Utilizing the LADBS: Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety
LADBS stands for the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. This department is designed to provide plan checking, code enforcement, inspection, and permitting services for all types of commercial and residential buildings that are situated in Los Angeles. Their goal is to make sure that all buildings in the city are built properly, safely, and efficiently.
When you’re attempting to create and develop a building in Los Angeles, LADBS can provide you with assistance and advice on how to accurately comply with zoning, plumbing, building, electrical, mechanical, and green codes to ensure that your project is able to progress without issue.
This article provides a more comprehensive guide on how to best utilize LADBS when you’re getting ready to develop any kind of building in LA.
Who is the Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety (LADBS)?
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety is an essential resource for developers looking to build commercial or residential buildings in the city. This organization has three main goals that it focuses on, the primary of which is that it enforces the building code in Los Angeles to make sure that buildings are safe for any residents or employees inside. They also issue the necessary permits for renovations, repairs, building, and demolition. Another pillar of this organization is to conduct inspections that can determine if renovation and construction work was completed in a safe and proper manner.
If you own a building or plan to develop one, you will likely be required to interface with LADBS on a regular basis. The staff members at this organization can guide, assist, and advise you on how to obtain compliance with the various type of local and state code regulations.
By meeting with the Department of Building and Safety before you begin a project, you can be confident that the project will be able to go forward without issue.
Services LADBS Provides
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety provides property owners and developers with a wide range of beneficial services and resources that they can access at any time.
Their core services are separated into three categories:
- Plan check and permit services
- Inspection services
- Code enforcement services
Plan Check and Permit Services
If you require their plan checking and permit services, you can use the LADBS to obtain a permit online, check the status of your permit, receive special assistance for larger projects, and learn more about the code amendments in the city.
Inspection Services
On the other hand, the inspection services available through LADBS include, the ability to request an inspection, check the status of an inspection, obtain special assistance, and learn about permitted construction or demolition hours
Additional Services and Resources
These services can provide you with practically anything that you might need when constructing a new building or renovating one that you currently own. Aside from these core services, there are a large number of additional services and resources that they provide. When you’re searching for their other services, you can navigate to this link for all of their online services or go to the top of their home page to gain a better understanding of all the services they have to offer.
For instance, it’s possible to pay for inspection fees and other permit fees on their website. They also have numerous zoning resources that you can access when you want to obtain additional zoning information about the land that you own. If you are searching for ways that you can make your building more sustainable, LADBS offers extensive green building and sustainability resources.
LADBS Awards and Achievements
Over the years, LADBS has garnered a significant number of awards and achievements for the work they do and the number of resources that they provide. For instance, LADBS was recently ranked as one of the top 100 “Innovations in American Government”. This award was presented to LADBS by the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, which is a core component of the prestigious Harvard University that focuses on public policy and public administration.
They have also received “Building Official of the Year” and “Building Department of the Year” awards by the California Building Officials, which is a renowned non-profit corporation that’s dedicated to promoting public safety and health with building construction. Another notable award that was provided to LADBS is the “Clean Air Award”, which was given to them by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. This particular company is responsible for regulating air pollution in Southern California.
Some of the many other awards and recognition that LADBS has received over the years include the “Good Government Award”, the “National Building Safety Achievement Award”, and “Recognition for Fast-Tracking Permitting Process”. These awards show that the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety is well regarded throughout the entire nation. No matter the size of your development project, LADBS can provide you with the services and resources you require to complete your project on time and under budget.
Contact LADBS
When you want to get in touch with LADBS about a permit that you require or an inspection that your building needs, they have numerous locations that you can visit. Keep in mind that different locations offer a different set of services. The five primary LADBS locations include Downtown LA, Van Nuys, West LA, South LA, and San Pedro. The previous link will take you to a page that displays the exact location of each LADBS office. There are also numerous satellite offices that are dedicated to inspection and code enforcement.
The office that you choose to visit largely depends on the kind of service that you require.
West LA
For instance, the West LA location is dedicated entirely to providing customers with plan check and permit services.
South LA
On the other hand, the South LA destination offers plan check and permit services as well as code enforcement services.
Downtown LA
If you want to have access to all that LADBS has to offer in a single location, you should visit the Downtown LA office at 201 and 221 N. Figueroa St. From here, you can obtain such services as case management, trade licensing, plan check, and inspection services. This particular office is also the only LADBS office that includes help-desk support for additional customer service.
Call LADBS
If you don’t want to visit the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, there are several additional forms of communication available to you. If you are currently in Los Angeles, all you need to do is dial 311 in order to reach someone at the Department of Building and Safety. Anyone who is outside of the city should dial (213) 473-3231. When you call either of these numbers, you will be provided with an immediate response for any kind of non-technical assistance that you require.
Calling these numbers will also allow you to process a property complaint, ask any coding or zoning questions you might have, or request an inspection. By going to this link, you can fill out a short form with your first and last name, your email address, and the subject of your query. Once you submit the form, you should receive a response within 24 hours.
How Can the LADBS Help You?
When you’re involved in developing a residential or commercial building, LADBS can help you with all of the particulars that are required in this process. Along with the standard plan check, permit, inspection, and code enforcement services that are available through the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, you can also benefit from the many online services that they provide.
For instance, you can request a zoning information letter online for a development project that you would like to begin in the coming months. If you require building and safety information on a specific property, it’s possible to use the LADBS website to request a parcel profile that will detail any of the permits, inspections, and code enforcement violations that apply to that exact property.
When you need to obtain a building permit in LA, you can go to the LA Department of Building and Safety to apply for one. The assistance and advice that they can provide to you about local building codes should allow you to build in a safe and efficient manner. Because of the comprehensive amount of resources and services that they provide, you should heavily consider using them throughout the development process.
Additional Resources for Your Development Project
If you are getting ready to develop any kind of project, there are many resources that you can tap into alongside LADBS. While the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety offers an extensive range of services and resources, you might also want to think about using the Los Angeles City Planning website to obtain a project review, environmental review, land use planning, or other services.
Looking for resources relating to permitting, inspections, code violations, and more? Check out these most requested services from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety website:
- Apply for an Express Permit
- Submit Plans through ePlanLA
- Make a Payment
- Schedule an Inspection
- Virtual Inspection Program
- Check Permit Status
- Request for Building Records
- Report a Code Violation
- File a Complaint
- View Zoning Information
Jason Somers, President & Founder of Crest Real Estate
With over 15 years of professional experience in the Los Angeles luxury real estate market, Jason Somers has the background, judgement and track record to provide an unparalleled level of real estate services. His widespread knowledge helps clients identify and acquire income producing properties and value-ad development opportunities.
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