Ontario, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Code adopted
- 2025 CA Building Code, Title 24 Pt. 2
- Wall permit trigger
- Over 3 ft wall, over 2 ft retaining wall
- Design criteria
- 110 MPH wind, Exposure C, Zone D
- Appeals board
- 5 members, City Manager-recommended
- Fees
- Set by City Council resolution
Summary
Ontario requires a building permit for any construction covered by the 2025 California Building Code, adopted by reference under Municipal Code Section 8-1.02. Local amendments set structural design criteria at 110 mph wind, Exposure C, Seismic Zone D, and route disputed permit decisions to a five-member Building Appeals Board recommended by the City Manager.
The 2025 Edition of the California Building Code, as adopted by the California Building Standards Commission in California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 2, Volumes 1 and 2, subject to the amendments set forth in this chapter, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as if fully set forth at length herein. One (1) copy of said code is on file in the office of the City Clerk for public review.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-32: Current through Ordinance 3338, passed 7-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
02, with a copy on file at the City Clerk's office. Because the state code governs directly, any project the Building Code classifies as needing a permit needs one from Ontario's Building Department before work starts. 2 to add two locally specific triggers: any wall over three feet (36 inches) and any retaining wall over two feet (24 inches) requires a permit. 05 sets the City's structural design criteria for every building built in Ontario at 110 mph winds, Exposure C, Seismic Zone D. 06 adds a requirement tied to the City's proximity to the San Andreas fault: underground pipe, conduit, and lines must be shaded with cleaned dirt free of rocks, six inches below and twelve inches above the line, and electrical metal conduit must carry its own separate ground conductor rather than relying on the conduit itself. 03. 01.
Violations & Fines
Under Municipal Code Section 8-6.02, violating any provision of a code adopted under Title 8, including building without the required permit, subjects the violator to any or all penalties provided elsewhere in the Ontario Municipal Code or under applicable state law. Unpermitted work found by the Building Department can also trigger stop-work orders and require retroactive permitting and inspection before the City signs off on the construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a wall in my Ontario yard?
What structural design standard applies to new buildings in Ontario?
Who hears an appeal of a building official's decision in Ontario?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ontario
California rules heatmap·Compare Ontario 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.