Los Angeles Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) is the permitting and inspection authority for property inside the City of Los Angeles. A Los Angeles mailing address does not automatically mean LADBS has jurisdiction: other cities in Los Angeles County and unincorporated county areas use their own building authorities. Confirm the situs and municipal boundary before applying.

Los Angeles building permits and plan review

LADBS provides permit intake, construction plan review, code guidance, property-record research, and code-enforcement services for residential and commercial work. The LADBS site directs applicants to PermitLA for eligible express permits and to ePlanLA or other plan-review services when plans are required. Zoning and property information should be checked with the City’s Zoning Information Map Access System (ZIMAS) and City Planning before the building permit is submitted.

Inspections, code compliance, and certificates of occupancy

LADBS inspections are performed at construction stages such as foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, roofing, and final work. Request the appropriate inspection after the permit is issued and before covered work becomes inaccessible. LADBS materials explain that the permit and inspection system tracks plan checks, inspections, and certificate-of-occupancy clearances; the final certificate depends on required permit sign-offs and applicable clearances.

Official contact information

The LADBS Metro location is at 201 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90012. The City publishes 311 for general information within Los Angeles and (213) 473-3231 for calls from outside Los Angeles County. Use LADBS’s official service center and phone directory for current counter, records, inspection, and code-enforcement routing.