How long does LADBS plan check take for a kitchen or bathroom remodel?

How long does LADBS plan check take for a kitchen or bathroom remodel?

It depends on the track, and many kitchen and bathroom remodels skip plan check: LADBS says a residential kitchen or bathroom remodel with no structural changes can be issued as an Express Permit with no plan check, small and medium projects are reviewed at the counter in about 45 to 60 minutes, and larger projects go through Regular Plan Check, where plans are "returned within weeks depending on workload."134

Home Pro Green Remodeling Inc. is based in Tarzana and serves the San Fernando Valley and greater Los Angeles. The figures below are LADBS's own descriptions or other sources' published ranges. None is a Home Pro schedule, and each project's timing depends on the plans and the department's workload.

Which LADBS track does a kitchen or bathroom remodel use?

• Express Permit. Permits for simple projects that do not require plan check.2 A kitchen or bathroom remodel for residential buildings with no structural changes is on the list.1. Same-layout remodel
• Counter Plan Check. Plans are reviewed the day they are submitted. Small and medium projects take about 45 to 60 minutes. Available at the Metro, Van Nuys, West LA, South LA and San Pedro offices.3. Wall or opening changes, which need plan check at the public counter67
• Expanded Counter Plan Check. Permits issued over the counter for modest projects such as a medium-size home addition. Plans are assigned within a few days.5. Rare for a single room
• Regular Plan Check. For large complex projects. Plans are reviewed and returned within weeks depending on workload, and are assigned within a few days of submittal.4. Larger scopes

When does a kitchen or bathroom remodel need no plan check at all?

When the layout stays. LADBS's combined e-permit covers repairing or replacing cabinets, flooring, wall finishes, tile, counters, and plumbing and electrical fixtures, as long as no walls or openings change and no new fixtures go into existing walls.67 Express Permits can be issued online or at a LADBS counter by appointment.9

How long does counter plan check take?

LADBS says the plans are reviewed the day they are submitted, and the types of plans typically reviewed at the counter can be reviewed in approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Residential project types listed include an alteration to a single family dwelling or duplex.3 For a wall or opening change in a kitchen or bathroom, PermitLA says the plan check is conducted at the public counter of a LADBS Construction Services Center, with two sets of existing and proposed floor plans.67 The Van Nuys Development Services Center at 6262 Van Nuys Blvd offers counter plan check.8

How long does regular plan check take?

LADBS gives no fixed number. It says plans are reviewed and returned "within weeks depending on workload," that plans are assigned within a few days of submittal, and that an expedited review is available for an additional plan check fee.4 Two outside guides give figures, and they do not match each other:

• SignedOff (April 1, 2026) says contractors report about 6 to 12 weeks for regular plan check, and that each correction cycle adds 2 to 6 weeks of LADBS re-review.10
• AskBaily (2026) says 4 to 8 weeks for a first review of a simple residential remodel, with 3 to 6 weeks for each later correction cycle.11

Treat those as reports from commercial websites, not as LADBS commitments. SignedOff also describes counter plan check as taking 1 to 3 weeks, which is not how LADBS describes it.103

What makes plan check take longer?

Corrections. The County's plan check page describes the cycle for LA County: items that do not comply are noted on the plans, the applicant corrects and resubmits, and recheck times vary with the extent of the corrections.12 Both outside guides say each correction cycle adds time.1011

Is LA County plan check faster or slower?

The County says projects that can be plan checked in 15 minutes or less may be reviewed over the counter, and that complex projects are taken in and reviewed in the order received, with turn-around time varying by volume.1213 It gives no fixed number either. This applies to addresses in unincorporated areas, not the City of Los Angeles.

How should you plan around plan check?

Ask which track your scope falls on before you set a start date. A remodel that keeps the layout can skip plan check. One that moves a wall adds a counter plan check visit. Anything larger adds a review measured in weeks. Check your contractor's license on the CSLB Check a License page.14 Ours is 1003187. We pull the permits, and the contract should name who does.

Written by Home Pro Green Remodeling Inc., a general contractor in Tarzana with over 30 years of combined experience. CSLB #1003187.

Next step

Call (213) 770-6727 or use the contact form to talk about your kitchen or bathroom remodel. We will tell you which permit path applies to your remodel. Home Pro Green Remodeling Inc., CSLB #1003187.

Related reading

• What kitchen and bathroom work needs a permit in Los Angeles
• Kitchen remodel permit in Los Angeles
• Bathroom remodel permit in Los Angeles
• How long does a kitchen remodel take in Los Angeles

Home Pro Green Remodeling Inc. | CSLB #1003187 18375 Ventura Blvd Ste 378, Tarzana, CA 91356 (213) 770-6727

Sources (all pages opened and read on 2026-11-09)

1. LADBS Information Bulletin P/GI 2026-003, Express Permits (No Plan Check Required), effective Jan 1, 2026, revised Jun 10, 2026. https://dbs.lacity.gov/sites/default/files/efs/forms/pc17/ib-p-gi-2020-003-express-permits_rev-5-28-2024.pdf
2. LADBS, Express Permits (permits for simple projects that do not require plan check). https://dbs.lacity.gov/services/plan-review-permitting/plan-check-permit/express-permits
3. LADBS, Counter Plan Check (review in about 45 to 60 minutes, project types, offices). https://dbs.lacity.gov/services/plan-review-permitting/plan-check-permit/counter-plan-check
4. LADBS, Regular Plan Check (plans returned within weeks depending on workload, offices). https://dbs.lacity.gov/services/plan-review-permitting/plan-check-permit/regular-plan-check
5. LADBS, Expanded Counter Plan Check. https://dbs.lacity.gov/services/plan-review-permitting/plan-check-permit/expanded-counter-plan-check
6. PermitLA (LADBS), Kitchen remodel (combined e-permit scope, wall and opening changes, plans, inspections). https://www.permitla.org/building/kitchen_remodel_detail.html
7. PermitLA (LADBS), Bathroom remodel and repair (combined e-permit scope, plans, shower and toilet requirements, inspections). https://www.permitla.org/building/bathroom_remodel_repair_detail.html
8. LADBS, Van Nuys Development Services Center (address and services). https://dbs.lacity.gov/our-organization/locations-offices/van-nuys
9. LADBS, Homeowner Step-By-Step (ZIMAS check, LA County service locator, Express Permits, plan check, inspections). https://dbs.lacity.gov/services/homeowner-step-by-step
10. SignedOff, "How Long Does LADBS Plan Check Actually Take in 2026?" (Apr 1, 2026; contractor-reported timelines). https://signedoff.io/blog/ladbs-plan-check-timeline
11. AskBaily, "How long does LADBS plan check take?" (2026 ranges). https://askbaily.com/ask/how-long-does-ladbs-plan-check-take
12. LA County Public Works Building and Safety, Building Plan Check (where to submit, when plan check is required, over-the-counter review, corrections). https://dpw.lacounty.gov/building-and-safety/plancheck/building
13. LA County Public Works Building and Safety, Homeowner (5 steps of the permit process, owner-builder, who can obtain permits, EPIC-LA and contract cities). https://www.pw.lacounty.gov/building-and-safety/homeowner
14. CSLB, Check a License. https://www.cslb.ca.gov/onlineservices/checklicenseII/checklicense.aspx