Los Angeles Municipal Code Div. 5 Testing Procedures, Regulations and Administration

(Added by Ord. No. 139,419, Eff. 11/30/69.)

Section

(Amended by Ord. No. 167,969, Eff. 7/11/92.)

(a) General Approvals. (Amended by Ord. No. 188,739, Eff. 9/23/25.) The provisions of this Code are not intended to prevent the use of any material, system, device, or method of construction not specifically prescribed by this Code, provided any such alternative has been approved and its use authorized by the Department.

When certification or listing is required by this Code for any material, system, device, or method of construction, the certification or listing shall be by a certification body that has been accredited by a US or Canada based accreditation body that is signatory to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) with ISO/IEC 17065 in its Level 3 scope and that accredits bodies certifying building materials and products. Testing of products, materials, systems or devices for the purpose of product approval shall be performed by testing laboratories meeting the applicable requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. The Department shall develop a process for accepting testing laboratories and certification bodies to ensure legitimacy and protect against conflict of interest, and such a process shall be published and made available on the Department’s website.

The Department shall have the authority to grant approval for any product or method of construction, provided that sufficient evidence has been provided to the Department to demonstrate adequacy of the prescribed device, material or method of construction with the Code in terms of quality, fire resistance, strength, effectiveness, durability and safety. In granting of such approval, the Department at its own discretion, may do so in the form of a one-time approval. The Department shall develop a process for one-time approval, and such a process shall be published and made available on the Department’s website.

The Department shall use Division 35, Article 1, Chapter IX of the Los Angeles Municipal Code in evaluating products, materials, systems, or devices for approval where such standard exists for the product or the material and may use other approved standards which apply.

The Department determination on a one-time approval may be appealed to the Board of Building and Safety Commissioners under the applicable provisions of this article.

(b) Fees and Term of General Approvals. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

1. The application for a general approval of a new material, device or method of construction pursuant to Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC, and the application for a two year renewal of a general approval

shall be accompanied by a fee as set forth in Table 5-A of this division.

An application for a technical or clerical modification of a general approval shall be accompanied by a fee as set forth in Table 5-A of this division.

The fees for new general approvals and technical modifications include six hours of Department processing time.

The fees for renewals and clerical modifications include three hours and one hour of Department processing time, respectively.

2. The fees for general approval of a new material or a new method of construction pursuant to Articles 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 of Chapter IX of the LAMC shall be as provided in LAMC Section 98.0502(d).

The initial general approval, when granted, will be valid for one year. An application for renewal must be filed before the expiration of the latest approval or subsequent renewal and, when granted, will be valid for a two year period. Sale and installation shall conform to LAMC Section 98.0502(h).

3. The application fee for the initial review for Department approval of an evaluation report, pursuant to Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC, shall be as set forth in Table 5-A of this division. This fee shall be

paid in lieu of any other application fee for a general approval described in this section.

A fee as set forth in Table 5-A of this division shall also be required for Department review of any clerical or technical modifications of a valid evaluation report.

The fees for initial review of an evaluation report and for technical modifications of, or additions to, a previously reviewed evaluation report include six and five hours of Department processing time, respectively.

The fees for clerical modifications include one hour of Department processing time.

If a general approval or renewal is based on an evaluation report issued by a nationally recognized model code organization acceptable to the Department, then the general approval and subsequent renewal shall be valid one year and two years, respectively, or as long as the unrevised evaluation report, including any renewals, is valid, whichever is less.

The Department shall review the evaluation reports created pursuant to this section and used as a basis for general approvals, prior to their expiration in order to verify that the reevaluation due dates of the reports remain unrevised and fully accurate in the records of the issuing model code organization. Evaluation reports renewed for two years shall be reviewed bi-annually. An administrative processing fee as set forth in Table 5-A of this division covering the Department costs of the reevaluation review and report distribution shall be required from the entity holding the rights to the general approval.

