Orange County Public Works

OC public work seems to have no motivation to help you get a building permit. Their online submittal and web portal is overly complex and has glitches. Grading permit for a single family home took 14 months to get approved. I need 12 permits for one 3000 sf house. There is no staff directory or flow chart of who is in charge. A supervisor told me I had to change the permit number because the scope of work changed from a remodel to a new house. It was confirmed i didn't need to update to the new code. It took 2 months to review the new permit number. At which time they told me I needed to update to the new code. The supervisor had retired and they would not honor the written direction he gave me. I had to go back to the old permit number.
The chief building official thinks that their process is easy. He has never had to navigate it.
The great news is the customer service staff are terrific and will give you a lifeline when you are drowning.

Daisy G. with OC Public Works was amazing at assisting our project. Give her a raise/promotion.

It's a total pain when you want to apply for permit or pulling permit. How can a public office having a horrible customer service. They never pick up the phone or response any phone call.

Total pain to get a pool permit. Some of their technicians are very rude and expect you to know their procedures even though I have never done business there before! I never wanna pull a pool permit again there! They want way too much and take forever to review. All unnecessary! They act like we’re building on an ancient burial ground? 18 corrections on the 5th submission? Never again!

They do not answer any phone calls... I’ve emailed my request several times and still no response.. by far the worse county to work with for building permits... take 3-4 weeks to get a response and no one will help you..

They will not enforce building codes at shelters.their code enforcement employees ignore calls or get convinced not to enforce the laws.worst code enforcement staff ever.i bet they take bribery payments too.shelters are allowed to break the housing laws.

They used to ignore my calls about maintaining the West Street Basin which is a gated flood control water pond in the middle of the city where urban wild life has made a mini sanctuary . A new supervisor, Ryan, finally listened to my pleas and came with his crew to clean all the debris and trash from the apartments next door, and the homeless people who where traspassing the gate. It’s beautiful again, and people and lots of tourists walk by and it’s no longer an eyesore. So glad we still have good people working for the OC Public Works!.