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Effective July 1, 2025, Building and Safety Fees Will Be Increased by 3.0%

Due to increases in the Consumer Price Index, and pursuant to the annual adjustment specified in the County Code.

County Introduces Ordinance to Mandate Seismic Retrofits of High-Rise Concrete Buildings

In an effort to enhance seismic safety and protect the lives and property of residents, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors last week introduced an ordinance that would mandate seismic retrofit of certain high-rise nonductile concrete buildings located in unincorporated areas or owned by the County.

These types of structures, built before November 1, 1977, often contain limited reinforcing steel in key structural elements—making them prone to brittle behavior which can cause damage and potential for collapse in a major seismic event. The Los Angeles region is situated atop a vast network of earthquake fault systems capable of producing significant seismic events, such as the 1994 Northridge Earthquake.

"This ordinance reflects the County's proactive commitment to public safety and seismic resilience," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. "By retrofitting vulnerable structures, we aim to prevent the devastating loss of life and property that can occur during a major earthquake.

If approved, the ordinance will require the seismic retrofit and repair of both privately-owned buildings in the unincorporated County and County-owned buildings. It would require owners of qualifying buildings to conduct structural evaluations and, if needed, complete retrofits to meet minimum seismic safety standards within 20 years of receiving a compliance order.

Beyond reducing the risk of collapse, the ordinance aims to enhance the long-term sustainability and resiliency of the County's building stock—ensuring these critical structures are better able to withstand future seismic events.

The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on the ordinance on May 6. To review a draft of the ordinance, please go to Ordinance Amendment Title 26 - Building Code - Add Chapter 97.pdf

Notice - Potential Health Risks

Notice - Potential health risks, including silicosis, a serious lung disease, are associated with inhalation of silica dust (crystalline silica) released through fabrication of engineered stone. Appropriate use of approved equipment is required to help protect engineered stone fabrication workers from exposure to crystalline silica. To learn more about appropriate use of approved equipment, cal/osha regulations, how to request a workplace health hazard evaluation, silicosis symptoms, treatment, and more, please click the following links: www.ph.lacounty.gov/silicosis

Visit LA County Recovers for updates and information on Recovery Resources for the Eaton and Palisades Fire.

EATON FIRE: BEGIN REBUILDING - Questions about Rebuilding after the Eaton Fires may be directed to Mr. Ray Castellanos of the Altadena One-Stop Center at (626) 424-6743 or email BSD-Altadena@dpw.lacounty.gov.

For the Altadena unincorporated area community, rebuilding consultation appointments are being provided at the Altadena One-Stop Center by appointment. These consultations begin on March 17th and appointments are available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:30am-12:30pm and Saturdays from 8am-12pm. Agencies such as Fire Department, Regional Planning, Public Health, Geotechnical and Materials Engineering Division, and Public Works Building and Safety will be available to guide owners and their representatives through the rebuild process and answer any questions they may have. Personalized packets including Permit Records, Assessor Records and Property Attributes will be provided to the homeowners during these workshops. Please visit Rebuilding Workshops to schedule a FREE one-on-one consultation with a Plan Check Engineer.
PALISADES FIRE: BEGIN REBUILDING - Questions about Rebuilding after the Palisades Fires may be directed to Mrs. RaChelle Taccone of the Calabasas Building and Safety District Office at (818) 880-4150 or email BSD-Calabasas@dpw.lacounty.gov.

LA County One-stop center in Calabasas is holding individualized workshops for homeowners affected by the Palisades Fire. These workshops are intended to provide individual property information for owners and their design professionals to aid in preparation of the rebuild plans and streamline the rebuild permitting process. Workshops will start February 19th and be held Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 7:30-10:30am and Saturday from 8:00am-12:00pm by appointment only. Please visit Rebuilding Workshops to schedule a FREE one-on-one appointment with a Plan Check Engineer.

Official Maps of Earthquake Fault Zones – Public Notice

In accordance with the AP Act (Section 2622 (d) in Appendix A), the California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey has published Official Earthquake Fault Zones for the following Quadrangles in Los Angeles County: Burnt Peak, Lake Hughes, and Del Sur.

These maps are in effect as of November 21, 2024.

Quadrangle Maps can be downloaded from the California Geological Survey website under the CGS Information Warehouse: https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/informationwarehouse/regulatorymaps/

For additional information, please contact:
Los Angeles County Public Works
Geotechnical and Materials Engineering Division
Engineering Geology Section
(626) 458-4923

Building Rehabilitation Appeals Board Hearings – Now held Virtually

Public Works holds regular Building Rehabilitation Appeals Board hearings regarding County recommendations for the ordered abatement of properties determined to be substandard and a public nuisance. The hearings allow the opportunity for those who wish to be heard to show why a property is or is not substandard or to show cause why the building, even if substandard, should not be ordered barricaded, demolished, repaired, rehabilitated, or vacated. Follow the directions below to access the agendas and to see information for any upcoming hearings. For additional information, contact the Property Rehab Section at 626-458-3193.

A Virtual Building Rehabilitation Appeals Board Hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 1:00 PM. Click here to access the Hearing Agenda.
If you would like to attend and/or participate in the virtual hearing, see the Event Information and read the Guide to Public Participation in Virtual Hearings.

City of Westlake Village Transition to EPIC-LA

We’re thrilled to announce City of Westlake Village transition from the County’s Building and Safety Online Plan Check System (BSOP) to EPIC-LA on Monday, April 1, 2024. Visit EPIC-LA to apply for your building permit starting the month of April 2024.