The fees for review of two year reevaluation reports anticipate two hours of Department processing time;

4. The applicant shall agree in the application to pay supplemental fees at the rate of $104.00 per hour to cover any additional time required by the Department to process general approvals, renewals, reevaluations or modifications which are specified in Subdivisions 1 and 3 of this Subsection (b), and any conditional approvals pursuant to LAMC Section 98.0403.2(a)3. Processing shall include those activities directly related to the general approval for which application has been made and shall include all research, review, correspondence, clerical and consultation time pertinent to the application. The Department may require an estimated supplemental fee to be paid when the application is filed. In any event, the supplemental fee shall be paid in full prior to final action on the application by the Department.

   The fees specified in this section, including supplemental fees, are application fees and are not refundable after the Department begins processing the application, regardless of whether the application is approved or denied.

   EXCEPTION: Supplemental fees paid in advance which are in excess of the total actual fee are refundable.

   5. All applications shall expire 12 months after the Department begins processing the application if the request for approval of a new material, device or method of construction has not been cleared of corrective

   orders and approved. No approval shall be issued until the application is refiled and a new fee paid.

   EXCEPTION: The Department may grant an extension of time if the applicant submits in writing sufficient evidence that unusual conditions or circumstances precluded the approval within the allocated time.

(c) Off-hour Processing of Evaluation Reports. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Upon request by an applicant and accepted by the Department, an off-hour processing fee per LAMC Section 98.0422 may be collected for processing of evaluation reports for alternate materials.

(d) Renewal. (Amended by Ord. No. 169,867, Eff. 7/17/94.) Upon expiration of an approval or upon any change in design, material, method of construction or model designation made during the period of approval, it shall be unlawful to sell, offer for sale or use a product until a renewal has been approved under provisions of this section.

(e) Requests For Extension of Time. (Added by Ord. No. 169,867, Eff. 7/17/94.) Request for extension of time to file for renewals or obtain approval of general approvals, clerical and technical modifications, and renewals shall be made within 90 calendar days following the date of expiration of general approvals and applications for general approvals, modifications, and renewals. If such requests for extensions of time are not received within the allocated time, then a new filing fee shall be required.

TABLE 5-A FEE SCHEDULE (Amended by Ord. No. 180,868, Eff. 10/22/09.)

General Approval of General Approval of

Evaluation Reports
Item Research Reports

(By a Nationally Recognized
(By Los Angeles City)
Model Code Organization)
$2,037.00 3

1. Initial application filing $3,395.00 $226.00 4

2. Renewal application filing 1 (two year) $2,942.00 $905.00 3

3. Reevaluation application filing 2 (two year) $113.00 4 $1,811.00 3

4. Technical Modification $1,509.00 $226.00 4 $279.00 3

5. Clerical Modification $279.00 $150.00 4

6. The Department may approve one year renewals for General Approval of Research Reports, if the applicant makes such a request in writing and submit sufficient evidence of the need for a one year renewal. The fee for a one year renewal shall be $1,961.00 for General Approval of Research Reports.

7. The Department may approve one year reevaluations for General Approval of Fire-Safety or Life-Safety Product Evaluation Reports, if the applicant makes such a request in writing and submit sufficient evidence of the need for a one year reevaluation. The fee for a one year reevaluation shall be $603.00 for General Approval of Fire-Safety or Life-Safety Product Evaluation Reports.

8. Fee for Fire-Safety or Life-Safety Products.

9. Fee for Non-Fire-Safety and Non-Life-Safety (non- structural) Products.

(a) Scope. All appliances, fixtures and equipment which are required by the respective Codes to be approved and for which standards are therein cited, or for which standards or specifications have been adopted by the Superintendent, shall be approved by the Department before they may be sold, installed or used.

For the purpose of this section, sale or selling shall refer to any act of selling, offering for sale, displaying or advertising for sale, loaning, renting, leasing, or disposing of by way of gift or premium or otherwise, in connection with the sale or disposal of equipment, fixtures or appliances as designated in this section.

