Westminster, CA
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Upcoming Changes to the California Building Standards Code Effective January 1, 2026
The City of Westminster would like to inform the community that the 2025 California Building Code Standards (Title 24) with local amendments will take effect on January 1, 2026. However, due to our holiday closure, all building permit applications must be submitted no later than Monday, December 22 and deemed to be full and complete to stay under the current 2022 building codes. All submittals that are incomplete will be rejected and will need to be amended to follow the 2025 California Building Code Standards.
What This Means: All building permit applications submitted after Monday, December 22, 11:59PM must comply with the 2025 California Building Code.
Current Projects: Permit applications submitted and deemed to be complete or already under review before the holiday closure will be reviewed under the 2022 California Building Standards Code.
Once you have the approval from the Planning Division on design and zoning requirements, it is time to prepare Construction Plans to submit to Building Division for review.
Construction Plan Requirements
Detailed construction plans are required for most types of projects. Construction plans must clearly indicate the location, the existing condition and the proposed scope of work. Show in detail how it will comply with the Building Codes.
For a permit application to be deemed complete for submittal, the submittal documents must contain all information as required per California Building Code Section 107.
This includes, but may not be limited to:
Architectural Plans*
- Site Plan
- Roof/Floor Plans
- Elevations and Sections
- Means of Egress Analysis
- Green Building Code Requirements
- Title 24 Energy Calculations
Structural Plans*
- Foundation Plan
- Framing Plans
- Structural Details
- Structural Calculations
*Please be advised that not all items may be necessary based on the proposed scope of work. In some cases, projects must be prepared by a licensed Architect/ Engineer or licensed professionals for their respective trades. Please speak with a Plan Checker in the Building Division to clarify if any items are necessary for your submittal. Submitting incomplete, inaccurate, or non-compliant plans could delay the permit process and incur additional plan review fees.
Over-the-Counter Plan Review
The following types of small and simple projects are normally reviewed over-the-counter:
- Residential patio covers
- Residential solar system
- Residential HVAC, water heater or electrical panel upgrade
- Pools and spas (with approved engineered standard plans)
- Commercial signs
- Free-standing block walls (non-retaining)