Frequently Asked Questions

View the Building and Safety Division page in our staff directory for the most up-to-date contact information.

The Building counter is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 to 12:30 pm for permits and plan check submittals.

Inspections are performed Monday through Thursday beginning at 10 am. 

Construction in the City can only take place between 7 am and 8 pm, Monday through Saturday and not on any federal holiday.

The water purveyor for Los Alamitos is Golden State Water.

Southern California Gas provides natural gas in Los Alamitos.

Southern California Edison provides the electricity utility for the area.

The Orange County Fire Authority.

The City of Los Alamitos does not serve Rossmoor. You need to visit the Orange County Building Department at 300 N Flower in Santa Ana. Their phone number is 714-667-8888.

Yes. Please visit out Solar Photovoltaic Permits page to read all of the instructions to apply for this process.

3 sets, please.

11 inch by 17 inch only, please. Backup documentation can also be on 8.5 inch by 11 inch.

Most solar plan check is performed over the counter, however sometimes we get busy during our morning and afternoon counter hours and will take it in for plan check instead. If we take it in for review, we will turn it around in a couple days.

Maybe. We use an Orange County ICC chapter recommendation that structural calculations need to be provided when a solar installation is over 350 square feet on a single story house and 250 square feet on a two-story house.

Residential: $450

Commercial: Based off of the kilowatts

No. We used to, but have changed this policy since the state is only going to allow us 1 inspection later in 2015 anyway.

Yes. We will be working on adopting an ordinance and the requirements of this bill before September 2015.

Most major projects will require a permit of some kind. This is necessary to ensure that all buildings meet minimum standards which will protect its occupants and neighbors on a daily basis, as well as during emergencies and other disasters. However, some minor alterations are allowed without obtaining permits (California Building Code 105.2). The most common exceptions are:

• Construction of block wall less than 30 inches high.
• Construction of decks and platforms less than 30 inches high, open walkways, and driveways on grade.
• Replacement of up to 400 square feet of roofing on an existing building in any 12 month period.
• Installation of ceramic tile on floors and countertops, and on walls not more than 48 inches high.
• Replacement of any existing broken or damaged ceramic tiles.
• Plaster patching not in excess of 10 square yards.
• Construction of pools not over 2 feet in depth, without electrical or plumbing fixtures.
• Construction of cases, counters and partitions less than 5 feet high.
• Construction of retaining walls and planter boxes under 30 inches high measured from bottom of footings.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Do you need a building permit for an upcoming residential project that is going to cost over $1,000? Please be aware that as of January 1, 2011, you are now required to install battery operated carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in your home. For projects where the Building Inspector will not be accessing the inside of your home (re-roofs, patios, stucco repair), the homeowner must complete and sign this form to certify that smoke and CO detectors have been installed.

Construction permits are documents obtained through the Development Services Department's Building and Safety Division, which authorizes the start of construction or remodeling of a building in the City of Los Alamitos.

There are 5 common types of permits:

• Building Permit: is required to construct or modify a building or structure.
• Electrical Permit: is required to install or modify an electrical system.
• Plumbing Permit: is required to install or modify a plumbing system.
• Mechanical Permit: is required to install or modify heating, ventilation, refrigeration, air conditioning and other related systems.
• Block Wall Permit: is required for any wall over 42 inches high or retaining wall over thirty inches high.

A permit will be issued to:

• A property owner, for work on single family or duplex buildings, provided that the owner lives in one of the units.
• A licensed contractor.
• A non-resident property owner of a single family or commercial property if the value of the work does not exceed 10% of the building's value in any 12-month period.

When a permit is taken out, the signature and identity of the applicant must be verified. A California Driver's License, State of California Identification Card, or other positive identification will meet this requirement.

Contractors

Contractors working in the City of Los Alamitos are required to have a Los Alamitos Business License.

If a contractor has employees, a Certificate of Workers' Compensation Insurance must be on file with the Development Services Department. Contractors working alone may waive this requirement, but must show a pocket copy of their State Contractors License.

The cost of a plan check and inspection fees are based upon the valuation of the proposed project as determined by the type of construction, size of project and the specific use of the buildings or structures. Building plan check and permit fees are calculated to be for cost recovery of all plan checking, inspection and administrative building services. Please note that in addition to these permitting fees, there may be other constructions fees, planning fees, state fees, school fees or sewer fees.

City engineers and planners will review the plans submitted with a permit application. This may result in design changes to comply with City and California regulations. The amount of time required for plan check depends on the size and complexity of the project.

