What does “On Hold” mean on a building permit?

Review of your permit has been paused. On Accela portals (San Diego, San Bernardino) 'Hold' means the review is paused and you should contact the building department for the reason. At LADBS, 'PC on Hold' means plan check was temporarily suspended and you need to contact LADBS to find out why. A hold can be caused by missing documents, an outstanding clearance from another department, or an unresolved question from a reviewer.

What should you do when a permit shows “On Hold”?

Contact the building department directly to find out exactly why the permit is on hold — the portal usually will not tell you. Resolve whatever is blocking it (a missing form, an outside-agency clearance, a fee), and the city will lift the hold and resume review. Holds do not clear themselves, so this is a status to act on quickly.