspection, contact name, and contact phone number.

View the building codes adopted by reference by the City of Duarte. These are also outlined by the California Building Standards Commission.

Please note the City’s amendment of Section 604.2 of the Plumbing Code: “Copper tube for water piping shall be Type K when copper pipe is used. Other plumbing materials shall be subject to the requirements of the Plumbing Code."