What's Required in Long Beach
- Permit required to remove, replace or relocate showers, tubs or sinks, or to replace or alter bathroom electrical or the exhaust fan; refacing cabinets is exempt (IB-056)
- Paint, tile up to 48 in, faucet, trap and fill-valve replacements are exempt; replacing sinks and toilets is not
- Same-spot fixture and finish replacement is an express combination permit with no plans (IB-058 item B4); relocations require plan review
- Valuation minimum of $5,000 per plumbing fixture (IB-077); combination permit is 150 percent of the building fee plus $115 processing
- Water-conserving fixtures: 1.28 gpf toilets, 1.8 gpm showerheads, 1.2 gpm faucets
- ENERGY STAR exhaust fan on humidity control, 50 cfm intermittent or 25 cfm continuous, ducted outside with backdraft damper
- Dedicated 20-amp GFCI circuit, outlet within 3 ft of the sink, tempered glazing below 60 in at tubs and showers
- Permit holder is a CSLB-licensed contractor with a Long Beach business license or the homeowner under IB-029
Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Bathroom in Long Beach?
Yes for almost any fixture work. IB-056 states the rule for one- and two-family homes: a construction permit is required for bathroom remodels that include the removal, replacement or relocation of showers, tubs or sinks, or replacement or alteration of the electrical or the exhaust fan, and it is not required for refacing the existing cabinets. The Do I Need a Permit page exempts paint and wall coverings, tile up to 48 inches high, replacing a faucet, an exposed trap or a fill valve, and swapping a bath fan motor of the same rating, and it warns that replacing sinks and toilets requires a permit. The permit is usually painless: express item B4 in IB-058 covers repairing or replacing bathroom cabinets, flooring, finishes, tile, counters and plumbing or electrical fixtures with no change to walls or openings and no new penetrations into existing walls, and for one- and two-family homes a minor bathroom remodel can be applied for and issued online. Moving a fixture, adding a shower or opening a wall takes the job to plan review.
Long Beach Bathroom Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Paint, re-tile walls up to 48 in, replace a faucet, trap or fill valve | None | Do I Need a Permit page; LBMC 18.04.020 |
| Reface the existing bathroom cabinets | None | IB-056 |
| Replace the toilet, sink, tub or shower in the same spot | Express combination permit (B4), online for 1-2 family homes | IB-056; IB-058 item B4; Online Permitting page |
| Replace or alter the exhaust fan or the electrical | Permit required; express items M3 and E5 for like-for-like | IB-056; IB-058 |
| Move a fixture or add a shower | Building permit with plan review; no stamped plans for nonstructural work | IB-058 item B4 exclusions; IB-013 |
| Turn a closet into a bathroom, or remove a wall | Plan review with IB-045 remodel plans; structural work needs a design professional | IB-045; IB-013 |
| Home in the Coastal Zone or a Historic District | No express service; plan review | IB-058 |
How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Permit Cost in Long Beach?
Bathroom permits are priced on valuation, and IB-077 sets the city's minimum at $5,000 per plumbing fixture, including related work. A one- or two-family remodel with plumbing and electrical is issued as a combination building permit at 150 percent of the building permit fee, which is $149 for the first $2,000 of value plus $16 per $1,000 up to $20,000. Add the $115 processing fee, the state seismic fee of $0.13 per $1,000 and the $1 green-building fee; plan-reviewed jobs add plan check at 85 percent of the building fee and a records fee with a $35 minimum.
Worked examples: replacing the toilet, sink and tub in place is three fixtures, valued at $15,000, so the building fee is $149 + (13 x $16) = $357, the combination permit is $536, and the express total is about $654. Relocating those three fixtures adds a $303 plan check and the $35 records fee, for about $992. The City Council approved a new fee schedule on September 8, 2026, effective October 1, 2026; check the posted schedule after that date.
Code Rules Long Beach Inspectors Check in a Bathroom
IB-056 lists them. Fixtures must be water-conserving: toilets at 1.28 gallons per flush, showerheads at 1.8 gallons per minute and faucets at 1.2 gallons per minute. The bathroom needs an ENERGY STAR exhaust fan controlled by a humidistat, moving at least 50 cfm intermittently or 25 cfm continuously, with a backdraft damper, ducted outside and terminating at least 3 feet from any opening or the property line and 10 feet from a forced-air inlet. Receptacles need a dedicated 20-amp GFCI circuit, with at least one outlet within 3 feet of the sink basin and no more than 12 inches below the counter, and every bathroom outlet GFCI protected. Lighting must include a high-efficacy fixture or a vacancy sensor, with no fixtures within 3 feet horizontally and 8 feet above the tub or shower unless rated for damp locations. Showers need at least 1,024 square inches of floor with a 30-inch circle, a 22-inch door and a 2-inch drain; toilets need 15 inches from center to any wall and 24 inches in front; and glazing lower than 60 inches at a tub or shower must be tempered. Any permitted alteration also triggers the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules.
Who Pulls the Permit and How
A contractor needs a California CSLB license and an active Long Beach business license; a homeowner may pull the permit for a one- or two-family home that is their principal residence under IB-029. Express permits are issued at an in-person appointment with APP-011 and FORM-005, or online for minor remodels through the Customer Portal; plan-reviewed remodels bring APP-001 and IB-045 plans on a USB drive to an over-the-counter appointment. One residential inspector covers rough plumbing and wiring; request inspections online by 3 p.m. the day before. The permit is void if work has not started within 90 days, and unpermitted work draws an investigation fee equal to the permit fee, with a $465 minimum.
How to Get a Bathroom Remodel Permit in Long Beach
Sort the scope
Finishes and cabinet refacing need nothing. Same-spot fixture swaps are express item B4. Moving fixtures, adding a shower or removing walls means plan review.
Apply
Express: online for a one- or two-family home, or an in-person appointment with APP-011 and FORM-005. Plan review: APP-001 with IB-045 remodel plans on a USB drive.
Pay the fee
About $654 for three fixtures replaced in place, about $992 with plan check for relocations, including the $115 processing fee. Fees change October 1, 2026.
Rough inspection before closing walls
The residential inspector checks the drain and vent piping, water lines, the 20-amp GFCI circuit and the fan duct; request it online by 3 p.m. the day before.
Final inspection
Fixture flow rates, fan operation, tempered glass, outlet placement and smoke and CO alarms are checked. Start within 90 days so the permit stays valid.