Community Serving Small Business Concierge Service

Los Angeles County launched the Community-Serving Small Business Concierge Service to provide eligible small business projects with a streamlined permit process. The program aims to streamline the permitting process for small business projects that will deliver specific community benefits to local residents, including:

Projects that create climate-resilient jobs leading to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
Projects that create opportunities for wealth-building through small business ownership and development while prioritizing community benefits for historically marginalized communities
Prioritize projects and opportunities to enhance and improve environmental quality in communities disadvantaged by persistent pollution and health risk challenges according to CalEnvironscreen Data
Prioritize projects for individuals in highest-need census tracts according to the COVID-19 Vulnerability and Recover Index
Projects that allow for employee-ownership of shared business ownership models

The program provides a single point of entry concierge service to eligible projects. The concierge team from the Departments of Regional Planning, Public Works, Economic Opportunity, Public Health, and the Fire Department will provide technical assistance in processing both project entitlements and issuing permits at all points of construction.

Aligned with the County’s Anti-Racism Diversity and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative Strategic Plan, the program utilizes ARDI's equity tools to measure outcomes and impacts. This approach ensures that service delivery is grounded in equity, with a focus on historically marginalized communities and those in high-need census tracts according to the COVID-19 Vulnerability and Recovery Index.

To apply for a Community Serving Small Business Application, please click here. Please type in 'Community Serving Small Business' in the project description box and fill out the Concierge Service Questionnaire and submit as an attachment. Once submitted, the application will be reviewed for eligibility. If the project meets the eligibility criteria, then an inter-departmental counseling meeting will be scheduled with the applicant to assist in the permit process.

If you have any questions about the program, please email smallbusiness@pw.lacounty.gov.

Express Permits including Express Solar Roof Mount with and without Energy Storage System for Residential Projects are Now Available on EPIC-LA

Simple mechanical, electrical, plumbing, sewer permits, as well as solar roof mount permits with a total system size which does not exceed 38.4 kW AC nameplate rating with and without an energy storage system that do not require plan check may be readily issued as an Express Permits. For more information about Express Permits, please visit our NEW website here.

For a step-by-step guide on how to apply for Residential Express Permits, please click here.

Building & Safety Public Counters Ready to Serve You

Public Works offices and public counters are open for in-person visits by the public. All visitors will be required to conduct a COVID-19 Symptom self-check before entering. Masking is highly encouraged but no longer required at county facilities.
All customers will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.
You may speed up the process and avoid waiting in lines by scheduling a Virtual Online Appointment now. Click here to schedule yours!
Here is how to obtain Permits
- To apply and obtain permits for a project located in one of our Contract Cities, please apply on BSOP
- To find out which office serves your project location, please use our Service Locator
- To get more help to determine which website to apply with, please use the EPIC LA Permit Helper
- For all building permit "How To"" guides, please visit Building & Safety EPIC-LA Help Page
- For a general road map of the permitting process, please click here
- For a roof mount residential solar permit road map, please click here
- For a grading permit road map, please click here
For office contact information, please click here. A list of our offices and an interactive map will be found near the bottom of the page. Specific section contact information is also located on this page.
Important documents regarding permits can be found here

Transition to Online Inspection Request

Effective July 1, 2022, Building and Safety inspection requests for project located in the unincorporated County area will be processed online only through EPIC-LA with the exception of Contract Cities projects serving incorporated cities.

After this date, we will no longer take inspection requests via phone call or voicemail. To schedule inspection related to a permit, log into your account on EPIC-LA at https://epicla.lacounty.gov/, select the permit, and request the inspection online. You will receive a confirmation email once your request in confirmed. Visit Building & Safety EPIC-LA Help Page for additional information and guides. Thank you for helping us to implement a more sustainable way of doing business.

Virtual Inspections

Save time and trouble with a convenient Virtual Inspection of your home project. Permit holders can schedule a Virtual Inspection using their smartphone or tablet, with Skype, Facetime, or another web-based site for some inspection types. Visit Virtual Inspection for additional information and step-by-step procedures. Virtual inspections reduce wait times for re-inspection of minor corrections. Contact your inspector to see if you can get out your device, your flashlight and tape measure, and take a virtual look at your home improvement project. Visit office contact information for a list of our offices and an interactive map near the bottom of the page.

Virtual Online Appointments

We now offer the option to schedule a virtual appointment using Microsoft Bookings to discuss your building construction project with County staff. Please click here to view available appointments.

Bobcat Fire: Disaster Recovery Loans Available

Disaster recovery loans are now available to L.A. County residents and businesses who suffered damage as a result of the Bobcat Fire. Contact the U.S. Small Business Administration to apply.

Apply today
- Visit https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/
- Call (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information .
Learn More & Apply

BEGIN REBUILDING after the Bobcat Fire & Lake Fire - Questions about Rebuilding after the Bobcat Fire or Lake Fire may be directed to Mr. Hugo Acevedo of the Antelope Valley Building and Safety permit office at (626) 632-0074 or email hacevedo@dpw.lacounty.gov

Take action to reduce wildfire danger

Protect your home from wildland fires. Hotter temperatures and drier conditions lead to increased wildfire danger. There are active steps property owners can take to protect their structures from wildfire hazards. Keep your family safe. Prepare your home and property for wildfires with LA County Fire's video, Harden Your Home: LA County Fire's video, LA County Fire’s video, Harden Your Home