Quiz: Are You Ready to Open Orange County Construction Escrow?
If you can answer yes to all three questions below, you will sail through the setup in 24 hours. Miss one and you will spend a week chasing documents.
1. Do you have your building permit number in hand?
2. Is your construction loan approved and ready to fund?
3. Can you name the exact dollar amount of draw 1?
If any box is still blank, pause and finish that task first. Orange County Public Works will not accept the escrow filing without a permit number, and the bank will not fund until the account is open. Now that the quiz is out of the way, here is the relaxed step flow we use at Secured Trust Escrow.
What Makes Orange County Different
Unlike Los Angeles, Orange County requires a separate line item for off site improvements (sidewalks, street lights, medians). The county also wants proof that school fees have been paid before they will sign off on the first draw. These two items add about $9 k to the initial deposit but they are one time charges.
Q&A: Opening Day Logistics
A: No. Orange County will not assign an escrow file number until the permit is in the system. We can pre-fill the paperwork, but the account stays inactive until the permit number hits.
A: After we receive the signed draw request, lien release, and inspection report, we wire funds the same business day. Most contractors see money in 48 hours.
A: Any FDIC insured bank in California works. We have relationships with five Orange County community banks if you want a one stop shop.
Cost Snapshot
Setup fee is $450, school fee verification is $85, and the bond filing is $110. Total out the door: $645. That is $200 less than neighboring L.A. County because Orange County does not charge a separate map filing fee for single family construction.
Costs and time frames cited are median figures drawn from California DFPI filings, Orange County Public Works records, and Secured Trust Escrow’s 2024–2025 file data; actual numbers will move with project size, credit, and county rules. Call 323-919-9894 or contact us for a quote tailored to your site.
Bottom Line: Permit First, Money Second
Orange County keeps the process simple if you walk in with the permit number and school fee receipt. Without those two items you will sit in the lobby scrolling your phone. Pass the quiz above and your escrow opens in 24 hours, your contractor gets paid in 48, and you keep the project on schedule.
Requirements current as of June 2025; always confirm latest Orange County and city requirements before scheduling your first draw.
Sources: Orange County Public Works Construction Escrow Guide 2025, California DFPI Bulletin 2024-11, Orange County Public Works, Secured Trust Escrow Orange County file data.
