The back room has had a bed in it for years. An inspector came out and signed off the footings, then the framing, then the wiring, and the work was finished long ago.
That is the belief: work that passed its inspections is work the city considers closed. On paper a permit closes on one visit only, the last one, and a job that never got it stays open however finished the room looks.
Home Services › Remodeling & General ContractingIs an old permit still open on the house?Describe the permit›Free · Your number stays private
What actually happens
The 2025 California Building Code, in effect statewide since January 1, 2026, runs inspections as a sequence. Section 110.6 says work may not go past the point of each inspection without the building official’s approval. Section 110.3.12 sets the last one apart: the final inspection “shall be made after all work required by the building permit is completed.” Passing the framing approves the framing, nothing more…