A label or seal of an approved nationally recognized testing agency attached to an item or any identification marking corresponding to a published listing by an approved nationally recognized testing agency indicating that the item has been tested for compliance with the standards cited in the applicable Code or adopted by the Superintendent, and indicating that the item is included in the testing agency’s factory follow-up inspection and listing service, will be accepted in lieu of approval by the Department.

This section shall not apply to general approvals issued pursuant to Section 98.0501 of this article. (Amended by Ord. No. 180,868, Eff. 10/22/09.)

(b) Authority of Superintendent. The Superintendent has the authority to establish standards, specifications and special requirements for materials and methods of construction when standards or specifications are not cited in the Code. The Superintendent has the authority to establish rules and regulations for the Mechanical Testing Laboratory and for the Electrical Testing Laboratory governing requirements for tests, examinations, procedures and approvals, and to establish supplemental fees, including mileage charges for field trips, and charges for examinations and inspections. The rules and regulations shall be in writing and on file in the Department and shall have the same force and effect as if they were included in any of the respective articles.

(c) Applications of Tests and Approvals. Any person submitting any appliance, fixture or equipment for tests, examination, approval or renewal of approval, as required by this section, shall file an application

therefore with the Department on forms provided by the Department.

A separate application shall be made for each item or appliance, fixture or equipment to be tested or examined, unless otherwise determined by the Department, and shall bear the signature of the applicant. When necessary, arrangements may be made for all or part of the tests and examinations to be conducted in the field. Should the testing facilities of the Department be inadequate to determine compliance with the standards, the Superintendent may use available facilities outside the Department, provided the applicant is first notified and the additional cost, if any, is approved by the applicant in writing, for invoicing to and payment by the applicant. The Department may, at its discretion, accept tests and reports of tests by an approved testing agency as a basis in part or in full for granting an approval.

(d) Fees. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Applications for initial approvals and renewals pursuant to Articles 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 of Chapter IX of the LAMC shall be accompanied by fees as follows:

1. Mechanical Testing Laboratory Fees

Laboratory Approval Fee
Item General Approval Fee
(Including one time approval)

Laboratory Approval Fee Item General Approval Fee (Including one time approval) $1,153.00 $1,297.00

1. Initial application filing1 (Including 8 hr. Processing Time (Including 8 hr. Processing Time but no Field Mileage) but no Field Mileage) $865.00 $865.00

2. Renewal application filing1 (Including 5 hr. Processing Time (Including 5 hr. Processing Time but no Field Mileage) but no Field Mileage) Processing time exceeding amount included with

3. application2 $108.00/hr $108.00/hr Field Mileage, when required.

4. (Mileage based on one way, straight-line distance from Laboratory to test site) 0 to less than 15 miles $43.00/trip $43.00/trip 15 to less than 30 miles $57.00/trip $57.00/trip $57.00/trip $57.00/trip 30 miles and over plus $1.00/mile over 30 miles plus $1.00/mile over 30 miles Reopening file closed because required production

5. sample not received within 60 days from date $144.00 $144.00 application submitted3 Reopening file closed because previous approval expired for more than 30 days. Approval file shall not

6. $288.00 $288.00

   be reopened more than one year after expiration date. (This fee is in addition to the renewal fee) $721.00 $721.00

7. Technical Modification1 (Including 4 hr. Processing Time, (Including 4 hr. Processing Time, but no Field Mileage) but no Field Mileage) Clerical Modification $223.00 $223.00

8. (Revision of names and/or model numbers under Including 1 hr. processing time but Including 1 hr. processing time but current approval requiring no testing or examination) no Field Mileage) no Field Mileage)

   Multiple Listings (Additional models and product or

9. firm names on approved products at time of $57.00 each $57.00 each application is submitted for approval or renewal)

10. The applicant shall agree in writing, as part of the application, to pay supplemental fees for processing time, field mileage, and file reopening fees where necessary. These fees are in addition to application filing fee. The Department may require a deposit to cover the estimated total supplemental fees to be paid in advance. Initial applications will expire 12 months after the filing date if the equipment has not been cleared of corrections and approved. No approval shall be issued until the application is refilled and a new fee paid.