Plan check fees prior to issuance of each type of permit are as follows:

• Building Plan Check at 65% of Building Permit fee
• Mechanical Plan Check at 25% of Mechanical Permit fee
• Electrical Plan Check at 50% of Electrical Permit fee
• Plumbing Plan Check at 65% of Plumbing Permit fee

3 sets of plans, 2 sets of structural calculations and 2 sets of Title 24 energy calculations. The Title 24 energy calculations should also be copied on the plans pages.

Please submit 36 inch by 24 inch plan pages. Solar plans should be submitted on 11 inch by 17 inch plan pages.

Yes; you can find permit application documents on the Building and Safety Division page.

For the majority of projects we provide a 10 business day turn around for first review. We provide a 5 business day turn around for second review.

Yes, create an account with our Permit Center.

Yes. Fee free to email the Building and Safety Division.

Design criteria are as follows:

• Climate zone: 8
• Design wind speed (commercial): 110 miles per hour (mph)
• Design wind speed (residential): 85 mph
• Exposure: C
• Seismic zone: D

• 2019 California Building Code
• 2019 California Electrical Code
• 2019 California Energy Code
• 2019 California Fire Code
• 2019 California Green Building Standards Code
• 2019 California Mechanical Code
• 2019 California Plumbing Code
• 2019 California Residential Code

California building codes can be found online at the California Building Standards Commission website.

Yes. For tenant improvement projects we require a letter from the building owner authorizing the project before a permit will be issued. We also require an authorization letter for agents pulling permits on behalf of a contractor. These letters should be on company letterhead, but do not need to be notarized.

Yes, and if the general contractor has sub-contractors working for them, then the sub-contractors will be required to get business licenses as well. See our Business License page for more information.

If you are adding or modifying any part of a lighting system, mechanical system or building envelope, it is likely you will need to provide Title 24 documents. The state now has a handy website, Energy Code Ace, that can help you determine what you need. Please find the Trigger sheets on the state website to help you determine if you need to fill out Title 24 documents. Also visit the Forms pages on the state website to figure out which forms you will need.

The process may begin with either a complaint filed by a resident or business or by City Staff observing a problem through the City's Code Enforcement program. The City has a Code Enforcement Officer whose responsibility is to investigate complaints of property maintenance and Municipal Code violations. The City's Code Enforcement Officer also periodically patrols the City proactively to ensure compliance with the City's property maintenance and Municipal Code provisions. Most often, a code enforcement action is initiated through a complaint filed by a resident or business.

After a complaint is received, an inspection is made to determine the validity, nature, and extent of the concern. If a code violation is observed, the property owner is informed and given an opportunity to bring the property into compliance. If corrective action is not completed in a reasonable manner or time and after repeated attempts on the part of the Code Enforcement Officer to resolve the issue(s) the City may, as a last resort issue an administrative citation or file a criminal complaint with the City Prosecutor's office. However, the primary goal is to resolve the code violation through voluntary compliance and the vast majority of cases are resolved in this manner.

An administrative citation is similar to a parking ticket in that appearance before a judge or magistrate is not required. Fines are significant and are $100, $200, and $500 respectively for the first, second, third and continuing violations. Payment of administrative fines must be made to the City within 15 calendar days.

Noise in residential areas is restricted by time of day, as well as the intensity level and duration of the noise event. The noise ordinance is designed to address recurring noise sources such as pool pumps/motors, air conditioning units, and other stationary noise sources. For noise sources such as loud parties, vehicles, or music please contact the Los Alamitos Police Department at 562-431-2255.

The City's Noise Ordinance prohibits the operation of motorized landscaping equipment before 7 am and after 8 pm, Monday through Saturday. Operation of such equipment is prohibited on Sunday and federal holidays.

Construction related noise is allowed from 7 am to 8 pm, Monday through Saturday and prohibited on Sunday and federal holidays.

No. Privately owned sporting equipment such as basketball backboard structures, hockey nets, skateboard ramps and similar items may not be permanently left in the public right-of-way. The public right-of-way includes the:

• Alleys
• Driveway apron
• Parkway
• Sidewalk
• Street

Residents are asked to put these items back on their private property once they are done using them so that street sweepers and other equipment may access the area.

Trash containers may not be placed at the point of pickup before 6 pm on the day preceding pickup and must be removed before 1 am on the day following pickup. Additionally, trash cans must be stored in an area not visible from the public right-of-way.

Each household receives free quarterly collection pick-ups per year (up to four items), and quarterly household hazardous waste (HHW) collection. To schedule a bulky item pick-up or HHW collection, please contact the Universal Waste Systems (UWS) customer service team at (562) 941-4900. 

