How to Check Your Building Permit Status in Los Angeles

You submitted your building permit in Los Angeles. Now you need to know where it stands. Is it still in plan check? Did corrections get posted? Is it ready for pickup?

The answer depends on which LA permitting system your project falls under — and there are two. Here’s exactly how to check your permit status in each one, what the statuses actually mean, and how to stop doing this manually every day.

Step 1: Figure Out Which System You’re In

Los Angeles has two separate permitting systems, and you need to know which one handles your permit:

LADBS (City of Los Angeles)

If your project is within the City of Los Angeles limits, your permit is in the LADBS system. This covers LA proper — from San Pedro to Chatsworth, Hollywood to Boyle Heights.

Portal: ladbs.org

EPIC-LA (LA County)

If your project is in unincorporated LA County — areas like Altadena, East LA, Willowbrook, Lake Los Angeles, or Stevenson Ranch — your permit is in the EPIC-LA system (also called EnerGov).

Portal: epicla.lacounty.gov

Not sure which one? Check your project address. If it’s in an incorporated city (like Pasadena, Santa Monica, or Long Beach), those cities have their own separate systems. LADBS and EPIC-LA only cover the City of LA and unincorporated County areas, respectively.

Checking Status on LADBS (City of LA)

Method 1: Online Portal

1. Go to ladbs.org
2. Click “Check Permit Status” or use the search bar
3. Enter your permit number (format: 25044-30000-XXXXX) or property address
4. Click Search

You’ll see a results page showing: - Permit number and type (Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical) - Current status (the big one — see status guide below) - Plan check status (if applicable) - Inspection history (completed and scheduled inspections) - Key dates (submitted, issued, expiration)

Method 2: Call LADBS

• Phone: (213) 482-6800
• Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
• Expect: 15-45 minute hold times depending on the day

Have your permit number ready. The phone reps can look up status, explain correction requirements, and sometimes provide context that the portal doesn’t show.

Method 3: Visit a Public Counter

LADBS has public counter locations where you can check status in person: - Figueroa Plaza — 201 N. Figueroa St., 4th Floor - Van Nuys — 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Room 251 - West Los Angeles — 1828 Sawtelle Blvd., 2nd Floor

Bring your permit number or property address. Counter staff can provide detailed status information and help you understand next steps.

Checking Status on EPIC-LA (LA County)

1. Go to epicla.lacounty.gov
2. Click “Search Permits” or navigate to the permit search
3. Enter your permit number (formats vary: UNC-BLDR..., WLV-EXPR..., RPPL...) or property address
4. Click Search

The EPIC-LA portal shows: - Permit details (type, description, contractor info) - Current status with status history - Plan review status and any outstanding corrections - Inspection results and scheduled inspections - Fees (paid and outstanding)

What Each Status Actually Means

Permit statuses can be confusing because each system uses different terminology. Here’s what the common ones mean:

LADBS Statuses

EPIC-LA Statuses

The Status That Matters Most: Corrections

Whether you’re on LADBS or EPIC-LA, the status you need to catch immediately is Corrections Required (LADBS) or Correction Notice Issued (EPIC-LA).

Why? Because the correction clock is on you. Every day your corrections sit unaddressed is a day added to your total permit timeline. Some contractors don’t realize corrections were posted for weeks because they weren’t checking regularly.

How Often Should You Check?

It depends on where your permit is in the process:

• Submitted / In Queue: Check weekly. Nothing moves fast at this stage.
• In Plan Check: Check every 2-3 days. Corrections can post without notification.
• Corrections Resubmitted: Check daily. Re-review can come back in days or weeks.
• Permit Issued / Active: Check before and after each inspection.
• Near Expiration: Check weekly. Some jurisdictions send warnings, most don’t.

The Problem With Manual Checking

Here’s what manual permit checking actually looks like for a working contractor:

1. Open browser, navigate to LADBS or EPIC-LA
2. Enter permit number (you have 8 active permits across 3 projects)
3. Check status — no change
4. Repeat for the next permit
5. Repeat for the next permit
6. Do this every morning
7. Miss a day because you’re on a job site
8. Miss three more days
9. Finally check — corrections were posted 5 days ago
10. Lose a week of project timeline

Multiply this across every permit you’re tracking, and you’re spending 30-60 minutes a day on status checking. Or you’re not checking enough and missing critical updates.

Or Skip All of This

I built SignedOff because I was tired of the daily portal routine. It works like this:

1. Enter your permit numbers — LADBS, EPIC-LA, or any of 12 other supported jurisdictions
2. SignedOff checks every night — automated scraping against official city portals
3. Get alerted when something changes — status changes, new inspections, corrections posted, approaching expiration

No more daily portal visits. No more missed corrections. You get an email or in-app notification the moment anything moves on any of your permits.

The correction alert alone is worth it. Instead of discovering corrections a week late, you know within hours and can get your architect on it the same day.

Try SignedOff free for 14 days — no credit card required. Add your active permits and see how it works before your next plan check review comes back.

Quick Reference

LADBS (City of LA) - Portal: ladbs.org - Phone: (213) 482-6800 - Permit format: 25044-30000-XXXXX

EPIC-LA (LA County) - Portal: epicla.lacounty.gov - Phone: (626) 458-3173 - Permit formats: UNC-BLDR..., WLV-EXPR..., RPPL...

Automated tracking: signedoff.io — checks every night, alerts on changes