The City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) is notorious for its difficulty level in getting building permits. Use these 5 plan check tips to get through the plan process at LADBS.
Did you know that many projects including mid-sized commercial tenant improvements can be counter-plan checked at the City of Los Angeles? Many people are not aware and can fall into the trap of delaying their construction schedule to allow for long lead times.
Please note this excerpt from the ladbs.org:
Counter Plan Check:
Counter Plan Check offers the convenience and expedience of having a plan review and obtaining a permit without the need to make an appointment. It also allows applicants to interact with the plan check engineer right there at the public counter. The type of plans that are typically reviewed at the counter are small and medium-sized projects, such as tenant improvements and small office and retail buildings that can be reviewed in approximately 45-60 minutes. They offer counter checks for plans at our Metro (Downtown), Van Nuys, and W.L.A. Construction Service Centers.
However, to have a project counter plan checked, you’ll want to prepare to make sure you have all you need:
- Have an 8.5×11 site plan prepared showing property lines and streets.
- Make sure you have records of the previous Certificate of Occupancy and recent building permit (gathering records in the City of Los Angeles is not easy if you don’t know how).
- A set of drawings
- Bring a blank check payable to the City of Los Angeles for fees.
- A good book. Waiting for the over-the-counter plan check can take some time.
Need more help? Please contact Permit Place at (818) 786-8960 for all your permitting needs! Permit Place are the City of Los Angeles permitting experts!