Sign Up

How to Track Building Permits in Los Angeles, CA

Learn how to track building permits in Los Angeles, CA. Get information about the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, permit processes, and how architects can stay organized with Permitful.

Cover Image for How to Track Building Permits in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA permits at a glance

Phone
311 (outside LA: (213) 473-3231)

Tracking building permits in Los Angeles, California, is essential for any architect working in the city. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) handles all building permits, plan reviews, and inspections for one of the largest cities in the United States.

Understanding Los Angeles's Permit Process

LADBS takes applications and plans through ePlanLA, issues no-plan-check Express Permits through PermitLA, and coordinates appointments across agencies in BuildLA. Permit and inspection status is public through the Permit and Inspection Report, which needs no login.

The path a project takes depends on its scope. Counter Plan Check and Expanded Counter Plan Check are completed the same day for eligible work, while Regular Plan Check waits 15 to 30 business days just to be assigned to an engineer, or 6 to 10 days with the expedite surcharge. Many projects also need a City Planning clearance first, so LADBS lists a ZIMAS zoning lookup as the first step.

Challenges for Architects in Los Angeles

Managing permits in Los Angeles presents a few challenges that are specific to the city:

  • High volume: LADBS processes thousands of permits monthly, and Regular Plan Check assignment alone takes weeks
  • Planning clearances: Zoning, ADU, and hillside projects need City Planning approvals before or alongside building plan check
  • Multiple plan check rounds: Most projects require multiple rounds of revisions, and LADBS publishes no recheck turnaround

Key permit types in Los Angeles

Permits commonly issued through Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). Most projects need more than one.

  • Building PermitsNew construction, additions, alterations, and demolition, including signs, fences, retaining walls, and shoring that need plan check
  • Electrical PermitsElectrical installations and modifications
  • Plumbing PermitsPlumbing work and modifications
  • Mechanical HVAC PermitsHeating, ventilation, and air conditioning
  • Fire Sprinkler PermitsInstallation or modification of any fire sprinkler system
  • Grading PermitsGrading in the hillside grading area, removal and recompaction, or backfill
  • Express Permits (e-permits)No-plan-check permits for eligible minor work, issued online through PermitLA
  • Elevator and Pressure Vessel PermitsConveyances and pressure vessels
  • Green Building and Disabled AccessCALGreen and accessibility reviews run alongside building plan check
  • Accessory Dwelling UnitsMinisterial approval, with a City Planning clearance and optional LADBS standard plans
  • Soft-Story RetrofitMandatory seismic retrofit program for wood-frame soft-story buildings

Typical review timeline in Los Angeles

StageTypical duration
Express Permit (no plan check)Readily issued online, per LADBS
Counter Plan Check (CPC)Same day, approximately 45-60 minutes
Expanded Counter Plan Check (ECPC)Same day, 2 hours or less
Regular Plan Check (RPC), assignment to an engineer15-30 business days, per the LADBS FAQ; estimates subject to change
Regular Plan Check, expedited (50% fee surcharge)6-10 days to assignment
Preliminary Plan Check appointmentScheduled within 5 business days

Figures from Regular Plan Check, Counter Plan Check, Homeowner step-by-step guide, Preliminary Plan Check, Express Permits. Verified October 2026.

Tips for Los Angeles permits

  1. Check zoning in ZIMAS before submitting: LADBS lists the zoning lookup as step one, and many projects need a separate City Planning clearance before building plan check
  2. Pick the right plan check path: Counter and Expanded Counter Plan Check finish the same day for eligible scopes, while Regular Plan Check queues for weeks
  3. Track status without a login: The Permit and Inspection Report shows status by address or permit number; ePlanLA is the application and plan upload system

How Permitful helps architects in Los Angeles

Permit Advisor
When you create a project, Permit Advisor suggests the permits it is likely to need based on its type and location, so you start with a list to review and confirm with the agency.
Public project dashboards
Share a live dashboard so clients and consultants check permit status, milestones and progress themselves, without emailing or calling you.
Milestone tracking
Never miss a deadline. Track submission dates, plan check comments, resubmittal deadlines, approvals and inspections, and see what is due next across every project.

Tracking permits in Los Angeles, CA?

Permitful keeps every permit, phase and milestone for a project in one place, tells you what is due next, and gives your client a live dashboard so they stop asking for status updates.

Start freePricing

Free for your first project. No credit card required.

Los Angeles building department resources

Permit tracking in other cities

All cities