Building permits in Los Angeles County, California
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Los Angeles County, 5 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County Public Works, Building and Safety Division
- Los Angeles County Public Works, Building and Safety Division, 3rd Floor, 900 S. Fremont Avenue, Alhambra, CA 91803
- Phone: 626-458-3173
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in Los Angeles County
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Los Angeles County, 5 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | height of the deck surface above grade; the exemption also requires the deck not to be over any basement or story below and not to be part of an accessible route | ...grade is priced from the valuation-based Table 1-A Building Permit Fees ($65.36 for... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...the County of Los Angeles Code, Ord No. 2013-0049), effective July 1, 2026: $41.35... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | height of a fence or freestanding block wall measured from the lowest adjacent grade; a masonry or concrete fence must also be set back from a public way at least a distance equal to its height to stay exempt | ...6 feet is priced from the valuation-based Table 1-A Building Permit Fees: $65.36... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...the County of Los Angeles Code, Ord No. 2013-0051), effective July 1, 2026: $41.35... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Before building a patio cover, a carport, an enclosed patio, or any patio work that... | ...enclosure is priced from the valuation-based Table 1-A Building Permit Fees ($65.36... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...28 of the Los Angeles Code, Ord. No. 2013-0050), effective July 1, 2026: $41.35 for... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | depth of a prefabricated pool or other body of water accessory to a one- or two-family (Group R-3) home; the same exemption also reaches pools that do not exceed 5,000 gallons and are installed entirely above adjacent grade | ...is priced from the valuation-based Table 1-A Building Permit Fees plus the $41.35... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | A reroof is priced from the valuation-based Table 1-A Building Permit Fees ($65.36 for a... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | gross floor area of a one-story detached accessory building; the exemption also requires the height not to exceed 12 feet and the maximum roof projection not to exceed 24 inches | ...exemption is priced from the valuation-based Table 1-A Building Permit Fees ($65.36... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...permit fee for small residential rooftop photovoltaic systems shall not exceed $500... |
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Los Angeles County permit fees compared with nearby California localities
| California locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | ...Table 1-A Building Permit Fees ($65.36 for a total... | ...Ord No. 2013-0051), effective July 1, 2026: $41.35... | ...Ord No. 2013-0049), effective July 1, 2026: $41.35... |
| Alameda County | ...A building permit fee table (for example, '$381.46... | ...Permit 18% of Building Permit Fees, $140.00... | ...Permit 20% of Building Permit Fees, $140.00... |
| Contra Costa County | No deck-specific flat fee is published | ...Schedule S-002 D.6, "Mechanical Permit (Other) $75.00... | ...Schedule S-002 C.6, "Electrical Permit (Other) $75.00... |
| Fresno County | No flat deck permit fee is published | ...Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing each permit... | ...Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing permits $42.77... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that California jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Los Angeles County penalty for work started without a permit
Los Angeles County publishes what it charges when work begins before the permit, quoted here from the schedule or permit page we verified.
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Investigation fee for work done without a required permit is not less than $504.47, or $252.23 for one or two family dwellings when the work is performed by an owner-builder.
Los Angeles County electrical permit page · last checked
The California statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit: building without a permit in California.
Los Angeles County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Los Angeles County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Los Angeles County, 5 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 5 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Los Angeles County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Los Angeles County?
- Los Angeles County publishes a fee for 10 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Los Angeles County Public Works, Building and Safety Division; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Los Angeles County?
- Los Angeles County Public Works, Building and Safety Division issues permits in Los Angeles County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 626-458-3173. The Los Angeles County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
- What is the penalty for building without a permit in Los Angeles County?
- Los Angeles County publishes its own charge for work started before the permit: Investigation fee for work done without a required permit is not less than $504.47, or $252.23 for one or two family dwellings when the work is performed by an owner-builder. That is the local bill; the California statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit are on the California building-without-a-permit page.
How the Los Angeles County pages were verified. 10 permit types, 5 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Los Angeles County Public Works, Building and Safety Division or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Los Angeles County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.