All Cities / California / Los Angeles
How Much Does a Building Permit Cost in Los Angeles?
✓ Fee schedule checked against city sources
Fee math from Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), not a national average
Data last verified: September 27, 2026
LADBS prices one and two family building permits from Table 1-A on valuation, with a $130 minimum, plus plan check at 90% of the table fee and a stack of city and state surcharges. Express permits for window, door, re-roof, siding and re-stucco work skip plan check, and a kitchen or bath remodel takes one combined building and mechanical permit.
Permit Cost by Project
ADU, 600 sqft detached (permit + plan check)$4,512.29
Building Permit ($25K project)$1,353.93
Building Permit ($12K project)$816.06
Kitchen Remodel$629.67
Building Permit ($8K project)$609.53
Bathroom Remodel$492.44
Deck / Patio$319.35
Roof Replacement$283.95
Siding Replacement$252.42
Window Replacement$220.88
Solar Panel Installation$215.82
HVAC Replacement$158.05
Water Heater$98.10
HVAC / Mechanical Permit$65.95
Electrical Panel$59.95
EV Charger Installation$59.95
Do You Need a Permit?
No: Paint, cosmetic updates, fixture swaps
Yes: Bathroom remodel ($492.44)
Yes: Kitchen remodel ($629.67)
Yes: Roof replacement ($283.95)
Yes: HVAC replacement ($158.05)
Yes: Water heater ($98.10)
Yes: Deck / patio ($319.35)
Yes: Window replacement ($220.88)
Yes: Electrical panel ($59.95)
Yes: Solar panels ($215.82)
Verified Permit Cost by Project Type
ADU, 600 sqft detached (permit + plan check)
$4,512.29
Building
Building Permit ($25K project)
$1,353.93
Building
Building Permit ($12K project)
$816.06
Building
Kitchen Remodel
$629.67
Building
Building Permit ($8K project)
$609.53
Building
Bathroom Remodel
$492.44
Building, Mechanical
Deck / Patio
$319.35
Building
Roof Replacement
$283.95
Building
Compare these permit costs across U.S. cities
Two Types of Permits
Los Angeles issues building permits for structural work and separate trade permits for plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and roofing. Most remodels need both kinds. See the full breakdown of which projects need a permit and which are exempt.
Los Angeles Permit Cost Calculator
Choose a common project or enter a project value to estimate local permit fees from Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) data.
✓ Updated from local fee schedule
✓ No account needed
Source confidence
Published local schedule
Permit scope
Building permit
Method
Published fee lookup
Estimate summary
Los Angeles calculator ready. Select a project to update the local permit estimate.
Estimated permit fee
$283.95
Updates instantly when project type or valuation changes.
✓ Verified local fee schedule
✓ Express permit (no plan check), priced as LADBS bills it on its own permit cards: codified LAMC Table 1-A fee + E.Q. Instrumentation (0.013% of valuation) + D.S.C. Surcharge 3% and Sys. Surcharge 6% of (fee + $27 issuing + E.Q.) + Planning Surcharge 6% and Planning Gen Plan Maint Surcharge 10% of (fee + $27) + Planning Surcharge Misc Fee $10.00 + CA Bldg Std Commission Surcharge $1 + Permit Issuing Fee $27.00. Table 1-A at $12,000: $40 + $1.25 x 120 = $190.00; total $283.95. City records (PRISM permit cards, 2026): 8 of 8 $12,000 re-roof cards billed exactly $283.95 (26016-90000-25344, -24465, -22771, -21873, -20872, -20051, -19441, -18871), and window change-out cards from $3,000 to $10,000 reproduce the same formula.
Local sourceBuilt from Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) fee data, not a national average.
Formula-backedValuation-based projects recalculate from the local fee formula.
Bookmark friendlyThe tool lives on this city page so citations and saved links stay stable.
Los Angeles prices a building permit from Table 1-A of the Municipal Code and adds a set of city and state surcharges. The figures on this page are read from the Department of Building and Safety's (LADBS) own permit cards, which itemize every charge. A $12,000 re-roof, issued as an express permit with no plan check, comes to $283.95. A $25,000 kitchen remodel with electrical and plumbing work comes to $629.67. A new deck, filed as a plan-check alteration, comes to $319.35 with plan check and surcharges.