11. Processing time includes office and field review and testing, office and field consultation, field standby and travel time directly related to the application.

12. This fee is in addition to other fees specified in this section. The 60 day period may be extended by the Department when the applicant submits written evidence to the Department of a satisfactory reason for the extension.

NOTE: A file shall not be reopened after one year from date of expiration. The total actual fee for the application shall be determined by the Department on the basis of fees established by ordinance and shall be paid by the applicant whether or not an approval is granted. Fees paid in advance which are in excess of the total actual fees are refundable.

2. Electrical Testing Laboratory Fees

Field Laboratory General Item Approval Fee Approval Fee Approval Fee (one time approval Field Laboratory General Item Approval Fee Approval Fee Approval Fee (one time approval

1. Initial application filing1 a. General purpose equipment $694.00

(1) Simple equipment (applies only to less complex light fixtures or similar (Including 4 hr. $1,389.00 $1,181.00 equipment) processing time but no Field Mileage) (2) Complex equipment and systems $1,250.00 $1,528.00 $1,389.00 b. Equipment for hazardous areas (1) Simple equipment N/A $1,389.00 N/A (2) Complex equipment and systems N/A $1,528.00 N/A c. Medical Equipment (1) Simple equipment $1,250.00 $1,389.00 $1,250.00 (2) Complex equipment and systems $1,389.00 $1,528.00 $1,667.00 d. Equipment rated above 600 volts or above 60 Hertz (except appliances and light fixtures) (1) Simple equipment N/A $1,389.00 $1,250.00 (2) Complex equipment and systems N/A $1,528.00 $1,667.00 Note: All fees for initial application filing include 8 hour processing time but no Field Mileage except when noted. 65% of initial 65% of initial application filing fee application filing fee 2. Annual Renewal application filing1 (Including 4 hr. (Including 4 hr. N/A processing time but no processing time but no Field Mileage) Field Mileage) 3. Processing time exceeding amount included $104.00/hour $104.00/hour $104.00/hour with application2 4. Field Mileage, when required.

(Mileage based on one way, straight-line distance from Laboratory to test site)

0 to 15 miles $41.00/trip $41.00/trip $41.00/trip 15 to 30 miles $55.00/trip $55.00/trip $55.00/trip

$55.00/trip $55.00/trip $55.00/trip

30 miles and over plus $1.00/mile over 30 plus $1.00/mile over 30 plus $1.00/mile over 30 miles miles miles 5. Reopening file closed because of failure to respond to correction(s) or required production sample not received within 60 days from date $138.00 $138.00 $138.00 of notification.3 6. Reopening file closed because previous approval expired for more than 30 days. Approval file shall not be reopened if not $277.00 $277.00 $277.00 renewed for more than one year after expiration date. (This fee is in addition to the renewal fee and penalty fee) 7. Technical Modification1 $694.00 $694.00 Note: Technical Modification approval time (Including 4 hr. (Including 4 hr. is only up to the expiration date of the processing time but no processing time but no application approval. This will not set a new Field Mileage) Field Mileage) approval time for the application. $215.00 $215.00 8. Clerical Modification (Revision of names and/or model numbers under current approval (Including 1 hr. (Including 1 hr. requiring no testing or examination) processing time but no processing time but no Field Mileage) Field Mileage) 9. Multiple Listings (Additional models and product or firm names on approved products $55.00 each $55.00 each at time of application is submitted for approval or renewal) 10. Department Approval Labels: a. Paper $0.22 $0.14 N/A b. Water Proof $3.60 $2.00 N/A c. One time only No cost

1. The applicant shall agree in writing, as part of the application, to pay supplemental fees for processing time, field mileage, and file reopening fees where necessary. These fees are in addition to application filing fee. The Department may require a deposit to cover the estimated total supplemental fees to be paid in advance. Initial applications will expire 12 months after the filing date if the equipment has not been cleared of corrections and approved. No approval shall be issued until the application is refilled and a new fee paid.
2. Processing time includes office and field review and testing, office and field consultation, field standby and travel time directly related to the application.
3. This fee is in addition to other fees specified in this section. The 60 day period may be extended by the Department when the applicant submits written evidence to the Department of a satisfactory reason for the extension.

