How Do You Check Permits and Violations?

A 2026 Guide for Los Angeles County Home Buyers, Sellers, and Homeowners

By Andrea Pazmino-Pace, REALTOR®
HomeSmart Realty Group | (626) 590-1289 | AskAndreaHomes.com
Updated September 2026

To check permits and violations for a Los Angeles County property, first identify which city or county agency has jurisdiction over the address. Then search the appropriate building, planning, and housing databases using the property address, Assessor Parcel Number, permit number, or case number.

For a property inside the City of Los Angeles, begin with Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety records and the Los Angeles Housing Department Property Activity Report.

For a property in an unincorporated Los Angeles County community, check Los Angeles County Planning through EPIC-LA and contact the appropriate Los Angeles County Public Works Building and Safety office.

An online search is a good starting point, but it may not reveal every historical permit, violation, complaint, or incomplete inspection. Request official records when the information could affect a purchase or sale.

Why Should You Check Permits and Violations?

Permit and violation research can reveal whether:

• An addition was legally constructed

• A garage conversion was approved

• An ADU received permits

• A second unit is legal

• Electrical or plumbing work was inspected

• A permit remains open

• Final approval was issued

• A code-enforcement complaint exists

• A notice to comply was issued

• The property has an unresolved zoning problem

• The legal number of units differs from the listing

• A room is being advertised as legal living space without records

These issues can affect the property’s value, financing, insurance, appraisal, use, rental income, and future resale.

Step 1: Identify the Correct Jurisdiction

This is the most important first step.

Los Angeles County contains 88 incorporated cities and many unincorporated communities. Every city can have its own permit and code-enforcement system.

A postal address that says “Los Angeles” does not always mean the property is inside the City of Los Angeles.

Examples of separate jurisdictions include:

• City of Los Angeles

• Unincorporated East Los Angeles

• Baldwin Park

• Long Beach

• Downey

• Compton

• El Monte

• Montebello

• Commerce

• Whittier

• Unincorporated Los Angeles County

Verify the jurisdiction using:

• Assessor Parcel Number, or APN

• County Assessor records

• Zoning maps

• City boundary maps

• Property-tax bill

• Title report

• Natural Hazard Disclosure report

• Written confirmation from the appropriate city or county

Do not search only the City of Los Angeles database when the property is located in East Los Angeles, because most of East Los Angeles is an unincorporated county community.

Step 2: Obtain the Property’s APN

The Assessor Parcel Number is also called the Assessor Identification Number, or AIN, in Los Angeles County.

You can usually find it on:

• Property-tax bill

• Preliminary title report

• County Assessor records

• NHD report

• Previous appraisal

• Escrow documents

The APN is useful because addresses can be entered differently across government databases.

How to Check Permits in the City of Los Angeles

For a property inside the City of Los Angeles, use the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, commonly called LADBS.

LADBS records may include:

• Building permits

• Electrical permits

• Plumbing permits

• Mechanical permits

• Demolition permits

• Certificates of occupancy

• Inspection records

• Permit status

• Code-enforcement records

• Orders to comply

• Some historical property records

Search by address or parcel information through the LADBS online building-record system.

If the records are unclear or unavailable, request research from the LADBS Records Section.

How to Read a Permit Record

Finding a permit does not prove that the work received final approval.

Check the permit’s status carefully.

Common permit statuses may indicate:

• Application submitted

• Plans under review

• Corrections required

• Permit issued

• Work started

• Inspections pending

• Permit expired

• Permit canceled

• Permit finaled

• Certificate of occupancy issued

The most important status is generally finaled, completed, or approved.

A permit that was issued but never finalized may mean:

• Work was never completed

• Inspections were missed

• Corrections remain

• Construction changed from the plans

• The permit expired

• The owner stopped the project

Ask for the final inspection record, not only the original permit.

What Is a Certificate of Occupancy?

A Certificate of Occupancy, often called a C of O, confirms that a building or qualifying change of use was approved for legal occupancy.

Not every minor residential project receives a new Certificate of Occupancy. Many projects are documented through finalized permits and inspection records.

For a duplex, apartment building, ADU, conversion, or major change of use, verify which occupancy or completion document should exist.

How to Check City of Los Angeles Housing Violations

For qualifying rental properties in the City of Los Angeles, use the Los Angeles Housing Department’s Property Activity Report.

The report can be searched using:

• Address

• APN

• Case number

It may show information related to:

• Housing-code inspections

• Complaints

• Cited violations

• Orders

• Case history

• Compliance activity

The Property Activity Report generally summarizes LAHD code-enforcement inspections dating from 2006, although some earlier records may be available.