How Los Angeles Calculates Permit Fees
The building permit is priced on the value of the work, from Table 1-A of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC): $40 plus $1.25 per $100 from $2,000 to $20,000, and $170 plus $6 per $1,000 from $20,000 to $50,000, counting every started $100 or $1,000 in full. LADBS's online Fee Estimate System uses a higher, inflation-adjusted table and adds a Green Building fee, but the express permits the Department issues are billed on the printed table. This page previously quoted the estimator and put a $12,000 re-roof at $435.53; the billed figure is $283.95.
On top of the table fee LADBS bills the state Strong Motion fee (0.013% of value), a $27 permit issuing fee, a 3% Development Services Center surcharge, a 6% Systems surcharge, two Planning surcharges (6%, and 10% for General Plan maintenance), a $10 Planning fee and the state Building Standards fee of $1 per $25,000. Express permits for window and door change-outs, re-roofs, siding and re-stucco skip plan check.
The results: a $10,000 siding job pays $252.42, $8,000 of windows $220.88, and a $25,000 re-roof $448.30, all as express permits. A remodel takes one combined permit that adds 26% of the table fee for electrical work, 26% for plumbing and 13% for mechanical: a $25,000 kitchen with electrical and plumbing pays $629.67, and a $15,000 bath that also replaces its exhaust fan pays $492.44. Trade-only permits carry a $55 minimum for one item: an EV charger circuit is $59.95, and a water heater with its expansion tank, two items, is $98.10.
Chuck's Take
"I see bids come in all the time without the permit costs broken out. In Los Angeles that mistake hurts. The surcharges stack up fast on top of the base fee. Tell your contractor you want the permit line itemized. Saves arguments later."
Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co.
What Needs a Permit in Los Angeles?
LAMC 91.106.2 lists the work that needs no building permit. Since December 31, 2025, that includes work valued at $2,500 or less unless it affects the structural stability of the building, affects public safety, answers a Department order or changes the use. A small roof or siding repair falls under it.
Also exempt: masonry or concrete fences up to 3 1/2 feet and other fences up to 10 feet, except pool barriers; platforms, walks and driveways no more than 30 inches above grade and not over a basement; pools no deeper than 24 inches with no more than 250 square feet of surface; and awnings on a home that extend no more than 4 feet from the wall, outside Fire District No. 1. Most other work needs a permit, including re-roofs, siding, window replacement, decks over 30 inches and remodels. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work has its own rules.
Penalties for Unpermitted Work in Los Angeles
The rules on expired, suspended and revoked permits are in LAMC Chapter IX, Article 8, Division 6, which we have not reviewed, so this page does not state a penalty amount. The permit section itself makes a false statement or a knowingly hidden material fact on a Department document a misdemeanor (91.106.4.4.2). Pull the permit before the work starts.
How Long Is a Building Permit Good For in Los Angeles?
Expiration is governed by LAMC Chapter IX, Article 8, Division 6. The permit section adds a rule for unfinished work: if work under a permit is suspended for 12 months or more, the Department can send written notice, and the owner then has 90 days to get a new permit and finish, or 180 days to remove or demolish the structure (91.106.4.4.3).
Who Pulls the Permit in Los Angeles?
The applicant files on the Department's form (91.106.3.1). When a structural design is required, the drawings and calculations must be signed or stamped by a California-licensed engineer or architect (91.106.3.3.2). The safest arrangement is a contract that makes your contractor responsible for every permit in their name, so the inspections and code compliance stay with the people doing the work.
Chuck's Take
"If a contractor in Los Angeles wants you to pull the permit yourself that's a red flag. They should take the responsibility. Their license is on the line. Not yours. Get it in the contract in plain language."
Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co.
Why the Los Angeles Fee Estimator Runs High
LADBS's online Fee Estimate System applies an inflation-adjusted fee table and a Green Building fee that the Department does not bill on express permits. On a $12,000 re-roof the estimator shows $435.53; eight $12,000 re-roof permits issued in 2026 were each billed $283.95. The permit card is the record of what was charged.