Large items are generally picked-up on Thursdays, so discarded items should not be placed on the parkway for removal until the evening prior to the scheduled pick-up.

https://www.uwscompany.com/los-alamitos/

No. Peaceful resolution of issues in civil matters is encouraged. Please refer to the City's Municipal Code Section, 17.14.070 (B1) for additional information.

No. Estate, garage, or yard sale events are allowed without a permit so long that no more than 3 events are held within a 12 month period and each event is for no longer than 3 consecutive days. Please note that posting of garage sale signs are prohibited and property owner's are limited to one sign on their property.

Except in the instance of an animal shop as provided in Section 6.16.060, no person shall keep or maintain more than 3 licensed dogs and 3 cats, over the age of 4 months, on any lot or parcel of land within the City unless first obtaining a permit therefore. Such permit shall be required in addition to tags or other licenses which may be required by this title. The director may issue a permit for the keeping of 4 or more dogs or cats in his or her discretion, giving particular concern to the safety and comfort of such animals and the inhabitants of the neighborhood. The permit shall specify the number and types of animals authorized to be kept there under and may contain conditions as deemed necessary by the director.

Such permit shall be nontransferable and must be renewed annually. Permit fees shall be established by contract with the city of Long Beach or otherwise set by resolution of the City Council (Ordinance 647 § 3 (part), 2001).

Yes, but temporarily during loading or unloading of mobile home, cannot be used for sleeping purposes, cannot extend any compartments over street or any public right of way, cannot use extension cords from vehicle to dwelling over public right of ways.

There is no overnight sleeping allowed in an RV parked on the street. You can purchase a temporary Oversized Vehicle Parking Permit for recreational vehicles owned by visitors or house guests temporarily visiting in the City.

Yes. You may purchase up to 3 (QTY) total 3-day Oversized Vehicle Parking permits per month. ***not to exceed 9 consecutive days.

No. The City's Municipal Code prohibits parking vehicles on lawns, landscaped areas, and other unpaved surfaces (Los Alamitos Municipal Code 8.32.020). As a transient violation, you will be subject to the issuance of an administrative citation with a fine of $100, $200 and $500 for the first, second, and continuing violation thereafter (Los Alamitos Municipal Code 1.24.040.C).

The City of Los Alamitos contracts for animal control services with the City of Long Beach. Complaints or inquiries may be made directly to Animal Control at 714-935-6848.

The City of Los Alamitos contracts with the County of Orange for Vector Control services. Vector control may be contacted directly at 714-971-2421.

Yes, however a "Temporary Sign Permit" (TUP) is required. For additional information, please contact the Planning Department at 562-431-3538, ext. 302.

Yes, the City does allow "home-occupations" to be operated from residences subject to operators obtaining a "Home Occupation Permit", a business tax certificate, and complying with various regulatory conditions. Home occupation permits business tax certificates may be obtained at the City's Development Services Department. Additional information can be found on the City's Business License website.

The Code Enforcement Division responds to complaints of violation of the City's Municipal Code and Zoning Ordinance. You may contact the City's Code Enforcement Officer at 562-431-3538 to discuss matters relating to Code violations, learn what issues or conditions constitute a violation of the City's codes, and request further investigation by the Code Enforcement Officer.

No. The City of Los Alamitos routinely accepts anonymous complaints, investigates, and resolves such complaints in the same manner as concerns raised by identified complainants.

Drones are also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or UAS. The Federal Aviation Administration has a website concerning the subject of drones, including information and education on the Unmanned Aircraft Systems page of their website. If you have drone-related questions about the local ordinances and guidelines, please call Steven Mendoza at 562-431-3538, ext. 300.

Code enforcement is part of the City's Development Services Department. The Code Enforcement Officer may be contacted directly at 562-431-3538, ext. 304.

Code Enforcement responds to complaints related to graffiti. Depending on the type of graffiti and location will depend on the type of response taken which could be removed by the property owner, City Public Works Division, or tenants.

Please place a service request for work online or via the My Los Al app.

Before you call to report a street light, jot down the pole number. Street light poles are owned by Southern California Edison (SCE). Note the address where the pole is located and the nearest cross street. To report an inoperable street light call 800-611-1911 or you can report the outage at the SCE website.

Contact Public Works Division at 562-431-3538, ext. 301 during regular business hours, or the Los Alamitos Police Department after hours at 562-594-7232.

Graffiti is unsightly and ruins the appearance of our City. If you see graffiti in the City of Los Alamitos, please call the Public Works Division at 562-431-3538, ext. 301, or contact us by email.

