Permit Center Reopens After Remodel, With Longer Hours and More Online Services

Pasadena’s Permit Center reopened Monday, June 22, in a remodeled space inside the historic Hale Building at 175 N. Garfield Ave., the city said. During the renovation, the counter had operated from a temporary location in the same building.

The reopening comes with longer public hours and an expanded set of online permitting options that the city says are meant to better serve residents and contractors applying for permits.

The Permit Center is now open 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and on alternating Fridays, and is closed on weekends, the remaining Fridays and holidays, according to the city. It is a one-stop counter where staff from several departments handle development review and permitting — from building plans to permits to film, hold a garage sale or put up a tent for a backyard wedding.

In its announcement, the city said new ePermitting services let applicants obtain subtrade permits and submit plans online for new construction, conversions, tenant improvements, accessory dwelling units and additions. The city said it eventually plans to make all permits available for online application and plan submittal but did not give a date. Questions about electronic applications submitted through the Citizen Self-Service Portal or Express Portal go to epermitting@cityofpasadena.net, while all other building permit application questions go to permit_center_manager@cityofpasadena.net, the city said.

Separately, the Planning & Community Development Department offers 30-minute virtual consultations with a “Planner-of-the-Day” for residents seeking zoning and development information for ADUs, SB 9 units and new multi-family development, including City of Gardens (RM-zoned sites) and mixed-use projects. The city says those sessions — held by appointment on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m., excluding holidays, over Microsoft Teams — are offered to facilitate the development of housing. The consultation page also directs users to the city’s Eaton Fire recovery resources.

The remodel was a long-running project. In April 2025, the City Council unanimously approved a $2.5 million contract with Swinerton Builders for work on the Hale Building, Pasadena Now reported. That phase covered the Permit Center’s plan check counters and reception area, a new 70-person public hearing room, five offices, 25 workstations, ADA improvements and restroom renovations, along with energy-efficient lighting, water-saving fixtures and security upgrades, according to Pasadena Now. An earlier phase, completed in fiscal year 2020, covered second-floor offices used by the department.

The Hale Building was built in 1929 for the Southern California Gas Company, acquired by the city in 1986 and last given a major rehabilitation in 1994, Pasadena Now reported.

The Permit Center is at 175 N. Garfield Ave. Questions about permits or inspections can be directed to (626) 744-4200, and virtual consultations can be booked through the department’s website.

For now, the city said, only some permits can be handled entirely online. It has not said when the rest will follow.