Public Record Act Requests to the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) may include a wide variety of Departmental documents and materials (including print, photographic, and electronic formats) that were created or obtained by the department and are, at the time the request is filed, in the department's care and custody. The Public Records Act excludes certain categories of records from disclosure.

Please be advised that some LADBS documents are available in electronic format and can be obtained online from the Departments Official Document Repository, the LADBS Permit & Records Information Search Module here:

Search Online Building Records

Other documents that are not available online, but are indexed in IDIS can be obtained through the LADBS Public Records Counter by submitting a Research Request Form available here:

Forms and Publications - Service Requests

Copies of Building Plans (Blueprints) are also obtained through the LADBS Public Records Counter by submitting a Research Request Form.

The BBSC is granted the authority by the Code and by the City Charter, to hear many kinds of appeals, including but not limited to the following:

• Appeals of the Department’s action regarding requests for slight modifications of the Building Ordinances and/or Code Violation Inspection Fee Ordinances, pursuant to the authority described in LAMC Section 98.0403.1(b) 1.
• Appeals from determinations, orders or actions of the Department pertaining to enforcement of specific ordinances, regulations or laws in individual cases, pursuant to LAMC Section 98.0403.1(b) 2 (i.e. error and abuse, except land use issues)
• Applications for import/export of soil pursuant to LAMC Section 91.7006.7.4.
• "Quasi-Judicial" proceedings pursuant to Division 89 of the LAMC (NOID, PNH)
• Adoption of Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, HVAC, etc Ordinances
• The BBSC does not hear cases related to land use ordinances. These cases shall be heard by the Department of City Planning in accordance with Section 12.26K of the Los Angeles Municipal Code.
• Read more about the BBSC appeals process.

Ordinance No. 188985, Waiver of Fees for Buildings or Structures Damaged in the Wildfires of January 2025 took effect on July 16, 2026 and applies retroactively to allow for the refund of eligible permitting and clearances fees paid prior to the effective date.

Since June 9, 2025, LADBS has been accepting applications for architects using the process shown in the Implementation Guidelines.

For civil engineers, LADBS will begin accepting applications February 17, 2026.

Generally, an appeal to the BBSC is scheduled for a hearing date within thirty days of receipt of the appeal to the BBSC. This time period will be extended in cases that require additional documentation and/or research. In the case of import/export applications, the scheduled hearing date is contingent upon receipt of the appropriate environmental clearance from the Department of City Planning (i.e. Categorical Exemption, Mitigated Negative Declaration, or Environmental Impact Report) AND responses from the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Works. 

For in-person support and services, please visit one of the following support centers:

• LA One-Stop Rebuilding Center: 1828 Sawtelle Blvd, West Los Angeles, CA 90025
• Palisades Inspections and Permitting Support Center: 16925 Marquez Avenue, Palisades, CA 90272 

For Zoning and Building code questions, please contact our call center at 311 or (213) 473-3231 and ask to speak with the LADBS Zoning & Building Code Engineer. Some zoning information can also be found on ZIMAS.

Anyone may initiate a request for public records.

To qualify, you must meet the following criteria:

• Ownership Requirements: You must have owned the property on or before January 7, 2025.  If the property is sold prior to the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy, you will be required to reimburse the City for the full amount of all waived fees. 

   

• Project Requirements: The fee waiver applies to work performed to repair or rebuild any building or structure damaged or destroyed as a result of  the Palisades, Hurst, Kenneth, Archer, and Sunset fires that occurred in the City of Los Angeles in January of 2025.

While the Pre-Approved Standard Plan Program streamlines the building and safety review process, other agency/departmental reviews and clearances may still be required depending on your specific site conditions and type of rebuild. Homeowners should be prepared to obtain additional approvals as part of the permitting process.