If you need complete documents, use the case number to submit a public-records request.

How to Check Permits in Unincorporated Los Angeles County

For an unincorporated property, begin with Los Angeles County Planning and Los Angeles County Public Works Building and Safety.

The EPIC-LA system allows users to search certain planning applications using:

• Property address

• APN

• Project number

• Plan number

EPIC-LA may display:

• Planning applications

• Application status

• Assigned planner

• Payments

• Public documents

• Project and plan numbers

Planning approval and building permits are different. A project could appear in the Planning system but still require separate Building and Safety records and inspections.

Contact the appropriate County Building and Safety district office for building-permit history and final-inspection records.

How to Check Violations in Unincorporated Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County Planning handles zoning enforcement for areas outside incorporated cities.

Potential violations may involve:

• Illegal land use

• Unpermitted units

• Setback violations

• Businesses operating in residential zones

• Excessive vehicles or storage

• Illegal signs

• Improper property use

• Unapproved structures

• Community standards

Los Angeles County’s violation-reporting system asks for the address, cross streets, APN, description of the suspected problem, and safety concerns.

To investigate a specific property, contact County Planning and ask whether public enforcement records exist. If more detail is needed, submit a California Public Records Act request.

Building, housing, health, fire, and zoning violations may be kept by different departments.

How to Check Permits in Baldwin Park, Long Beach, Downey, or Another City

If the property is in an incorporated city, use that city’s:

• Building and Safety Department

• Planning Department

• Code Enforcement Division

• Housing Department, when applicable

• Public-records request system

Ask for:

• Complete permit history

• Open and expired permits

• Final inspections

• Certificates of occupancy

• Code-enforcement cases

• Notices to comply

• Administrative citations

• Unresolved complaints

• Zoning approvals

• Approved plans, when available

Do not assume the County or City of Los Angeles database includes records for an independent city.

Permit, Violation, Complaint, and Lien: What Is the Difference?

Permit

A permit authorizes specific work, subject to plans, inspections, and final approval.

Code violation

A violation is a determination that a condition or use does not comply with applicable codes or regulations.

Complaint

A complaint is a report made to an agency. It does not automatically prove that a violation exists.

The agency may inspect and:

• Confirm the violation

• Close the complaint as unfounded

• Request additional information

• Determine that the matter is outside its jurisdiction

Notice or order

A notice to comply or order to correct directs the owner to resolve specified violations by a deadline.

Citation

A citation may impose a fine or administrative penalty.

Lien

A lien is a recorded or legally enforceable claim that may affect title. Not every violation becomes a lien.

A title report may reveal recorded liens, but it may not show all open permits, complaints, or code-enforcement cases.

Can a Property Have Permits and Still Have Illegal Work?

Yes.

A permit for one project does not prove that every improvement is legal.

Examples:

• Permit approved one bathroom, but two were built

• Permit covered a garage, but it was later converted into a bedroom

• Plans approved an ADU, but construction differs from the plans

• Permit was issued but never finalized

• A patio was enclosed after the permit inspection

• A legal duplex was divided into additional unapproved units

Compare the records with the property’s current physical condition.

What Should Buyers Compare?

Compare:

1. Listing description

2. Physical condition

3. Assessor records

4. Building permits

5. Final inspections

6. Certificate of occupancy

7. Zoning

8. Title report

9. Seller disclosures

10. Inspection reports

Watch for differences involving:

• Square footage

• Bedrooms

• Bathrooms

• Number of units

• ADUs

• Garage conversions

• Additions

• Enclosed patios

• Converted basements

• Kitchens

• Rental units

• Property use

Do Assessor Records Prove That Construction Is Legal?

No.

The County Assessor’s job is to value property for taxation. Assessor records do not replace building permits, zoning approval, inspections, or a Certificate of Occupancy.

A room or unit can appear in tax records and still lack proper building approval.

Similarly, paying property taxes on an unpermitted addition does not legalize it.

Does a Listing’s Square Footage Prove It Is Permitted?

No.

Square footage in a listing may come from:

• Assessor records

• Seller information

• Appraisal

• Architectural measurements

• Previous listing

• Agent measurements

The source should be identified, and buyers should independently verify important information.

Can You Buy a Property With Open Violations?

Possibly, but understand the risk before removing contingencies.

