plan check

Click the video to take a 360° tour of a newly constructed restaurant!
This interactive video explains key terms and requirements for restaurant construction, including floor sinks, ventilation hoods, and other essential components.

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Determine if plan submittal is required, learn about various services, and access resources. 

Now that you have learned about the services in Plan Check and decided on the type of service you need, you may proceed in initiating the Plan Check process for food and pool projects. 

1. Pre-Submittal Consultation (Optional): For unique or complex food or pool projects, you may schedule a pre-submittal meeting with  a plan checker to go over your project. Consultation services are charged at the hourly rate. Click Here to book your appointment.  
2. Submitting Application: Ready to begin? Submit your plan check application online for all services except Underground Storage Tanks, Body Art, and Site Mitigation. For those, visit their respective pages to learn about current submittal processes. Submit Application Here. 
3. Uploading Plans: Once your application is reviewed, our team will email you upload links for your plans and supporting documents. Generally, the supporting documents would include: a menu and equipment specification sheets for food, and equipment specification sheets for pools. 
4. Payment: After upload, you'll receive an email with the assessed fees and payment instructions. To view current fees click here. 
5. Review: Once payment is received, your plans enter the review queue. To expedite the review, you may also submit a request to expedite click here.

The Plan Check team is here to guide you through the process and provide you help as need. You may check the status of your project by Clicking Here or you may reach out to the plan check general line or supervisors directly: 

• Plan Checker on Duty plancheck@ochca.com (714)433-6074 
• Supervisor, Ahed Saleh asaleh@ochca.com (714)433-6128
• Supervisor, Annice Guadan aguadan@ochca.com (714)433-6124 

Upon the review and approval of plans, the construction phase may commence for food and pool projects. The following steps will serve as a guide throughout the process subsequent to plan approval.

1. Plan Approval: Congratulations on the approval of your submitted plans, which allows you to initiate construction. It is the responsibility of the submitter to provide evidence of this approval to the city building department. Depending on the municipality, approved electronic plans may be acceptable. Nevertheless, it is imperative that a copy of our team's approved plans is maintained onsite, in addition to the set approved by the city.

2.Construction Inspection: When the project reaches approximately 80% completion, it is advisable to contact your designated plan checker to request a preliminary inspection. All projects with active service requests may qualify for up to two preliminary inspections and one final inspection. Please note that any subsequent inspections will incur an hourly fee. To review our current fee schedule, click here.

3. Final Inspection: Following the completion of any required changes and when the plan checker is prepared to conduct a final inspection, the plan checker will direct the owner or contractor to complete a health permit application. This application, along with the corresponding payment, must be submitted prior to the final inspection being issued. The health permit is an annual requirement, and fees are invoiced on a yearly basis. It is important to understand that health permit fees are distinct from plan check fees. New projects and those that involve a change of ownership will necessitate a health permit submission.

4. Project Close Out: After the plan checker has performed the final inspection and the health permit fees have been settled, a copy of the job card must be provided to our plan check team in order to release the health permit. Further details will be provided by your designated plan checker during the final inspection.

• Common Restroom Guidance Document
• EH Cover Sheet-Download Required
• Construction Guidelines for a Retail Food Facility
• Retail Food Facility-Prepackaged Food
• Wholesale Food Processing
• Wholesale Prepackaged Warehouse

According to the California Health and Safety Code, Section 114380, any individual or entity looking to construct or renovate a retail food facility is required to submit comprehensive and clearly legible plans, drawn to scale, along with detailed specifications to the enforcement agency, HCA Environmental Health, for evaluation.

The plan review process consists of several key steps:
1. An initial examination of construction plans to ensure compliance with relevant codes and regulations.
2. Review of any revised plans to verify that necessary corrections have been made.
3. Final approval of plans, allowing construction to commence.
4. Conducting inspections during the construction phase.
5. Issuance of a permit to operate upon final approval.

The timeline for moving from the plan check application to obtaining a permit to operate can vary significantly due to several factors, including:
- The complexity of the construction project, which may range from simple equipment upgrades or uniform facilities to more intricate designs that incorporate features like pools, food service areas, and hotels.
- Additional time may be needed for secondary and subsequent revisions aimed at addressing any plan corrections.
- Coordination between the owner or their representative and multiple stakeholders, including architectural firms, contractors, subcontractors, fire authorities, and departments related to building, safety, and planning.

(714) 433-6074
1241 E. Dyer Road, Suite 120, Santa Ana, CA 92705
Environmental Health Office Hours:
Reception Desk Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Cashier (Payment) Hours: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.