How do I get a building permit in Los Angeles?

The City of Los Angeles covers Hollywood, most of the Valley, the westside neighborhoods inside city limits, South LA and the Harbor. Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Culver City, Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale, Long Beach and the beach cities each have their own. Unincorporated areas go to LA County Public Works. Mailing addresses mislead constantly, so we confirm jurisdiction by parcel, not by what the envelope says.

Reroofs, water heaters, panel upgrades, like-for-like window swaps, small electrical and plumbing work, and some kitchen and bath remodels can be permitted online or at the counter, often the same day or within a week. If your project fits a pre-approved standard plan, as many ADUs do, plan review can come back in 3 to 10 business days.

Additions, ADUs, structural changes, new construction and commercial work all need a full drawing set. The city reviews for building code, zoning, grading, fire, and sometimes planning and public works. A residential addition commonly takes 6 to 12 weeks for a first review and each correction round adds a few weeks. A complete, clean first submittal is the only part of this you control, and it is worth a lot.

Permit fees are based on the project valuation. Additions and new units also pay school district fees per square foot, and some projects pay sewer, park and dwelling unit fees on top. We put the known fees in the estimate rather than letting them show up later as a surprise.