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Permits

Permits, by service and by authority.

Which agency reviews your project, what it publishes, and what to bring. These pages explain where to look and how review usually proceeds; they never confirm what applies to a specific parcel or predict approval.

01

By service

Permits for a whole-home remodel

A whole-home remodel usually touches structure, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work at once. The permit question is less 'do I need one' than 'which parts of this scope does the city review, and in what order'.

Permits for a detached ADU

A detached ADU is a new building on your lot. Its permit path is set by state ADU law and each city's local standards, then checked against your specific site: access, utilities, setbacks and any overlays.

Permits for a garage conversion ADU

Converting a garage reuses an existing structure, so the permit discussion starts with what is already there: its permit record, slab, walls, roof and distance to property lines.

02

By authority

Communities without a jurisdiction page yet

Their community pages list each city's own official starting points.

    03

    How review usually proceeds

    1. 01

      Confirm the authority

      The parcel's city — not the mailing city or neighborhood name — decides which department reviews the work.

    2. 02

      Planning check

      Land-use, overlay and site rules are checked before or alongside construction drawings.

    3. 03

      Plan check and corrections

      Building staff review the drawings and may return corrections; resubmittals continue until the set is approvable.

    4. 04

      Permit issued, then inspections

      Inspections follow construction stages; changes in the field may need revised drawings before work continues.

    Terms used on these pages

    Jurisdiction
    The public agency with authority over the address; a postal city or neighborhood name alone does not prove it.
    Planning review
    Review of applicable land-use and site rules, distinct from checking construction drawings for building safety.
    Plan check
    Agency examination of submitted construction documents; the reviewer may request corrections before approval.
    Clearance
    A required sign-off or referral from another agency or discipline when applicable to the project.
    Preapproved plan
    A previously reviewed design option, not approval to build it on a particular parcel or a substitute for a site-specific permit.
    JADU
    Junior accessory dwelling unit: a configuration distinct from a detached, attached or conversion ADU; ask the local agency which rules apply.

    How this differs from Build intelligence

    Build intelligence is the tools and public-data desk: authority lookup, glossary and planning statistics. The permit pages here are the readable explanations by service and by city.

    Build intelligence →

    Directory compiled: 2026-10-11 · each source shows its own check (latest: 2026-10-13)

    KB Remodeling · Greater Los Angeles

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