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Division 21Part III

SEC. 95.111. PERMITS.

Los Angeles Building Code — LAMC Chapter IX · 2026-08 edition · updated 2026-09-09 · Los Angeles

(Amended by Ord. No. 182,848, Eff. 1/3/14.)

95.111.1. General. No person shall install or alter, repair, relocate, replace or add to any installed heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, or refrigeration equipment or other miscellaneous heat-producing appliances unless a permit for the work has been obtained from the Department, except as provided in this Code. (Amended by Ord. No. 179,327, Eff. 12/10/07, Oper. 1/1/08.)

EXCEPTION:

  1. A separate permit shall not be required for installation of any heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, or refrigeration equipment or other miscellaneous heatproducing appliances for which a combined building/mechanical permit has been obtained pursuant to LAMC Subdivision 91.107.2.2. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

  2. No person shall be subject to a fine or payment of an investigation fee for starting and doing any emergency repair work without a permit being first obtained, if a permit for the work is obtained on or before 12:00 noon on the third day the office of the Department is open for public business after the work was started. (See Section 98.0402 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code.) (Amended by Ord. No. 179,327, Eff. 12/10/07, Oper. 1/1/08.)

  3. No permit shall be required for:

A. Any portable ventilating equipment.

B. Any portable comfort-cooling unit.

  • C. Any steam, hot or chilled water piping within any comfort- heating or cooling system regulated by this Code.

  • D. Any portable evaporative cooler.

  • E. Any unit refrigeration system. (Amended by Ord. No. 179,327, Eff. 12/10/07, Oper. 1/1/08.)

F. Any cooking range, broiler unit or domestic-type clothes dryer.

G. Any replacement or repairing of a compressor, provided the compressor replaced or repaired is of the same horsepower rating and is installed in the same location.

H. Any replacement or repair of controls, motors and components which are not part of, or used for, any emergency smoke-control system required by the Building Code or the Fire Code.

I. Any replacement or repair of any component part of listed factory-assembled comfort-heating or comfort-cooling equipment which does not alter its original approval and complies with all other applicable requirements of this Code.

J. Any repair of equipment not specified here, if the total value of the repair is less than $500.00 for labor and material. For the purpose of this requirement, no permit shall be required where the work is performed on more than one piece of equipment or duct system that is located in the same building, provided the total value of material and labor for any separate and individual repair does not exceed $500.00. (Amended by Ord. No. 179,327, Eff. 12/10/07, Oper. 1/1/08.)

less than $500.00 for labor and material. For the purpose of this requirement, no permit shall be required where the work is performed on more than one piece of equipment or duct system that is located in the same building, provided the total value of material and labor for any separate and individual repair does not exceed $500.00. (Amended by Ord. No. 179,327, Eff. 12/10/07, Oper. 1/1/08.)

K. The replacement of defective forced-air units with one of equivalent size, Btu/hr (W) rating and vent capacity when the vent does not require replacement or relocation in a detached single-family dwelling and the replacement is performed by a contractor with a valid Certificate of Registration pursuant to LAMC Subsection 91.1704.1. A Certificate of Compliance pursuant to LAMC Subsection 91.108.12 must be filed with the City in lieu of a permit. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

L. The replacement of defective air-conditioning units when they are replaced with one of equivalent size and Btu/hr (W) rating by a contractor with a valid Certificate of Registration pursuant to LAMC Subsection 91.1704.1. A Certificate of Compliance pursuant to LAMC Subsection 91.108.12 must be filed with the City in lieu of a permit. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

The foregoing exemptions for permit requirements shall not apply where the equipment is regulated by the California Energy Commission, or the equipment is used to provide the required heating capacity for any residential occupancy, or the equipment is used as part of an emergency smoke-control system.

The foregoing exemptions from permit requirements shall not be deemed to allow any equipment regulated by this Code to be installed in a manner contrary to other provisions of this Code.

95.111.2. Permit Required. A permit shall be obtained for all heating, ventilating, air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment or other miscellaneous heat-producing appliances moved with, or installed in, a relocated building in the City.

95.111.3. Separate Permit. A separate permit shall be obtained for the equipment installed in each separate building or structure and for the work required by each building permit.

95.111.4. Incidental Gas. Any qualified installer as specified in LAMC Subsection 95.112.4 may install incidental gas piping to connect any heating appliance or absorption unit to the existing gas piping system, provided: (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

  1. The incidental piping installation complies with the requirements as set forth in the Los Angeles Plumbing Code; and

  2. There is an existing gas supply meter on the premises serving the gas piping system.

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Contents — Los Angeles Building Code — LAMC Chapter IX
Los Angeles Building Code — LAMC Chapter IX
  1. Chapter IX
  2. Chapter IX — BUILDING REGULATIONS
  3. Division 1
  4. Division 2
  5. Division 3
  6. Division 4
  7. Division 5
  8. Division 6
  9. Division 7
  10. Division 8
  11. Division 9
  12. Division 10
  13. Division 11
  14. Division 12
  15. Division 13
  16. Division 14
  17. Division 15
  18. Division 16
  19. Division 17
  20. Division 18
  21. Division 19
  22. Division 20
  23. Division 21
  24. Division 22
  25. Division 23
  26. Division 24
  27. Division 25
  28. Division 26
  29. Division 27
  30. Division 28
  31. Division 29
  32. Division 30
  33. Division 31
  34. Division 32
  35. Division 33
  36. Division 34
  37. Division 35
  38. Division 61
  39. Division 62
  40. Division 63
  41. Division 67
  42. Division 70
  43. Division 71
  44. Division 72
  45. Division 82
  46. Division 83
  47. Division 85
  48. Division 88
  49. Division 89
  50. Division 90
  51. Division 91
  52. Division 92
  53. Division 93
  54. Division 94
  55. Division 95
  56. Division 96
  57. Division 5 — REGISTRATION
  58. Division 16A
  59. Division 17
  60. Division 18
  61. Division 19
  62. Division 20
  63. Division 21
  64. Division 17
  65. Division 18
  66. Division C
  67. Division D

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