Permit Process

PURPOSE OF PERMITS

Permits allow the City of Highland to regulate the construction and protect the public by reducing the potential hazards of unsafe construction. They are designed to ensure that all construction in the City is safe and meets applicable code requirements. The Highland Municipal Code incorporates the California Building Standards Code with certain modifications related to specific climatic, geographic, or topographic conditions.

PERMIT REQUIREMENTS

Permits are required for the following:

• New buildings
• Additions (bedrooms, bathrooms, family rooms, etc.)
• Residential work (decks, garages, fences, fireplaces, pools, water heaters, etc.)
• Renovations (garage conversions, kitchen expansions, etc.)
• Reroofing or roof repairs
• Electrical and solar systems
• Plumbing systems
• Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (“HVAC") systems

TYPES OF PERMITS

The Building Department issues the following categories of permits based on the type of construction:

• Building
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Plumbing
• Demolition

PROJECTS NOT REQUIRING PERMITS

A permit is required for most construction or repair activities regulated by code. However, the California Building Code contains a list of projects that are exempt from permits. In such cases, the work must still conform to all technical codes and applicable city, county, and state ordinances.