Building Permit Technician

City of Placentia; Temecula (CA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Placentia is hiring a Building Permit Technician to support the Building Division in reviewing, processing, and maintaining building permits and related documents. You will calculate fees, prepare revenue reports, and monitor plan checks and inspections with a focus on accuracy and customer service.

Under the Building Inspection Manager, you will handle counter inquiries, assist with permit coordination across city departments, and help operate the records system for permits and

Qualifications

• HS diploma or GED plus two years of experience in permit processing, customer service, and engineering/building services support.
• Possession of ICBO certification within one year of assignment is required.
• Strong customer service and communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide customer service at the building counter and over the phone; process permits and applications; respond to inquiries and discrepancies; explain permit procedures and policies.
• Assist in coordinating permit processes among city departments and with the business community.
• Serve as a resource directing the public to appropriate information sources and department contacts.
• Receive, log, route, and review building plans; verify plan check status and calculate fees; file permits.
• Schedule inspections in coordination with building inspection personnel.
• Track and report status of construction projects in plan checks.
• Assist the public with accessing permits and records; support archiving of plans and permits.
• Prepare departmental activity records and reports and compile data for Building Division.

Skills

Customer service

Permit processing

Record keeping

Engineering support

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

ICBO Certification

Job description

THE CITY OF PLACENTIA IS NOW RECRUITING FOR THE POSITION OF BUILDING PERMIT TECHNICIAN

4/10 Work Schedule Monday - Thursday, 7:15 a.m. - 6:15 p.m.

Filing Deadline: November 15, 2026, or when 100 applications are received.

Are you passionate about making a real impact in your community? Our Development Services Department is seeking a full-time, dedicated, and hardworking professional to join our team. Our ideal candidate will have strong problem-solving skills, technical expertise, excellent customer service skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with their supervisor, colleagues, and the public.

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Building Inspection Manager, the Building Permit Technician conducts technical and clerical activities related to reviewing, processing, and maintaining building permits and related documents, including calculating fees, preparing monthly and annual revenue reports, and monitoring the status of plan checks and inspections. The following list of functions, duties, and tasks is typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform other closely related or department‑specific functions, duties, and tasks from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

Responsibilities

• Provides customer service to the public at the building counter and over the telephone; processes building permits and applications; responds to inquiries and permit discrepancies; provides information regarding permit procedures, policies, and functions.
• Assists in establishing reliable permit coordination among city departments and the business community.
• Serves as a resource to direct the public as needed to various sources of information, including other divisions and departments.
• Receives, logs, and routes building plans for review checks; verifies plan check status; reviews and calculates fees for approved plans; and files all active and finalized permits.
• Schedules building inspections in cooperation with building inspection personnel after reviewing service requests.
• Tracks and reports on the status of construction projects in plan check review.
• Assists customers in viewing microfiche, laser fiche, hard copies of permits, or in making copies; assists other agencies and customers with record inquiries and retrieves requested building plans and permits from archives.
• Assembles fliers and other related material to facilitate report preparation by supervisory staff.
• Maintains building division records, including a variety of forms and logs; provides downloads of information related to the city’s website.
• Prepare departmental activity records and reports, including the faxing of utility releases.
• Compiles data and conducts various reporting related to the Building Division

Other Duties

• Performs other related duties as assigned to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit and the City.

Qualifications

• A high school diploma, GED, or equivalent, and two years of experience in permit processing, customer service, and engineering or building services support work.

Licenses (Required)

• None required

Certifications and Testing Required

• Possession of or the ability to complete International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) certification as a Permit Technician or equivalent training within one year from assignment to this classification is required.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Placentia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, political or religious affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, other non-job related physical or mental disability, medical condition, or other functional limitation in employment or the provision of service. The City is committed to making its programs, services, and activities accessible to individuals with qualified disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodations to complete the employment application and/or participate in the testing process, please get in touch with the Human Resources Office at [phone] before the filing deadline. We will attempt to accommodate applicants with disabilities upon request, as reasonably possible.

The City of Placentia's Drug-Free Workplace Policy requires that all applicants undergo substance abuse testing prior to employment.

The City of Placentia will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history, in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the City is concerned regarding a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act/.

Disaster Service Worker

Under California law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109), all City of Placentia employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers, (DSW). In the event of a catastrophic event, City of Placentia employees may be expected to fulfill emergency action assignments. As DSW's, employees may be assigned to assist in any disaster service activity that promotes the protection of public health and safety and preservation of lives and property.