Chino, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Default rule
- permit required unless exempted
- Exemption list
- 14 numbered categories
- Late-permit penalty
- double the permit fee
- Applies to
- all occupancies, not just homes
- Adopted by
- Ord. 2022-015, 7-19-2022
Summary
Chino requires a building permit for construction and alteration work unless the work falls into a specific, narrow list of exemptions set out in the city's amended Building Code.
105.2 Work exempt from permit. A building permit will not be required for the following: 1.One story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, gazebos, playhouses, temporary tents, and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed one hundred twenty square feet and has all the required yards. ... Unless otherwise exempted by this code, separate plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits will be required for the above exempted items.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
The City of Chino, San Bernardino County, California, amended Section 105.2 of the California Building Code by local ordinance (Chino Municipal Code § 15.04.180, Ord. 2022-015, § 1, 7-19-2022) to define exactly which minor work is exempt from a building permit, small accessory sheds under 120 square feet, low platforms and decks under thirty inches, finish work like painting and cabinets, small water tanks, low retaining walls, fences under three feet, and similar minor items across fourteen numbered categories. Everything else, additions, new structures, most decks, in-ground pools, taller fences, and any work not on the exemption list, requires a building permit, plan review by the building official, and inspection before work begins.
Violations & Fines
Starting work that exceeds the listed exemption thresholds without a permit can trigger a stop-work order and a penalty equal to double the normal permit fee under Chino Municipal Code § 15.04.185, plus required after-the-fact permitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What construction work doesn't need a permit in Chino?
What happens if I build without a required permit in Chino?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino to another location·View the California building safety overview
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Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle building permits.