Do you need an HVAC permit in California?

Land Development Fee Schedule S-002 D.6, "Mechanical Permit (Other) $75.00 minimum." Fees for mechanical work not covered by the new dwelling, addition or alteration, new commercial, shell, or tenant improvement tiers are calculated from the S-002 A.1 Building Permit valuation table, which starts at $75.00 for improvement value up to $2,000 plus $13.75 for each additional $1,000. Mechanical fees for an addition or alteration to a dwelling unit start at $75.00 for improvement value up to $25,000. Fee schedule adopted May 24, 2022, effective August 10, 2022.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Section 2510 Mechanical Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing each permit $42.77; Replacement, repair or installation of each heating appliance or flue vent $42.77; Each comfort cooling window unit $13.22; Each comfort cooling system less than 7 tons $42.77; Each comfort cooling system 7 tons to 14 tons $58.53; Installation of a gas piping system, 1 to 5 outlets $32.64 and $5.91 for each additional outlet; minimum mechanical permit fee $68.66. Where a Building, Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing permit are all obtained on one application form, Section 2505 reduces them by 5 percent.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Itemized per piece of equipment per LADBS Fee Sch.3 (7/2017), for example a gas furnace at $19 each, with a minimum of $55 for one item under $55 or $90 for two or more items, plus 3% D.S.C.S. and 6% Systems surcharges

last checked 17 Jun 2026

Mechanical Code Fee Schedule (Title 29 of the County of Los Angeles Code, Ord No. 2013-0051), effective July 1, 2026: $41.35 for the issuance of each permit; $40.66 for the installation, alteration or relocation of each refrigeration compressor or absorption unit and for each fuel burning furnace, heater, boiler and vented decorative appliance including vents attached thereto up to and including 100,000 BTU ($78.33 for more than 100,000 up to and including 500,000 BTU, $196.18 above that); $19.30 for each air handling unit up to and including 2,000 CFM for the first 10 units; $6.32 for each air inlet and air outlet served by an air-conditioning system, or $55.71 per 1,000 square feet of conditioned area where the count is unknown; $19.30 for each appliance vent not included in an appliance permit; $40.66 for alteration of an existing duct system. Investigation fee for work done without a required permit is not less than $504.47, reduced to $252.23 for one or two family dwellings when the work is performed by an owner-builder.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Mechanical Permit Application Flat Fee: $400 for FY 2024-25, $420 for FY 2025-26, $429 for FY 2026-27, covering any number of listed items including appliance vent, appliance fan, ducts (2 or more), evaporative cooler, fan/hood unit, direct-vent fireplace, furnace blower and HVAC/Heating System Replacement. Forced Air Units or Air Conditioning Units (residential heater or air conditioning, wall unit, no ducts): $190, $201 and $206 across the same three fiscal years. Stand Alone Mechanical permit for individual appliances: $226, $237 and $241. Mechanical Plan Check is 20% of the building permit fee for residential over 3,000 square feet or all non-residential projects as determined by the Building Official. From the OC Development Services Fee Schedule 2024-2027, fees effective July 21, 2024.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Residential Mechanical (BME-RMEC): $274.30 fixed fee, per Appendix A to Ordinance No. 457 as amended by Ordinance No. 457.108 (adopted June 23, 2026, effective July 23, 2026), stepping to $281.80 effective February 4, 2027. The department's still-posted 284-035 fee sheet (09/2025) shows the older figure of $261.10.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Flat $175 permit fee for HVAC change-outs and new installations plus a 10% technology surcharge, per CDD-0245 (rev 07-12-2026)

last checked 18 Jun 2026

County Code 16.0204(d)(1) sets residential mechanical fees effective July 1, 2026: "HVAC change out only" $156.00, "Wall heater, floor furnace, radiant heat and all other heating elements" $156.00, and "All other residential mechanical work not listed in Section 16.0204(d)(1)" $156.00. The ordinance states "All mechanical permits include two inspections. Additional inspections will be charged a re-inspection fee." A $57.00 intake processing fee under 16.0204(h)(1) is applied to each mechanical permit, and where a mechanical plan must be submitted the plan review fee is $244.00.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Billed per unit under IB-103 Table 1B effective May 2026: air handler or mini-split, furnace, and package heat pump are each $176.57 for the first unit plus $52.39 per additional unit

last checked 17 Jun 2026

PDS 613 (effective 07/10/2026, FY 25/26) line item "Mechanical Only": Permit Fee $392.00, no plan review fee. Combination trade permits are cheaper than separate ones: "Electrical and Mechanical" or "Plumbing and Mechanical" is $498.00, and "Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical" is $734.00.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Billed as a Mechanical Permit: greater of $315 per hour of actual inspection time or an itemized schedule, charged in addition to the base Permit Issuance Fee, per the FY2025-26 Building Division Fee Schedule

last checked 17 Jun 2026

Under the county's Building Section Services Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2025 the minimum mechanical permit fee and the mechanical inspection hourly rate are both $272.00. Mechanical units, coils, boilers, furnaces, heaters, heat pumps, compressors and similar equipment are $273.80 for 1 to 4 units and $72.00 for each additional unit. A combined flat fee permit covering up to 3 devices total of any mechanical, electrical or plumbing category is $273.80. Adopted by the Board of Supervisors on January 23, 2024.

last checked 15 Aug 2026