Any owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to repair, add to, alter, relocate, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or to repair, install, add, alter, remove, convert, or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be performed, shall first make application to the code official and obtain the required permit.
Instead of an individual permit for each alteration to an already approved electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing installation, the code official is authorized to issue an annual permit upon application therefor to any person, firm, or corporation regularly employing one or more qualified trade persons in the building, structure, or on the premises owned or operated by the applicant for the permit.
The person to whom an annual permit is issued shall keep a detailed record of alterations made under such annual permit. The code official shall have access to such records at all times, or such records shall be filed with the code official as designated.
Exemptions from permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code or any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction. Permits shall not be required for the following:
Building:
- Sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches (762 mm) above grade and not over any basement or story below and that are not part of an accessible route.
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops, and similar finish work.
- Temporary motion picture, television, and theater stage sets and scenery.
- Shade cloth structures constructed for nursery or agricultural purposes, and not including service systems.
- Window awnings supported by an exterior wall of Group R-3 or Group U occupancies.
- Movable cases, counters, and partitions not over 69 inches (1753 mm) in height.
Electrical:
Repairs and maintenance: Minor repair work, including the replacement of lamps or the connection of approved portable electrical equipment to approved permanently installed receptacles.
Radio and television transmitting stations: The provisions of this code shall not apply to electrical equipment used for radio and television transmissions, but do apply to equipment and wiring for power supply, the installations of towers, and antennas.
Temporary testing systems: A permit shall not be required for the installation of any temporary system required for the testing or servicing of electrical equipment or apparatus.
Gas:
- Portable heating appliance.
- Replacement of any minor part that does not alter approval of equipment or make such equipment unsafe.
Mechanical:
- Portable heating appliance.
- Portable ventilation equipment.
- Portable cooling unit.
- Steam, hot, or chilled water piping within any heating or cooling equipment regulated by this code.
- Replacement of any part that does not alter its approval or make it unsafe.
- Portable evaporative cooler.
- Self-contained refrigeration system containing 10 pounds (4.54 kg) or less of refrigerant and actuated by motors of 1 horsepower (746 W) or less.
Plumbing:
- The stopping of leaks in drains, water, soil, waste, or vent pipe; provided, however, that if any concealed trap, drainpipe, water, soil, waste, or vent pipe becomes defective and it becomes necessary to remove and replace the same with new material, such work shall be considered as new work, and a permit shall be obtained and inspection made as provided in this code.
- The clearing of stoppages or the repairing of leaks in pipes, valves, or fixtures, and the removal and reinstallation of water closets, provided such repairs do not involve or require the replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes, or fixtures.
Where equipment replacements and repairs must be performed in an emergency situation, the permit application shall be submitted within the next working business day to the code official.
Application or notice to the code official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures and items listed in Section 105.2. Such repairs shall not include the cutting away of any wall, partition, or portion thereof, the removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support, or the removal or change of any required means of egress or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the egress requirements; nor shall ordinary repairs include addition to, alteration of, replacement, or relocation of any standpipe, water supply, sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil, waste, vent, or similar piping, electric wiring, or mechanical or other work affecting public health or general safety.
A permit shall not be required for the installation, alteration, or repair of generation, transmission, distribution, or metering or other related equipment that is under the ownership and control of public service agencies by established right.
To obtain a permit, the applicant shall first file an application therefor in writing on a form furnished by the Department of Building Safety for that purpose. Such application shall:
- Identify and describe the work in accordance with Chapter 3 to be covered by the permit for which application is made.
- Describe the land on which the proposed work is to be done by legal description, street address, or similar description that will readily identify and definitely locate the proposed building or work.
- Indicate the use and occupancy for which the proposed work is intended.
- Be accompanied by construction documents and other information as required in Section 106.3.
- State the valuation of the proposed work.
- Be signed by the applicant or the applicant's authorized agent.
- Give such other data and information as required by the code official.
The code official shall examine or cause to be examined applications for permits and amendments thereto within a reasonable time after filing. If the application or the construction documents do not conform to the requirements of pertinent laws, the code official shall reject such application in writing, stating the reasons therefor. If the code official is satisfied that the proposed work conforms to the requirements of this code and laws and ordinances applicable thereto, the code official shall issue a permit therefor as soon as practicable.
An application for a permit for any proposed work shall be deemed to have been abandoned 180 days after the date of filing, unless such application has been pursued in good faith or a permit has been issued; except that the code official is authorized to grant one or more extensions of time for additional periods not exceeding 90 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated.
The issuance or granting of a permit shall not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of, any violation of any of the provisions of this code or of any other ordinance of the jurisdiction. Permits presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this code or other ordinances of the jurisdiction shall not be valid. The issuance of a permit based on construction documents and other data shall not prevent the code official from requiring the correction of errors in the construction documents and other data. The code official is authorized to prevent occupancy or use of a structure where in violation of this code or of any other ordinances of this jurisdiction.
Every permit issued shall become invalid unless the work on the site authorized by such permit is commenced within 180 days after its issuance, or if the work authorized on the site by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of 180 days after the time the work is commenced. The code official is authorized to grant, in writing, one or more extensions of time for periods not more than 180 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated.
The code official is authorized to suspend or revoke a permit issued under the provisions of this code wherever the permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect, inaccurate, or incomplete information or in violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of this code.
The building permit or copy shall be kept on the site of the work until the completion of the project.