NOTE: A file shall not be reopened after one year from date of expiration. The total actual fee for the application shall be determined by the Department on the basis of fees established by ordinance and shall be paid by the applicant whether or not an approval is granted. Fees paid in advance which are in excess of the total actual fees are refundable.

(e) Test Samples. At the time of filing the application, unless otherwise directed in writing by the Department, the applicant shall submit to the Electrical Testing Laboratory, or the Mechanical Testing Laboratory, or any testing agency as may be designated by the Department, a representative production sample of the material, device, appliance or equipment to be tested and examined, unless arrangements have been made for conducting the tests and examinations on a representative production sample in the field. Additional samples shall be made available as may be required.

All wiring diagrams and additional electrical samples, including components, special ingredients, or materials required by Subsection (f) shall be made available to the Department and conform to the standards which the electrical equipment must meet before approval can be considered as specified in Subsection (f). If the electrical item submitted for test is determined by the Department to be within the practical range of review by the Electrical Testing Laboratory, it shall be accepted and subjected to the tests required by Subsection (f). Samples shall be removed by the applicant or the applicant’s authorized agent upon notification to do so by the Department, or they may be scrapped upon written authorization by the applicant. Samples unclaimed six (6) months after such notification shall be scrapped.

The Department is authorized, without liability to itself or to its authorized representatives, to subject samples to destructive tests as may be required to properly evaluate the tests and examinations.

(f) Standards. Equipment requiring approval for use, sale or installation which does not fall within the scope of Code standards or those standards adopted by the Superintendent shall be tested for compliance with applicable portions of these standards. The Superintendent shall determine the specific standards or portions thereof to which any specific equipment must conform.

(g) Approvals. Whenever any appliance, fixture or equipment has been found to comply with the provisions of this section and the applicable Code, the Department shall issue an approval therefor for a period of one year. This approval is subject in every case to continued compliance with the provisions of this section and any further amendments to this section, and is subject to the requirements of the applicable articles, except where such articles are in conflict herewith, and subject also in every case to any change in the test or approval requirements for any such material, device, appliance or equipment.

Items submitted for approval which fail to meet the test or examination requirements shall be corrected and resubmitted as set forth in the Mechanical Testing Laboratory or Electrical Testing Laboratory rules and regulations adopted by the Superintendent before an approval can be granted.

(h) Renewal of Approval. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Upon expiration of an approval granted for any appliance, fixture or equipment, or upon any change in design, material, method of

construction or model designation made during the period of approval, it shall be unlawful to sell, offer or advertise for sale, or install the appliance, fixture or equipment until a renewal of approval has been granted under the provisions of this section.

EXCEPTION: Exact duplicates of approved products, bearing the label required by this section and manufactured before the approval expires, may be offered for sale and may be installed and used in conformance with this section and Article 3, Chapter IX of the LAMC (Electrical Code). No equipment, fixture or appliance manufactured after the expiration of its approval may be placed on sale until it has been examined and approved by the annual reexamination service provided by the rules and regulations or otherwise approved by laboratories designated by the Superintendent of Building.

(i) Identification of Approval. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) Each item of material, and each device, appliance, fixture or equipment approved under the provisions of this section, shall be identified as required by the applicable article of LAMC Chapter IX or by standards, specifications or rules and regulations under which the approval was granted.

Each item of electrical equipment, fixture or appliance approved under this article and Article 3, Chapter IX of the LAMC (Electrical Code) shall bear the approval label of the Department, attached in the manner determined by the standards, or otherwise made accessible for inspection without disassembly. Approval labels may be obtained only upon the written authorization of the applicant or the applicant’s authorized representative and shall be available only during the year of approval. The applicant shall be held responsible for their use. No label shall be affixed to any item not currently approved by the Department, nor shall the labels be transferred to the possession of any unauthorized person.

