What's Required in Los Angeles
- Work valued at $2,500 or less is exempt from a building permit (LAMC 91.106.2); there is no size-based shed exemption in the city
- Sheds above that value need an LADBS building permit with a valuation-based fee and a plan check fee equal to 90% of the permit fee
- Any electrical, plumbing or gas work in the shed needs its own trade permit regardless of shed value
- Plans: plot plan with distances to property lines, floor plan, framing and foundation plan, plus the LADBS Type V sheet for wood-frame construction
- Owner-builders must sign the Owner-Builder Declaration; homeowner electrical or plumbing permits require 12 months of residence
- Contractors must hold a CSLB license (B for building, C-10 electrical, C-36 plumbing)
- Building permit applications must name a city-permitted construction waste hauler
- Permit expires if work has not started within six months, and two years after issue if unfinished
- Zoning setbacks and accessory-building rules apply whether or not a permit is required
Do You Need a Permit for a Shed in Los Angeles?
Usually, yes. The City of Los Angeles does not use the 120-square-foot shed exemption you will see quoted for Los Angeles County and most California cities. The city's own exemption list, LAMC 91.106.2 in the 2026 Los Angeles Building Code, exempts work valued at $2,500 or less (unless it affects structural stability or public safety, is done under a Department order, or changes the use) and says nothing about shed size. So a small prefab kit that costs under $2,500 installed can go up without a building permit, while a built-in-place 10x12 shed almost always crosses that line and needs a permit from the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). Any wiring, plumbing or gas run to the shed needs its own electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit regardless of value. Zoning rules on where an accessory building may sit apply either way; check your lot in ZIMAS before you buy materials.
Los Angeles Shed Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Prefab shed, total value $2,500 or less, no utilities | None (building permit exempt) | LAMC 91.106.2 item 1, 2026 LABC ordinance |
| Site-built shed valued over $2,500 | Building permit with plan check | Valuation-based fee; counter plan check for simple wood-frame work |
| Shed with lights or outlets | Electrical permit (express, no plan check) | Express Permits IB P/GI 2026-003, electrical items 1-2 |
| Shed with a sink or hose bib | Plumbing permit (express) | Express Permits IB, plumbing items 2-3 |
| Shed you will use as living space | ADU building permit, not a shed permit | See the LADBS ADU program |
| Shed on a hillside lot | Building permit; grading permit may apply | Confirm with the plan check engineer |
| Any shed, any size | Zoning setback and location rules still apply | Check the lot in ZIMAS or at a zoning counter |
How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost in Los Angeles?
LADBS prices building permits on the valuation of the work, and the plan check fee is 90 percent of the permit fee, with a stack of surcharges on both. The city's own Permit Fee Calculator returns these totals for a new detached accessory building on a one- or two-family lot: a $5,000 shed pays a permit fee of $217.72 plus plan check of $148.38, about $366 in total; a $15,000 shed pays $365.60 plus $317.13, about $683. Those figures include the green building, plan maintenance, earthquake instrumentation, planning and systems surcharges the calculator adds automatically. Paying by credit card adds a 2.7 percent service fee. The valuation LADBS uses is the total value of all work, including electrical and plumbing inside the shed, so do not split it into pieces to stay under $2,500.
Who Can Pull a Shed Permit in Los Angeles?
You can. A homeowner may sign for a building permit as an owner-builder; LADBS will make you read and initial the state Owner-Builder Declaration first, and it warns that you become the employer of anyone unlicensed you hire. If you want electrical or plumbing permits in your own name too, you must have lived in the house for at least 12 months. Otherwise the permit goes to a CSLB-licensed contractor: a B license for the building permit, C-10 for electrical, C-36 for plumbing. Under state law, an unlicensed handyman may only take jobs under $1,000 that need no permit, which rules out most sheds.
How the Process Works
Simple wood-frame sheds go through Counter Plan Check, which LADBS completes over the counter on the day you submit, typically in about 45 minutes; you can also upload plans to ePlanLA. Bring a plot plan with distances to property lines, a floor and framing plan, and the Type V sheet from any LADBS counter. Once the permit is issued you request inspections a day ahead (before 2 PM) for groundwork, rough framing and final. The permit expires if work does not start within six months, and two years after issue if the work is not finished.
How to Get a Shed Permit in Los Angeles
Check the value and the zoning
If the whole job, materials and labor, is $2,500 or less and has no utilities, no building permit is needed. Look up the lot in ZIMAS for setback and overlay rules.
Draw the plans
Plot plan, floor plan, framing and foundation details, and the Type V sheet from any LADBS counter. Use an engineer's stamped drawings if the design is not prescriptive.
Submit for plan check
Upload to ePlanLA or book a Counter Plan Check appointment, which LADBS completes the same day in about 45 minutes for simple projects.
Pay and pull the permit
Sign as owner-builder or have your B-licensed contractor sign. Fees are valuation-based: about $366 all-in for a $5,000 shed, about $683 for $15,000, plus 2.7 percent if paid by card.
Build and call for inspections
Request inspections a day ahead, before 2 PM, for groundwork, rough framing and final. Trade permits for wiring or plumbing get their own inspections.