Orange County, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Issuing authority
- OC Building Official
- Permit required for
- grading, clearing, brushing, grubbing
- Misdemeanor penalty
- up to $500, 6 months jail
- Civil penalty
- up to $250 per day
- Permit term
- valid 2 years from issuance
Summary
Any grading, clearing, brushing, or grubbing preparatory to grading in unincorporated Orange County requires a permit from the Building Official before work starts, with narrow exemptions for small fills, footings, and cemetery graves.
No person shall conduct any grading, clearing, brushing, or grubbing on natural or existing grade that is preparatory to grading, without first having obtained a grading permit from the Building Official.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 157).
Full Breakdown
Under Orange County Codified Ordinances § 7-1-805, no one may grade, clear, brush, or grub on natural or existing grade in unincorporated territory without a grading permit from the Building Official. A separate permit covers each site and can bundle both excavation and fill. Limited exemptions apply: footing excavations under 5 feet of unsupported height, foundation cuts under 300 cubic yards, fills under 100 cubic yards that don't block a drainage course, cemetery graves, and utility trenching by franchised operators. Applications go through the Building Official under Subarticle 5 of the county's Grading Manual, and sites covered by the state general construction stormwater permit must show a filed Notice of Intent with the State Water Resources Control Board.
Violations & Fines
Grading without a permit is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 and six months in jail under § 7-1-811, plus a civil penalty of up to $250 per day of continued violation, $500 for violating a stop order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every excavation need a grading permit in unincorporated Orange County?
How long is an Orange County grading permit valid?
Does this permit rule apply inside Anaheim, Santa Ana, or Irvine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange County
California rules heatmap·Compare Orange County to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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