Do you need a building permit for that remodel? Only your city knows for sure

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To fully appreciate the concept of our decentralized government, consider building permits.

While there are federal and state standards, the final word on whether you need a building permit for your remodel comes from your city (or county or town if your area is unincorporated).

Each city has its own permitting process, permitting prices and (thank goodness one more time for the Internet) website. As there are some 500 cities, towns and counties in California, generalized answers to building permit questions are hard to come by. You have to research the rules in your own area.

Here are links to some SoCal building departments:

City of Agoura Hills
City of Big Bear Lake
City of Downey
City of Los Angeles
County of Los Angeles
Town of Yucca Valley

See the whole list, which is found on the newly revamped website of the California Contractors State License Board.

Comments

[michael]

the link for the city of l.a. is inadvertently a duplicate of the one for downey - do you have the city of l.a. link handy? thx.

[michael]

never mind - i found it in the whole list, thx.

[Kathy Price-Robinson]

Thanks for pointing that out, Michael. I corrected the City of Los Angeles link for the benefit of other readers.