Welcome to Building & Safety

New City Hall Hours Effective July 6, 2026

Monday-Thursday | 7:00am-6:00pm

Fridays | Closed

Building Division counter open 7:00am-12:00pm & 1:00pm-6:00pm

(Kiosk sign-in after 11:30am will not be seen until after 1:00pm)

Application Submittals & Inspection Requests Online

Details can be found in the topic specific tabs in the drop-down on the left

Building & Safety Division
1st Floor Downey City Hall
11111 Brookshire Avenue
Downey, CA 90241
Building & Safety Email
(562) 904-7142 : Office
(562) 622-4816 : Fax
(562) 904-7141 : Voice Mail

The Building and Safety Division is responsible for the building and safety standards for the design, construction, use, and occupancy, of all buildings and structures within the City of Downey. We provide plan checking, permitting, and inspection services for new construction, additions, renovations, alterations, and remodels to assure all structures meet the minimum life safety standards of State and local building codes adopted by the City of Downey.

Our staff will assist you with the processing of your development project and guide you through this somewhat complex process. After all of the reviews and approvals are complete, you will be ready to obtain your building permits. If you are going to do the improvements to your home yourself, you can obtain an “Owner Builder” permit after completing the owner builder verification form or if you are not going to do the work yourself, you can have your California Licensed Contractor obtain the permits and begin your development project.

Our goal in the City of Downey is to provide an effective and efficient service to our citizens, developers, contractors, architects and engineers and provided answers to frequently asked questions and general information about the development process. Information presented is intended to assist you in obtaining information about development standards and requirements for the City of Downey. However, if you do not find the information you need or have further questions, please feel free to contact us.

Hours

Counter hours are Monday through Thursday 7:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-6:00pm (closed Fridays). The counter is closed every day from 12:00pm-1:00pm, Kiosk sign-in after 11:30am will not be served until after 1:00pm. The cut off time for permit issuance and plan submittal is 5:00pm. Generally, our Building Inspectors are available for questions in the morning between 7:00am-8:00am and in the afternoon between 4:30pm-6:00pm.

Building Code Information

• 2025 California Building Code
• 2025 California Residential Code
• 2025 California Plumbing Code
• 2025 California Mechanical Code
• 2025 California Electrical Code
• 2025 California Green Building Standards Code
• 2025 California Energy Code
• 2025 California Fire Code
• International Code Council