(j) Inspection. Every person selling, offering or displaying for sale, renting or installing fixtures, appliances or equipment shall make such items available for inspection upon the request of the Department.

When equipment, fixtures or appliances are found not in accord with the provisions of this section or of the respective Codes, the Department shall give written notice to the person violating these provisions to remove them from sale or use. Any person failing to comply with the provisions of such notice shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to the penalties described in Section 11.00 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code.

Whenever the Superintendent learns or ascertains that any equipment, as defined in this Code, has become hazardous to life, health or property, the Superintendent shall order, in writing, that such equipment be restored to a condition of safety or be dismantled or removed from its present location. The written notice shall fix a time limit for compliance with such order. No person shall use or maintain the defective equipment after receiving such notice.

(k) Revocation of Approvals. The Superintendent may suspend or revoke any approval if it is determined that the article which has been approved is dangerous or unsuitable for the purpose intended, or is of a quality of material or workmanship or work quality not equivalent to that required by the Code or standards adopted by the Superintendent, or deviates from any of the conditions upon which the approval was granted, or for any of the reasons set forth in this article.

In any action to suspend or revoke an approval, the procedures prescribed by the provisions of this article shall be followed.

(l) Testing in Applicants Premises. (Amended by Ord. No. 171,185, Eff. 7/22/96.) Testing in applicants premises maybe conducted when the applicant submits written evidence to the Department of a satisfactory reason for such tests. The applicant shall agree in writing to pay all the expense for travel, transportation, board and lodging, and other miscellaneous expense required by ordinance.

The applicant shall agree in writing, as a part of the application, to pay supplemental fees at the rate of $158.00 per hour to cover the time of travel and processing which is in excess of the amount of time provided for in the approval, renewal or modification fee specified in this section. (Amended by Ord. No. 180,868, Eff. 10/22/09.)

The applicant shall provide all equipment required for testing and assistance for the test. The applicant shall provide a safe environment for testing, protective equipment, and materials needed for conducting the test.

(m) Off-hour Review of Appliances, Fixture and Equipment. (Added by Ord. No. 171,668, Eff. 8/28/97.) Upon request by an applicant and accepted by the Department, an off-hour processing fee per Section 98.0422 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code may be collected for all services conducted by the Electrical and Mechanical Testing Laboratory.

Whenever tests or certificates of any material or fabricated assembly thereof, or of any persons, are required by Chapter IX of the LAMC, such tests or certification shall be made by a testing agency approved by the Superintendent of Building to conduct such tests or provide such certifications. The testing agency shall publish the scope and limitation(s) of listed or certified equipment. Approvals of testing agencies shall be issued for a period of one year and may be renewed for additional one-year periods. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

(a) The Superintendent shall establish rules and regulations setting forth conditions and provisions precedent to the issuance of any such approval and for the conduct of any person or agency so approved.

(b) A fee of $1153.00 shall accompany each application for approval and a renewal fee of $865.00 shall accompany each application for renewal. A fee of $648.00 shall be charged for the approval of each

branch office in addition to the main office and a renewal fee of $252.00 shall be charged for the renewal of each branch office in addition to the main office. A fee of $648.00 shall accompany each application for a major modification and a fee of $252.00 shall accompany each application for clerical modification. (Amended by Ord. No. 180,868, Eff. 10/22/09.)

EXCEPTION: Application fees shall not be required from those agencies, which are located in the United States of America, established and operating on a nonprofit basis, and

1. which have an approved reinspection service; or

2. which are public universities, colleges or testing facilities operated by a governmental agency.

The fees for approval of new Testing Agencies include four hours of Department processing time. The fees for major modifications of Testing Agencies and review of each branch testing laboratory include four hours of Department processing time. The fees for renewal and clerical modifications include three hours and one and one-half hours of Department processing time respectively.

