Los Angeles Building Permits: Data, Stats and Maps

Los Angeles Building Permits: Data, Stats and Maps
Los Angeles Building Permits: Data, Stats and Maps
Takeaways:
  • Majority of permits (60%) were for alterations or repairs, indicating a focus on maintaining or upgrading existing structures.
  • Single-family homes dominate, with 69% of permits tied to 1- or 2-family dwellings and nearly 46% specifically for single-family use.
  • Low-value projects are most common: over 58% of permits were for work estimated under $50,000.
  • Top zones include R1-1 and other low-density residential areas, showing the concentration of activity in suburban neighborhoods.
  • Construction types are mostly Type V (non-fire-rated wood-frame), common in residential builds.

This dataset of over 1.5 million building permits issued in Los Angeles between 2006 and 2025 offers a comprehensive view of the city's development trends.

It captures the dominance of single-family residential permits, the steady rise of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and the growth of multifamily and commercial projects in dense urban areas like Downtown, Hollywood, and Koreatown. The data also highlights increased home renovations and infill construction in recent years, reflecting evolving housing needs and policy shifts.

Geographic patterns show active development in both central and suburban districts, with the South and West Valley regions leading in total permits. Estimated project values and construction types further illustrate the diversity in scale and scope across neighborhoods.

Together, these insights help reveal how Los Angeles has grown—physically, economically, and politically—through cycles of expansion, reinvestment, and adaptation.

Statistics

This dataset encompasses over 1.5 million building permits issued in Los Angeles, offering a detailed view of development activity across permit types, construction categories, geographic zones, and time periods. It reflects the city’s ongoing growth, densification, and infrastructure investment, with the majority of permits linked to residential improvements and private development.

Permit Types

The majority of permits (60%) are for building alterations and repairs, followed by additions (11.8%) and new building construction (6.5%). Most permitted work relates to 1-2 family dwellings (68.7%), indicating that residential upgrades remain a central focus. Commercial and apartment construction represent smaller but still significant portions at 16.5% and 11.6%, respectively.

Permit TypePermitssPercent
Bldg-Alter/Repair901082
60.06%
Bldg-Addition177479
11.83%
Bldg-New97099
6.47%
Grading80873
5.39%
Nonbldg-New79564
5.30%
Swimming-Pool/Spa51546
3.44%
Bldg-Demolition48984
3.27%
Sign48082
3.20%
Nonbldg-Alter/Repair13880
0.93%
Nonbldg-Addition1037
0.07%
Nonbldg-Demolition455
0.03%
Bldg-Relocation165
0.01%
Permit Sub TypePermitssPercent
1 or 2 Family Dwelling1031176
68.73%
Commercial247440
16.49%
Apartment173548
11.57%
Onsite46392
3.09%
Offsite1690
0.11%

Use Categories

Nearly half of all permits are for single-family dwellings (45.6%), with substantial activity also seen in apartment units (8.2%), offices (4%), and hillside grading (4%). Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are notable at 2.5%, suggesting increased interest in densification and secondary housing units in residential areas.

Use DescriptionPermitssPercent
Dwelling - Single Family684104
45.60%
Apartment122574
8.17%
Office59804
3.99%
Grading - Hillside59308
3.95%
Pool/Spa - Private52431
3.49%
Duplex50384
3.36%
Garage - Private48066
3.20%
Accessory Dwelling Unit38128
2.54%
Retail33450
2.23%
Fence Wall32839
2.19%
Retaining Wall29466
1.96%
Wall Sign25947
1.73%
Condo-Multi Family24915
1.66%
Miscellaneous Bldg/Structure23160
1.54%
Grading - Non-Hillside21406
1.43%

Construction Types

Type V construction dominates the dataset, especially V-B (12.3%) and V-N (9.5%), which are typically used for wood-frame residential buildings. Higher-rated fire-resistant construction types (I, II, III) occur less frequently, underscoring the dataset’s residential bias and limited large-scale commercial or institutional projects.

Construction TypePermitssPercent
Type V-B Construction184752
12.31%
Type V-N Construction142335
9.49%
Type V-1HR Construction4807
0.32%
Type V-A Construction4739
0.32%
Type I-F.R. Construction3886
0.26%
Type III-B Construction3629
0.24%
Type III-N Construction3304
0.22%
Type I-A Construction2677
0.18%
Type III-A Construction2055
0.14%
Type II-B Construction1432
0.10%
Type II-N Construction1032
0.07%
Type I-B Construction845
0.06%
Type III-1HR Construction781
0.05%
Type II-A Construction395
0.03%
Type II-1HR Construction273
0.02%

Project Valuation

Most permitted projects are relatively modest in scope, with over 76% valued under $50,000. Only 0.87% of permits exceed $1 million in estimated value, suggesting that small- to mid-scale renovations, repairs, and additions dominate development activity.

