Permit Process

Purpose of Permits

Permits are the way the City of Rancho Santa Margarita regulates construction and protects the public by reducing the potential hazards of unsafe construction. They are designed to ensure that all construction in the City is safe and meets applicable Building Code requirements. The Rancho Santa Margarita Municipal Code incorporates the California Building Standards Code with certain modifications related to specific climatic, geographic, or topographic conditions.

Permits are required for the following

Please contact the Building and Safety Division for beginning construction to determine if a permit is required for your project. The most common construction projects that require a building permit include the following:

New buildings
Additions to existing buildings, such as bedrooms, bathrooms, family rooms, etc.
Residential accessory structures, such as decks, garages, fences, fireplaces, pools, water heaters, etc.
Renovations to existing structures, including garage conversions, kitchen expansions, etc.
Re-roofing or roof repairs
Electrical and solar systems
Plumbing systems
Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (“HVAC") systems

Types of Permits

The Building Department issues the following categories of permits based on the type of construction:

Building
Electrical
Heating
Plumbing
Demolition

Permit application forms and other Building Code resources are available on the Permit Applications and Handouts page.

In addition, projects involving grading require a Grading and Encroachment Permit from the Public Works Department. Please contact the Public Works Department at ext. 6504 for Grading Permit submittal requirements.