Counter Plan Check
Offers the convenience and expedience of having a plan review and obtaining a permit without the need to make an appointment. It also allows applicants to interact with the plan check engineer right there at the public counter. The type of plans that are typically reviewed at the counter are minor projects, such as tenant improvement or alteration, that do not require engineering calculations and can be reviewed in approximately 45 minutes. Counter plan check is offered at all of our Construction Service Centers. Please note that we have recently revised our policy and now require payment of plan check fees prior to getting your plans checked over the counter.

The following are examples of projects that are usually reviewed at the counter.

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

• One-story addition to a single family dwelling or duplex
• Alteration to a single family dwelling or duplex
• One-story accessory building constructed in accordance with the Type V sheet requirements
• Relocation of a single family dwelling
• Demolition of residence or accessory building
• Low retaining wall without soil report
• Deck
• Use of land

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

• Tenant improvement with no change in use
• Tenant improvement with change in use but with no change in parking
• Storefront alteration
• New door or window opening
• Non-bearing partitions
• Suspended ceiling
• Disabled access improvement
• Damage repair less than 10% of the replacement cost of the structure
• One-story commercial demolition
• Parapet addition or alteration
• Awning
• Air conditioning platform on a roof
• Use of land for auto sales, Christmas tree sales, pumpkin sales, wrecking yards, and recycling centers
  

OTHER

• Temporary tent or structure and temporary events
• Sign without required structural calculations

Appointment Plan Check (APC)
Allows the applicant, upon plan submittal, to make an appointment with a plan check engineer to have their plans reviewed and obtain a permit. Appointments are usually available within 5 working day from the date of submittal. Applicants will be required to pay the plan check fee at the time of plan submittal. Permit fees will be collected after the plans have been approved.

At the time of the appointment, the project designer, architect or engineer needs to come in to our office and meet with the plan check engineer who will review the plans with the designer. Appointment Plan Check helps expedite and facilitate the review process by bringing the designer and the plan check engineer together face-to-face to discuss and resolve technical issues.

The type of plans that are typically reviewed by appointment are additions and alterations that can be reviewed in approximately 1 ½ hours. Appointment plan check is offered at our Metro, Van Nuys, and W.L.A. Construction Service Centers.

The following are examples of projects that are usually reviewed by appointment:

RESIDENTIAL

• New single family dwelling or accessory building, not in hillside area, less than 1500 square feet in area, and of wood construction.
• Addition to an existing single family dwelling, duplex, apartment, condominium, or accessory buildings, rovided there are no additional dwelling units being added and provided the area of the addition is less than 1000 square feet and is of wood construction.
• Change of use from a single family dwelling to a duplex of wood construction with no addition or with an addition of less than 1000 square feet.
• Change from an apartment to a condominium provided there is no increase in floor area which includes additional dwelling units.
  

COMMERCIAL

• Change of use, except where the new occupancy main use is E, I, H, or A, with a maximum floor area of 1000 square feet, and where no conditional use is required.
• Tenant improvement with no change of use and limited to two floors maximum, except where the main use is an H occupancy.
  

MISCELLANEOUS

• Alteration to commercial storefront with plans by an engineer or architect.
• Reconfiguring of an existing parking lot provided a Certificate of Occupancy is presented to determine the minimum parking requirements.
• Temporary commercial coach except for E, I, H, or A occupancy.
• Retaining wall or grading provided engineering calculations and a soil report (if required) are provided and the engineer is present at the appointment.
• Earthquake repair of a building of three stories or less provided the area to be repaired does not exceed 10% of the replacement cost of the structure.
• Cellular telephone building tenant improvement or antenna installation accompanied by a conditional use approval.
• Structural upgrade of a roof for new mechanical equipment support with plans prepared by an engineer or architect.
• Equipment foundation.
• Demolition of a building with a basement with plans prepared by an engineer or architect.
  

Regular Plan Check
Large, more complex, or projects requiring time consuming review are submitted for regular plan check. At the time of submittal, plan are screened for completeness and the appropriate plan check fees will be required to be paid.

Depending on the size and complexity of the project, the assignment and review time could take 2-6 weeks. For major structure such as high-rise buildings, the review time can be longer.

The review of Regular Plan Check projects can be expedited by paying an Expedite fee equal to 50% of the plan check fee. Plans being expedited are usually assigned to a plan check engineer within five working days from the time of submittal.

Plan submittals for regular plan check are processed at our Metro, Van Nuys, and W.L.A. Construction Service Centers.

Offsite Signs (Billboards)
Plan submittal, review, and permit applications for these signs are handled only in the Metro Construction Service Center.