PERMIT DRAWINGS · LOS ANGELES, CA
Permit drawings in Los Angeles, CA, at a fixed price
Los Angeles sits in Seismic Design Category D, so most new structures here need engineered shear walls on top of the architectural set. We draw the set to what the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety reviews, coordinate with your engineer, and quote it all in writing within 2 working hours.
- ✓ Plan check here: about 10 weeks
- ✓ Energy forms for climate zone 3C
- ✓ SDC D: engineer coordination included
- ✓ Corrections answered free
What permit drawings cost in Los Angeles
A permit set for a project in Los Angeles, CA costs $1 per square foot of drawn floor area, with a $1,200 minimum, or $195 per sheet for new construction under 1,200 sq ft. That's our drawing fee only. Los Angeles's own permit and impact fees for a new ADU ran about $3,500 to $12,000 in our research (July 2026), paid to the city.
Residential permits here are reviewed by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, phone (213) 473-3231. Plan check takes about 10 weeks for a typical residential submittal, so from ordering drawings to first comments, plan on roughly 12 weeks.
| Project | Drawn area | Fixed fee | What sets the fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garage conversionProject minimum | 400 sq ft | $1,200 | Project minimum |
| New ADU at Los Angeles's 1,200 sq ft cap$1 per sq ft | 1,200 sq ft | $1,200 | $1 per sq ft |
| Addition with existing rooms shown$1 per sq ft | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 | $1 per sq ft |
Local data last checked .
What makes a Los Angeles permit set different
California's energy code is stricter than the national model code, and climate zone 3C sets the insulation, window and HVAC targets your drawings have to show in Los Angeles.
Seismic Design Category D means new structures and large openings in bearing walls usually need engineered shear walls, hold-downs and a structural engineer's calculations, so plan for an engineer on anything beyond interior work.
For ADUs, Los Angeles allows up to 1,200 sq ft and 16 ft in height, with 4 ft side and 4 ft rear setbacks, per our research. An ADU at that cap is billed at $1 per sq ft, so $1,200 for the drawings.
About 37% of homes in Los Angeles sit in an HOA. If yours does, start the association's architectural approval at the same time as the permit; it runs on its own clock.
Parts of Los Angeles fall inside a coastal overlay, which can add a separate review before the building permit. Check your parcel before you plan the schedule.
Properties in historic districts go through design review on top of the building permit, which adds a step before plan check.
The full sheet list, and what our fee does and doesn't cover, is on the permit sets page. In Los Angeles, the sheets that change are the site plan (ADU setbacks of 4 ft side and 4 ft rear), the Title 24 forms for climate zone 3C and the structural sheets your engineer seals.
Submitting in Los Angeles
You (or your contractor) submit through Los Angeles's permit portal. We deliver print-ready PDFs set up for electronic submittal, plus native DWG files.
When the reviewers send comments, forward the correction letter. We revise free, as many rounds as it takes, within the scope you approved.
Questions people ask before they order
How much do permit drawings cost in Los Angeles?
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At ArchWorkPro, $1 per sq ft of drawn area with a $1,200 minimum, or $195 per sheet for new construction under 1,200 sq ft. City permit and impact fees for a new ADU here ran about $3,500 to $12,000 in our research, paid separately to the city.
How long does plan check take in Los Angeles?
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About 10 weeks for a typical residential submittal, per our research in July 2026. Confirm with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety at (213) 473-3231, since workloads change.
Do I need an engineer in Los Angeles?
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For most new structures, yes. Seismic Design Category D means engineered lateral design for new buildings and large openings in bearing walls. You hire the engineer; we draft to their design.
Which energy forms does Los Angeles want with the drawings?
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Title 24 compliance forms (CF1R) for climate zone 3C, under the California Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6). We prepare them with the set.
How big can an ADU be in Los Angeles?
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Up to 1,200 sq ft, 16 ft tall, with 4 ft side and 4 ft rear setbacks, per our research. Confirm current limits with the city before you design; we check them when we quote.
Related: What is in a permit set · For owner-builders · ADU plans · Visalia, CA · San Jose, CA · Fresno, CA · Irvine, CA · Chula Vista, CA · Stamp rules in California · All cities
Get your Los Angeles permit set quoted
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