All sidewalk repair requests should be directed to the Public Works Division at 562-431-3538, ext. 301, or by email. 

To request trimming of your parkway tree, please contact the Public Works Division at 562-431-3538, ext. 301, or by email. Tree trimming will promote proper tree growth and will insure a healthier tree.

Parkway trees are planted by City Crews from an approved tree list, and removed by a contract arborist. Removal of parkway trees are subject to staff approval, following guidelines set by the City. To request planting or removal of a parkway tree, please contact the Public Works Division at 562-431-3538, ext. 301, or by email.

To find out which trees are approved for parkways, view the current Street Tree Packet on the Public Works page.

Contact the Public Works Division at 562-431-3538, ext. 301, or by email. You should put your inquiry in writing and send it to the City Engineer. Your request may be scheduled for consideration by the City's Traffic Commission. The Traffic Commission meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7 pm in the City Hall Council Chamber. Traffic Commission meetings are open to the public.

Traffic count information is available by calling 562-431-3538, ext. 301, or by email.

The entire City (including Rossmoor) is in Flood Zone X. Zone X is:

• Areas of 500 year flood
• Areas of 100 year flood with average depths of less than 1 feet or with drainage areas less than 1 square mile
• Areas protected by levees from 100 year flood

Community Number is 060226; Panel Numbers are 0105, 0112, 0116; and Suffix is H. Effective Map Date is September 15, 1989, revised February 18, 2004.

For large bin services, contact Universal Waste Systems, Inc. 800-631-7016.

Please refer to the Los Alamitos Streets and Addresses.

Please refer to the Zoning Map.

Residential projects are based on a myriad of facts concerning budget, the number of rooms for each unit, the square footage of those units, how many parking spaces are required, etc. It is best to ask an architect, or a similar professional, to draw up plans for the particular site based on all these variables and then the Planning Division will confirm with the constraints of the Los Alamitos Municipal Code.

Please refer to the Business License page.

Any business permitted as a matter of right, requires approval of a Zoning Permit in compliance with the Los Alamitos Municipal Code Chapter 17.50. Zoning Consistency Review is a process used by the Planning Division to verify that a proposed business complies with the list of allowed activities in the applicable zone and the land use regulations for the subject parcel.

Yes, every sign including existing signage needs to be checked for consistency with building and municipal codes through apply for a Building Permit.

Yes, one banner is permitted up to 90 days a year. Please refer to the Temporary Sign Permit Application.

The City of Los Alamitos would like to encourage outdoor dining. In many circumstances, this may be a possibility at the business location, if there is room. Please refer to the Small Outdoor Dining brochure.

These are called development standards may be found in Section 17.16.110 of the Los Alamitos Municipal Code.

The fence code may be found in Section 17.16.020 of the Los Alamitos Municipal Code.

The "Accessory Structure" code may be found in Section 17.28.030 of the Los Alamitos Municipal Code.

Each household receives free quarterly collection pick-ups per year (up to four items), and quarterly household hazardous waste (HHW) collection. To schedule a bulky item pick-up or HHW collection, please contact the Universal Waste Systems (UWS) customer service team at (562) 941-4900. 

Senate Bill (SB) 1383 establishes methane reduction targets for California by way of reducing organic waste in landfills, including edible food. The purpose of SB 1383 is to reduce greenhouse emissions such as methane, and address food insecurity in California. To learn more about SB 1383, please visit the City's Solid Waste & Recycling Mandates page by clicking here.

Food Finders is a local organization, that can help food generating businesses meet food recovery mandates outlined by SB 1383. To contact Food Finders, please contact Chris Wong at (562) 283-1400. Click here to learn more about Food Finders. 

Los Alamitos residents and businesses began receiving waste hauling services from the City's new solid waste service provider on January 1, 2022. To learn more about Universal Waste Systems Inc. (UWS), click here to visit the City's Trash Collection Services page. 

Organic waste is any material that is biodegradable and comes from either a plan or an animal. Examples of organic waste includes green waste, food waste, food-soiled paper, non-hazardous wood waste, and landscape pruning waste. Click here to learn more about the proper disposal of waste. 

As required by the State of California via SB 1383, all Californians are now required to sort separate food waste from recyclables and green waste - this affects all Los Alamitos residents and businesses. If you are a business or multi-family complex of five units or more facing space constraint issues with an additional bin, you may be eligible to receive a waiver form these mandatory programs; however, only those who request and receive a waiver from the City are exempt from mandatory participation. If a waiver is not approved by the City, your business or property will be required to participate in the mandated services. 

