How much does a permit cost in Los Angeles?

LADBS (Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety) sets fees via LA Municipal Code §91 and publishes the full fee schedule at ladbs.org. Fees are primarily valuation-based:

1. Building permit fee — roughly 0.6%-1.2% of declared valuation, with minimums. A $30,000 bathroom declared valuation yields a $300-$400 building permit. A $150,000 ADU declared valuation yields $1,500-$2,000.
2. Plan-check fee — roughly 65% of the building permit fee. Applied on submission.
3. Plumbing permit — $225-$475 on typical bathroom remodel, $350-$700 on ADU, based on fixture count.
4. Electrical permit — $150-$400 on bathroom, $300-$700 on ADU, based on circuit count and service size.
5. Mechanical permit — $150-$250 typical, based on ducted-unit count.
6. School facilities fee (on new square footage only) — LAUSD charges $5-$6.50/sqft of new conditioned space. A 500 sqft ADU adds $2,500-$3,250.
7. Development impact fees — parks and traffic fees apply to larger projects.

Additional fees to budget:

• Revisions after first plan-check: $175-$500 each
• Re-inspection after failed inspection: $150-$300 each
• After-hours inspection: $200-$450 premium
• Certificate of Occupancy (new construction and significant alterations): $150-$500
• Online Development Services processing: $50-$150

Typical permit totals:

• Like-for-like bathroom refresh (no permit usually required): $0
• Bathroom remodel with plumbing relocation: $700-$1,800
• Kitchen remodel: $1,200-$3,500
• Detached ADU: $3,500-$9,500 (excluding school fees)
• Whole-house remodel + second story: $8,000-$25,000

The permit fee itself is rarely the budget-buster. What hurts is the soft-cost cascade: architect ($3,000-$20,000), structural engineer if needed ($2,000-$8,000), Title 24 consultant ($500-$2,500), and expediter if you use one.

AskBaily's LA scoping includes expected LADBS fees in every quote. See /regulatory/ladbs-plan-check for deeper timeline detail.