Estimated ValuePermitssPercent
$1M+13127
0.87%
$500K-$1M16465
1.10%
$100K-$500K117308
7.82%
$50K-$100K104007
6.93%
$10K-$50K403953
26.93%
$5K-$10K247093
16.47%
$1K-$5K330229
22.01%
<$1K198796
13.25%

Geographic Distribution

Activity is concentrated in residential zones such as R1-1 (22.7%) and planning regions like South Valley (22.8%) and West Los Angeles (19.7%). Community plan areas like Hollywood, Wilshire, and Northeast LA lead in volume, while Council District 5 stands out with over 200,000 permits (13.6%). Zip codes 90049, 90045, and 90272 are the most active by volume.

ZonePermitssPercent
R1-1339958
22.66%
R3-161148
4.08%
RS-160575
4.04%
RA-152376
3.49%
R2-146535
3.10%
RE15-1-H43389
2.89%
RE11-139361
2.62%
RD1.5-130701
2.05%
R1-1-O25710
1.71%
RD2-120521
1.37%
R1-1-RIO20254
1.35%
C2-1VL19756
1.32%
C2-118583
1.24%
R1V213087
0.87%
R1-1XL13036
0.87%
Area Planning CommissionPermitssPercent
South Valley341516
22.76%
West Los Angeles295568
19.70%
Central240087
16.00%
North Valley224382
14.96%
South Los Angeles184598
12.30%
East Los Angeles139380
9.29%
Harbor58084
3.87%
South Valley, West Los Angeles501
0.03%
Central, South Valley228
0.02%
North Valley, South Valley82
0.01%
Central, East Los Angeles11
0.00%
Community Plan AreaPermitssPercent
Hollywood95090
6.34%
Wilshire85927
5.73%
Northeast Los Angeles78388
5.23%
Brentwood - Pacific Palisades63471
4.23%
Canoga Park-West Hills-Winnetka-Woodland Hills55798
3.72%
South Los Angeles51117
3.41%
Southeast Los Angeles50025
3.33%
Encino - Tarzana49376
3.29%
West Adams - Baldwin Hills - Leimert47723
3.18%
Van Nuys - North Sherman Oaks46991
3.13%
Chatsworth - Porter Ranch43237
2.88%
West Los Angeles43217
2.88%
North Hollywood - Valley Village35907
2.39%
Palms - Mar Vista - Del Rey35210
2.35%
Bel Air - Beverly Crest34304
2.29%
Certified Neighborhood CouncilPermitssPercent
Bel Air - Beverly Crest32579
2.17%
Sherman Oaks32359
2.16%
Mid City West31525
2.10%
Encino29052
1.94%
Westside27412
1.83%
Downtown Los Angeles22829
1.52%
Studio City21373
1.42%
Greater Wilshire20895
1.39%
Hollywood Hills West20370
1.36%
Mar Vista20275
1.35%
Westchester - Playa del Rey20190
1.35%
Woodland Hills - Warner Center19590
1.31%
Silver Lake17620
1.17%
Van Nuys17553
1.17%
Woodland Hills-Warner Center17316
1.15%
ZipPermitssPercent
9004942864
2.86%
9004531251
2.08%
9027230878
2.06%
9002627040
1.80%
9006625000
1.67%
9136724574
1.64%
9134224559
1.64%
9160423549
1.57%
9004623499
1.57%
9134423023
1.53%
9006422744
1.52%
9001921899
1.46%
9133521179
1.41%
9029121019
1.40%
9133120795
1.39%
Council DistrictPermitssPercent
5203573
13.57%
11192635
12.84%
4142472
9.50%
12121121
8.07%
3106925
7.13%
2104572
6.97%
1481070
5.40%
1375282
5.02%
674884
4.99%
1573556
4.90%
873218
4.88%
1072192
4.81%
766987
4.47%
961156
4.08%
150433
3.36%

Permitting Timeline

Permit activity has remained relatively stable over the past two decades. While levels dipped slightly during the COVID-19 years (2020–2021), recent years (2022–2024) show consistent recovery, with 2024 issuing over 64,000 permits. Early 2025 data already reflects over 23,000 permits, suggesting a continued pace in development.

Issued DatePermitssPercent
202523195
1.55%
202464874
4.32%
202364206
4.28%
202265339
4.36%
202157427
3.83%
202051894
3.46%
201970873
4.72%
201868192
4.55%
201764784
4.32%
201655726
3.71%
201553479
3.56%
201448218
3.21%
201346264
3.08%
201244048
2.94%
201140950
2.73%

Dataset

This dashboard provides an in-depth view of over 1.5 million building permits issued in Los Angeles from 2006 to 2025. It includes details on permit types, property uses, estimated project values, zoning classifications, construction methods, and geographic distribution by planning areas, neighborhood councils, and council districts. Use the filters to explore trends and patterns in construction activity across the city.

Dataset Information

SubjectConstruction
JurisdictionCity of Los Angeles, State of California
Data ProviderLos Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS)
Sourcedata.lacity.org