The fees for application review, investigating and inspecting testing agencies for initial recognition, modifications or renewals shall be $108.00 per hour for on-site laboratory inspections and follow-up laboratory inspections and are applicable to all testing and other types of product approval or evaluation agencies including those exempted from application fees in the foregoing exception. Such inspections performed at off- hours shall be charged a fee at the rate of one and one-half the hourly fee in this paragraph. (Amended by Ord. No. 180,868, Eff. 10/22/09.)

The applicant shall agree in writing, as part of the application, to pay supplemental fees at the rate of $108.00 per hour to cover the time of processing which is excess of the time provided for in the approval, renewal or modification fee specified in this section. Processing shall include those activities directly related to the approval of Testing or other product approval Agencies for which an application has been made and shall include all research, review, correspondence, clerical and consultation time pertinent to the application. The Department may require an estimated supplemental fee to cover the time and travel expense which shall be paid at the time of filing the application and/or before any travel to laboratories outside of the State of California; however, the supplemental fee shall be paid in full prior to final action on the application by the Department. (Amended by Ord. No. 180,868, Eff. 10/22/09.)

The fees specified in this section, including supplemental fees, and application fees are not refundable once work has been performed by the Department, regardless of whether the action taken is approved or denied.

EXCEPTION: Supplemental fees paid in advance, which are in excess of the total actual fee shall be refundable.

Initial applications, modifications, renewals and branch approvals shall expire 12 months after the Department has started work on the application if the request for approval of a testing agency has not been

cleared of corrections and approved. No approval shall be issued until the application is filed and a new fee paid.

EXCEPTION: The Department or the Board on appeal may grant extensions of time if an applicant submits in writing sufficient evidence that unusual conditions or circumstances precluded the approval within the allocated time, provided that such appeals are submitted within the time period required by LAMC Section 98.0501(e). (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

(c) The Superintendent may suspend or revoke an approval upon evidence of failure of the agency or person so approved to properly conduct any test or certify any material or assembly of material in a manner

required by Chapter 9, or for any of the reasons set forth in this article. In any action to suspend or revoke an approval, the procedure prescribed by the provisions of this article shall be followed.

(d) (Added by Ord. No. 162,434, Eff. 7/6/87.) In order to determine compliance with applicable rules or regulations, the Superintendent may inspect the premises of any testing agency approved or seeking

Superintendent approval. Such inspection shall be conducted during regular working hours and at other reasonable times.

The Superintendent or the Superintendent’s authorized representatives may, during the course of any investigation or inspection, obtain statistics, information or, other physical materials which are directly related to the purpose of the investigation or inspection.

The Superintendent may collect fees for the inspection of a testing agency as necessary to cover the actual cost of having an initial inspection performed.

An additional fee may, in the discretion of the Superintendent, be charged for necessary subsequent inspections to determine if applicable ordinances, rules, or regulations governing testing agencies have been and are being met.

The initial application for approval, and the renewal application shall include a statement that the applicant agrees to pay all inspection charges imposed pursuant to this subsection.

Whenever an inspection is conducted by Department personnel at facilities located more than 60 miles from Los Angeles City Hall, the applicant shall reimburse the City for the cost thereof in accordance with the same charges as imposed for automobile and air travel, per diem and travel time as specified in LAMC Section 96.204(i) for inspection of fabrication facilities. These charges are the same for inspections initiated by the Department or requested by the applicant and are to be paid by the testing agency. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

(Added by Ord. 171,239, Eff. 9/25/96.)

(a) A processing fee of $600.00 shall be charged each applicant when the Department is required to perform an initial study or a negative declaration, to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This fee shall include eight (8) hours of processing time.

(b) A processing fee of $1200.00 shall be charged each applicant when the Department is required to perform a mitigated negative declaration or Environmental Impact Report, to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and shall be in addition to the fee charged for an initial study or a negative declaration. This fee shall include twelve (12) hours of processing time.

(c) The Department shall charge the applicant hourly fees for all staff time over the minimum number of hours specified above. The fee shall be $75.00 per hour or fraction thereof for each additional hour involving the project California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review.