City of Palm Desert
Home MenuBuilding & Safety Permits
Palm Desert City Hall is pleased to welcome people who wish to conduct business in person with City staff. City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Payments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m.
City services continue to be offered by phone, email, or online. If you prefer to continue to do business remotely with the Permit Center, we encourage you to do so by calling (760) 776-6435 or by emailing us.
Please note that while the City is open for in-person business, digital submittals are more efficient and expeditious.
The Building & Safety Division of the Development Services Department is responsible for building plan review and inspections. Once your application has been submitted, you should receive an email within 1-5 business days requesting the plan check fee. Please be sure to check your spam folder.
Once plan review fee has been paid, please allow 5-15 business days for review. Please note that final approval times vary depending on request for plan revisions and resubmittals.
Digital Plan Submittal
Click here for a Building Permit Application. Once your documents are processed, you will receive a download receipt. Please note the following:
- Permit type and address should be included in the subject line.
- All submittals should be labeled in the naming, e.g. Building Application, Plans, Structural Calculations, etc.
- PDF files submitted cannot be protected or digitally signed that prohibits editing. Your plans will be secured once approved and stamped.
- We cannot accept files larger than 200MB. For files larger than 200MB, please submit more than one file if necessary, i.e. Architectural, MEP, Structural.
Click here for Electronic Plan Submittal and Signature Policy and use the following link to review regulations on updated emergency digital signatures.
Resubmittals
Resubmittals will not be accepted without a written narrative. Upon submittal of additional reviews please complete and include a Resubmittal Form and include the permit number in the subject line. All resubmittals must be routed to the Permit Center. Upon approval from other departments we will route your plans for review.
Permit Issuance
Plans, corrections, and permits will be reviewed electronically and issued via email. Applicants will not receive a paper copy of their approved documents, and it will be the responsibility of the applicant to print documents for all inspections.
Design Professionals
Design professionals, such as Architects and Engineers, whose “wet” signature is required for submittal of hard copy plans will be required to obtain a “digital signature” key for signature of electronically submitted plans.
Non-design professionals shall sign plans via electronic signature. Click here details about digital and electronic signature requirements.
Please allow 1-5 business days for processing, and anticipate a telephone call or email with further instructions. Please check your spam folder for any emails received from the City.
Permit Expiration
California Building Code Section 105.5 provides that every permit issued by the Building & Safety Division shall become invalid when:
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The building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within 1 year from the date of such permit, or
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The building or work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned at any time after the work is commenced for a period of 1 year, or
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The person or entity to which the permit is issued fails to request a first inspection within 1 year from the date the permit was issued.
Permit Extensions
California Building Code Section 105.5 provides any person/permittee holding an unexpired permit may apply for an extension of the time within which work may commence under that permit which the permittee is unable to commence work within the time required by this section for good and satisfactory reasons. The building official may extend the time for action by the permittee for a period not exceeding 180 days on written request by the permittee showing that circumstances beyond the control of the permittee have prevented action from being taken.
Riverside County Fire Services
The public can access services provided by Riverside County Office of the Fire Marshal at their East Office.
77933 Las Montanas Road, Suite 201,
Palm Desert, California, 92211.
Open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed noon – 12:30 p.m.).
Information: 760-863-8886 or www.rvcfire.org.
Payments, status checks, and all permit-related inquiries: www.rivcoplus.org.
Inspections and submittal questions: 760-863-8886 or email.
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