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 Internet Document Imaging System (IDIS) 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.

Automobile parking is not required for ADUs created within an existing or proposed main home or an existing accessory structure. ADU parking may be required if the ADU exceeds the existing square footage of an existing main home (primary residence) or accessory structure, as well as for a newly constructed detached ADU. Other parking waivers in LAMC Section 12.22 A.33(c)(12)(i) may also apply.

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 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.

Yes. Other agency reviews and clearance requirements may still apply depending on your individual site conditions.

Waiting for Soft-Story Content

LAMC requires that notices are sent to other property owners that may be affected by the request when an appeal request is submitted to the BBSC. You may attend the hearing and are allowed to speak on any case on the agenda, by completing a speaker card on the day of the hearing. 

No. The design of the equipment can be reviewed, but the approval can only be issued after satisfactory evaluation and testing of the equipment.