Santa Clarita, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

2 of the City Building Code, added by Ordinance 25-5 effective for permit applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, states that exemptions from the permit requirement do not authorize work that otherwise violates the code or city ordinances, and that separate plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits are still required for exempted items unless the code says otherwise. The exemption list covers roughly 28 categories of minor building work plus separate electrical and mechanical exemptions. A detached shed, playhouse, gazebo, or greenhouse skips a permit only if it is 120 square feet or less, sits no more than 30 inches above grade, tops out at 14 feet, avoids slopes steeper than 3:1, sits outside a flood zone, has no permanent heating or air conditioning, and is sited where the Planning Division allows it.

Chain link or wire fences up to 12 feet, and wood, vinyl, or open wrought iron fences up to 6 feet, are also exempt, as are block walls or pilasters up to 42 inches, unless they sit in a flood hazard area or serve as a swimming pool barrier. 2 gives it 12 months to result in an issued permit before it expires; the Building Official can grant extensions of up to 180 days each on written request with justifiable cause and payment of an administrative fee.

3 caps the reactivation fee at 50 percent of the original permit fee. 8 allows the Building Official to combine building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work into a single combined permit for a new single-family home or a swimming pool package covering excavation, decking, and equipment.