Remodels on a one- or two-family home take a single combined building-mechanical permit (LAMC 91.107.2.2). The code prices the electrical, plumbing and mechanical parts at 26%, 26% and 13% of the building permit fee, and LADBS applies its 3% and 6% surcharges to those parts as well. That is how a $25,000 kitchen with electrical and plumbing work comes to $629.67.
Quick Reference · Los Angeles Permit Requirements
| Homeowner Task | Permit? | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Paint interior / exterior | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace flooring | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace kitchen cabinets (same layout) | NO | Cosmetic |
| Swap a light fixture (same location) | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace a water heater | YES | $98.10 Plumbing |
| Upgrade an electrical panel | YES | $59.95 Electrical |
| Remodel a bathroom | YES | $492.44 Building, Mechanical |
| Remodel a kitchen | YES | $629.67 Building |
| Replace / repair roof | YES | $283.95 Building |
| Build a deck or patio | YES | $319.35 Building |
| Build a fence (≤6 ft) | NO | Typically exempt |
| Install solar panels | YES | $215.82 Building |
| Replace HVAC system | YES | $158.05 Mechanical |
| Replace windows (new opening) | YES | $220.88 Building |
∗ Costs are verified for Los Angeles, CA from published fee schedule. Always confirm with your local building department.
Internal Comparison · separate trade permits
Compare Los Angeles Permit Fees With Related Cities
Use these source-linked city pages to compare Los Angeles against other California markets and cities with similar permit fee structures.
San Diego, CASame-state California cityBathroom remodel permit package: $459.88 · -$32.56 vs Los Angeles
Sacramento, CASame-state California cityBathroom remodel permit package: $398.00 · -$94.44 vs Los Angeles
San Jose, CASame-state California cityBathroom remodel permit package: $864.00 · +$371.56 vs Los Angeles
San Francisco, CASame-state California cityBathroom remodel permit package: $1,653.78 · +$1,161.34 vs Los Angeles
Springfield, MOAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $490.00 · -$2.44 vs Los Angeles
Atlanta, GAAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $525.00 · +$32.56 vs Los Angeles
Austin, TXAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $540.47 · +$48.03 vs Los Angeles
Fort Worth, TXCross-market benchmarkBathroom remodel permit package: $525.95 · +$33.51 vs Los Angeles
Permit Guides
Permit Cost and Process Guides
Pricing a specific project in Los Angeles? These guides cover what each permit runs and how the approval process actually works.
Building permit cost, every verified city ranked
How much does a building permit cost?
How long does a permit take to get?
When is a permit not required?
Deck permit cost
Roof replacement permit cost
HVAC permit cost
Kitchen remodel permit cost
Solar panel permit cost
EV charger permit cost
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater?
Do I need a permit for an electrical panel upgrade?
How to speed up a building permit
Getting an electrical permit online
What happens if you build without a permit
Before You Build
Before you build, check HVAC system cost data at TheFatBook, the cost index behind these permit numbers.
Frequently Asked · Los Angeles
How much does a building permit cost in Los Angeles?
It depends on the value of the work and the type of permit. A $12,000 re-roof, issued as an express permit, is $283.95 with all surcharges. A $25,000 kitchen remodel with electrical and plumbing work is $629.67. Use the calculator on this page with your project value.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Los Angeles?
Yes, a plumbing permit. A like-for-like gas water heater with its thermal expansion tank is two items on the plumbing schedule, which sets a $90 minimum for two or more items; with the 3% and 6% surcharges the permit is $98.10.
Do I need a permit to build a deck in Los Angeles?
Yes if it is more than 30 inches above grade or over a basement. A deck goes through plan check, and we are holding the figure until we can read the full bill on a plan-check permit. LADBS's estimator figure does not match what the Department charges on the permits we could check.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Los Angeles?
Not for most fences. LAMC 91.106.2 exempts masonry or concrete fences up to 3 1/2 feet and other fences up to 10 feet, except pool barriers.
How much is a permit to replace an air conditioner in Los Angeles?
It takes a mechanical permit. The schedule prices one AC unit of 25 horsepower or less at $24.00, which rises to the $55 minimum for one item, before surcharges. We are holding the total until we can read a mechanical permit card, because LADBS's estimator adds a Green Building fee that its permit cards show on only some trade permits.
Cite This Data
APA format
Chicago format
Data Attribution