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Permit Report » Permits by City » Los Angeles

Los Angeles Building Permit Search & History Reports

LADBS (Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety) manages all residential and commercial permits for the City of Los Angeles. The PCIS (Plan Check Inspection System) contains permit records, inspection history, and certificates going back decades. LADBS records cover City of LA only — unincorporated LA County uses separate county systems.

Live data direct from LADBS PCIS · Results in seconds

Records available

What's included in a Los Angeles permit search.

Residential remodels, ADUs, solar, electrical, plumbing, HVAC permits; records from PCIS with issue date, final date, scope of work, contractor license, inspection results.

Source: LADBS PCIS https://dbs.lacity.gov

  • Permit type and scope of work Full description of the work covered by each permit
  • Issue date, final date, current status Track open vs. finaled vs. expired permits
  • Contractor name & license Where recorded — required for CA permits
  • Original PDF document (Premium tier) Certified copy from LADBS PCIS
Coverage limits

What this search does not include.

Unincorporated LA County records, expired/voided permits (cleared after 10 years).

  • Outside Los Angeles, CA jurisdiction Adjacent counties and municipalities use separate systems
  • Pending / in-review permits Not yet issued — not in the public records database
  • Unpermitted work Not in the records — flagged via history gaps, not direct data
  • Voided / expired (cleared) records Los Angeles may clear old records from public view after a retention period
Common questions

Frequently asked about Los Angeles permits.

How far back do LADBS records go?
PCIS has permit records from the 1980s to present. Records older than 10 years may be archived differently — contact LADBS directly for historical research.
Can unpermitted additions be detected?
Possible indicators include: vague scope-of-work descriptions, long gaps in permit history, assessor data that shows structures not reflected in PCIS. Cross-reference with LA County Assessor records for best results.
How long does a search take?
Our system queries LADBS PCIS directly in real time. Most lookups return results within seconds.
Can I get the actual permit PDF?
Yes. LADBS provides certified copies of permit records upon request. Our Premium tier retrieves the original document from LADBS.
Does LADBS include contractor license info?
Yes — CSLB (California Contractors State License Board) numbers are required on most LA permits. Contractor name and license number are included where available.

Get permit data for Los Angeles, CA.

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