Building and Safety addresses issues for single-family residential, commercial, industrial and vacant buildings inside the City of Los Angeles. You can report a code violation online, or call 3-1-1 to request an investigation.
Call the Inspector immediately to schedule an inspection to avoid any non-compliance fees.
Building and Safety's Financial Services section should have sent an invoice to the person(s) responsible for the fee. If you believe you have fees due, contact the Inspector or the Inspector's supervisor for confirmation.
Several options are available. Talk to your Inspector to determine the best option for your particular situation.
The aim of LADBS Code Enforcement is to preserve and enhance the safety, appearance and economic stability of our community through the diligent enforcement of applicable ordinances and land use regulations. It maintains Los Angeles Municipal Codes (LAMC) by issuing an Order to Comply (OTC) to the property owner and any other person in control of a property who violates or causes or permits another person to violate any provision or requirement of the LAMC.
The OTC is essentially a warning letter with a time frame for voluntary compliance. The OTC describes the violation(s), instructions to remedy the violation(s) and warnings of possible penalty fees and criminal prosecution. Violation of the LAMC is a misdemeanor and code enforcement cases must therefore be prepared for the possibility of being resolved in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Read more about LADBS Code Enforcement.
The current property owner is responsible for complying with the Order, even if previous owners or tenants have performed the un-permitted work or created the violation.
Refer to the Obtaining Permits to Resolve Orders (.pdf) information bulletin for more detail.
If you disagree on how the code is being applied to your specific situation, discuss the matter with the Inspector or the Inspector's immediate supervisor.
If the issue is not resolved, you have the right to Appeal to the Board of Building and Safety Commissioners. Further information on Appeal rights are on the Order.
You can review the past and present activity on a particular property with our free online Permit and Inspection Report. It shows both Permit activity and Code Enforcement activity.
There could be many reasons why you received an Order To Comply. Do not dismiss it as an error.
Contact the issuing Inspector so the necessary corrections can be completed, if needed. This helps avoid future fees and enforcement.
The letter is sent out as a reminder that the recipient of the order is required to comply with the violations, and to call the Inspector for an inspection before the compliance date on the letter.
If you can not comply by the date, call the Inspector for further options specific to your situation.