To submit an application for a waiver, please complete the following application and submit to the Development Services Department for review: click here to download the SB 1383 Solid Waste & Recycling Regulation - Waiver Request Form. 

To access your Universal Waste Systems (UWS) account online, please visit www.UWSCustomer.com or call (844) UWS-1100 for assistance. 

A city charter is a legal document that serves as the constitution for a city, outlining the organization, powers, functions and essential procedures of the city government. It establishes the governance structure, defines roles and responsibilities of elected officials and city departments and safeguards the rights of citizens. The charter provides the framework within which the city operates, ensuring that municipal policies and actions align with state laws and the needs of the local community.

City’s commonly amend their charters as community priorities evolve or State law changes. The original charter for Los Alamitos, established in 1960, has been amended from time to time, too, but certain sections have not been modernized in quite some time. To address these changes, specific updates are necessary, including increasing the spending limit for the public works department, establishing district-specific term limits for city council members, refining the language concerning district elections and implementing new campaign contribution and lobbying rules.

The current charter requires a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for any public works projects exceeding $10,000. A $10,000 spending threshold can often delay projects by up to 8 months by slowing down the public bidding and approval process. This has resulted in critical repairs being postponed and discouraged highly-qualified companies from bidding on smaller projects due to the long timelines and bureaucratic hurdles. For instance, the City recently experienced a gas leak at their police station facilities. The $10,000 limit required City Council to approve repairs with an emergency order and did not empower staff to take swift action to resolve the leak and keep the police station operating at full capacity. Outside of the charter, an additional spending limit of $100,000 is applicable to contracts for professional services. It is governed by the City Council and is not addressed in this proposed charter amendment. 

Raising the spending authority for the public works department to $125,000 will enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of the public works department. With this change to the charter, smaller public works projects will be started and completed more swiftly.

District-specific term limits are proposed to adjust current term limits to be related to the new by-district elections in Los Alamitos. By modifying term limits to be district-specific, charter language is cleaned up to recognize the City's recently adopted district elections. During council discussion on this item, it was noted that this proposal balances the intent of term limits with the new by-district elections process.

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No, the amended charter will not create any new taxes or increase any existing ones.

The City of Los Alamitos strives to be as transparent with our practices as possible. While the City already meets or exceeds the rules defined by the State political ethics entity (Fair Political Practices Commission), the new provisions on campaign restrictions and lobbyist registration requirements significantly exceed the current State requirements and will provide more information to the community about special interest activities in the city.

Yes. The spending increase for public works contracts will adhere to the same transparency guidelines in place for all procurement.  Any expenditure over $80,000 will require approval from the Budget Standing Committee, providing an extra layer of oversight. Any expenditure over $100,000 requires Council approval. Any expenditure over $125,000 will require , a formal bid process will be implemented to ensure competitive pricing and proper vetting of vendors for significant purchases.

Possibly. By increasing the public works spending threshold, unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles will be eliminated, thereby saving valuable time and resources. This efficiency will allow those resources to be allocated more effectively elsewhere.

The charter has been amended four times since adoption, however, these specific sections regarding government transparency have never been addressed. The last charter revision took place in 1998.

All registered voters in Orange County will receive a vote-by-mail ballot. You can cast your vote at any Orange County voting center or mail in your ballot. For more information about voting in Orange County, please visit www.ocvote.gov/.

No. The proposed measure would not eliminate mandatory competitive contract bidding. This measure would increase the public works bidding threshold for City Council award of contracts from $10,000 to $125,000. 

This measure aims to increase transparency in local government. The measure would require lobbyists attempting to influence City decisions to register with the City and disclose the nature of their lobbying efforts. Such registrations and disclosures would be made accessible to the public. If approved, the City Council is required to adopt policies, procedures and regulations to implement the measure.

This amendment to the charter, modeled after the Political Reform Act, and places a local limit on companies and individuals who donate to candidates for elected offices. Currently, the state limit for campaign contributions from a single individual or company is $5,500. The amendment to the charter would further limit campaign contributions for Los Alamitos candidates from a single individual or company to $500. 

Currently, city council members can serve up to three consecutive terms, after which they must step down for a year-long cooling-off period. The modification proposes a transition to district-specific term limits, such that no council member elected by district may serve more than three consecutive terms as a representative of that district or a combination of more than one district in accordance with state law, the district-specific term limits would apply prospectively. Years served by the current city council members prior to November 2024 would not count toward the newly enacted by-district term limits. In essence, the terms of every existing member of city council will reset for purposes of term limits if the measure is approved.