An open violation may affect:

• Financing

• Appraisal

• Insurance

• Occupancy

• Repair costs

• Rental income

• Escrow

• Title

• Closing timeline

• Future resale

The new owner may become responsible for correcting existing conditions.

Ask the agency:

• What must be corrected?

• What is the deadline?

• Are fines accumulating?

• Is a hearing scheduled?

• Can the property legally be occupied?

• Can the violation transfer to a new owner?

• What documents are needed to close the case?

• Has a lien or assessment been recorded?

Consult the appropriate attorney and professionals before accepting responsibility.

Can a Seller Sell With Open Permits?

A sale may still be possible, but open permits can create questions for the buyer, lender, appraiser, insurer, and title company.

Possible solutions include:

• Complete the work

• Schedule final inspections

• Correct deficiencies

• Close or cancel an unused permit

• Obtain a retroactive permit

• Negotiate a credit

• Sell in current condition with proper disclosure

• Place funds in escrow if permitted and agreed upon

The appropriate solution depends on the permit, contract, lender, agency, and property.

What Records Should a Seller Gather Before Listing?

A seller should consider obtaining:

• Permit history

• Final inspection documents

• Certificates of occupancy

• Approved ADU permits

• Building plans

• Code-enforcement correspondence

• Correction notices

• Evidence violations were cleared

• Contractor invoices

• Warranties

• Previous inspection reports

Organizing these documents early can reduce buyer concerns and escrow delays.

What if the Online Search Shows No Records?

“No records found” does not prove that no permits exist or that the property is legal.

Possible reasons include:

• Older records have not been digitized

• Address format differs

• Records are filed under a previous address

• APN changed

• Documents are stored on microfilm

• The work occurred before modern recordkeeping

• The search was made in the wrong jurisdiction

• No permit was obtained

Contact the records department and request manual research.

Should You Request Public Records?

Consider a public-records request when:

• The online history is incomplete

• A case number appears without details

• The property has an unusual addition

• Multiple units are advertised

• An open violation appears

• A complaint history may affect the purchase

• You need copies of approved plans or correction notices

• The property is older

• The agency cannot answer verbally

A public-records response provides existing records. It does not require an agency to create an opinion about whether the property is legal.

Permit and Violation Checklist for Buyers

Before removing your investigation contingency:

• Confirm jurisdiction

• Find the APN

• Search building permits

• Check permit status

• Verify final inspections

• Look for certificates of occupancy

• Search planning cases

• Review housing-code history

• Check zoning

• Review the preliminary title report

• Compare records with the property

• Read seller disclosures

• Complete inspections

• Ask about unpermitted work

• Obtain repair or legalization estimates

• Consult qualified professionals

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check permits for free?

Many online searches are free. Agencies may charge for copies, archived research, approved plans, or extensive records requests.

Can a REALTOR® confirm that a unit is legal?

A REALTOR® can help locate public records and identify inconsistencies, but the responsible government agency determines legal status.

Does a closed violation mean the construction is permitted?

Not necessarily. A violation may be closed because a condition was corrected, removed, or handled another way. Ask what action closed the case.

Does title insurance cover code violations?

Standard title insurance does not generally replace permit research or insure the physical legality of construction. Coverage depends on the policy and endorsements.

Can a neighbor’s complaint stop a sale?

A complaint alone may not stop a sale. A confirmed violation, order, lien, unsafe condition, or lender requirement could affect the transaction.

Should sellers disclose unpermitted work?

California sellers should disclose known material facts and known permit issues using the applicable disclosure forms. Consult a qualified real estate attorney when necessary.

Conclusion

To check permits and violations in Los Angeles County, begin by identifying the correct jurisdiction. Then search the building, planning, housing, and code-enforcement records using the address and APN.

Do not stop after finding an issued permit. Verify that inspections were completed and the permit received final approval.

If you are buying or selling a property in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Baldwin Park, Downey, El Sereno, Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, Compton, El Monte, or another Los Angeles County community, permit and violation research should be part of your property investigation.

I can help you identify the correct jurisdiction, locate available public records, compare the records with the property’s advertised features, and coordinate further investigation with the appropriate professionals.

Andrea Pazmino-Pace, REALTOR®
HomeSmart Realty Group
Phone: (626) 590-1289
Website: AskAndreaHomes.com

This article provides general educational information. It is not legal, building-code, zoning, title, appraisal, or permit advice. Confirm property information directly with the responsible government agency.

Official sources: Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, Los Angeles Housing Department Property Activity Report, Los Angeles County EPIC-LA, LA County application-status search, and LA County violation information.