No, an elevator is not required for a single-story building.

No.

No.

Yes, unless the work is performed by a contractor that holds a valid Certificate of Registration from LADBS as a Certified Licensed Contractor (CLC). 

The CLC is limited to the replacement of a water heater of equivalent capacity in gallons, BTU rating, and vent capacity.

No.

All equipment approved by LADBS-ETL, with some exceptions for some of the equipment that have General Approvals, are required to bear the approval label of LADBS-ETL. This approval label would be different from equipment that is approved under Laboratory or General Approval vs. Field one-time approval.

For equipment that has Laboratory Approval or General Approval, the applicant is required to submit the following:

1. A completed label application form (PC-ELEC-App.12). Original signature is required.
2. Indicate the quantity of equipment that will be manufactured during the approval period.
3. Indicate the quantity of labels.
4. Application fee as determined based on unit fee cost for each label. Make check payable to “The Department of Building and Safety, City of Los Angeles.”

No, a townhouse is not exempt. 

The City of Los Angeles Electrical Test lab (or LADBS-ETL) was established in 1925 to provide assistance to the industry, local manufacturers, business, inspection authorities, hospitals, importers, construction projects and the citizens of the City of Los Angeles in obtaining product approval at a low cost. As such, the test lab tests electrical products for compliance with the established safety standards as well as the requirements of the electrical code. A product is considered approved by the LADBS-ETL, when it conforms to the accepted, established, or amended safety standard(s), as well as the electrical code.

At times, where there are no specific standard, or an existing safety standard lacks in evaluation or testing of an electrical product, the electrical test lab develops or expands safety standards in conformance with the electrical code and evaluates the product to assure protection from fire, shock and personnel hazard.

Yes. The space must be able to be maintained at a room temperature of 70 degrees F, 3 feet above the floor in all habitable areas.

If the customer misplaces the permit, then yes. For department errors, there is no fee.