Pulling a permit for minor public works construction in Los Angeles can’t be that hard, right? Think again.
Franz Kafka could have written an opus on the permitting process in Los Angeles. If you are trying to get a permit and you’re finding yourself increasingly perplexed, you are not alone. Go on Reddit or Facebook or any social media of your choice and you will find dozens (if not hundreds) of frustrated property owners just like you. You just want to get a permit to fix your sidewalk, but how do you even start?
What is a Public Works Permit?
You’ve probably heard of an A-Permit or a Public Works Permit. But what is it? An A-Permit (or public works permit) covers minor construction projects that fall within the public right-of-way. That means, any work that impedes the way of a pedestrian, cyclist, driver, etc. on public streets and sidewalks.
An A-Permit covers:
- Sidewalk repair
- Installing a new sidewalk
- Installing a new driveway
- Curb and gutter repairs
- Curb drains
- Minor street resurfacing
- Installing street features such as bike racks, speed bumps, parkways, landscaping, parklets, etc.
- Street tree wells repair/replacement
While to a property owner paying for these projects, these may seem like major expenditures. To the city, these are relatively minor enhancements.
Think of an A-Permit as your project’s stamp of approval from the Los Angeles Department of Public Works.
How much does an A-Permit for public works cost?
The price starts at $375. For $375, you pay for a basic A-Permit. But, as in all things in construction, the bigger the project, the higher the fee. Add to that the inspections, which you also pay for.
And you may need other permits. Do you need to work on city trees? That’s a different permit and another inspector. Connecting your curb drains to the city’s drainage system? That’s another permit and special inspector.
What is a Public Works Permit Expert Consultant?
A Public Works Permit Expert Consultant is just that. An expert at pulling public works permits. A public works permit expert consultant has probably pulled thousands of these permits. They know exactly what the city is looking for in terms of paperwork, blueprint plans, fees, etc. They can decipher the city’s requests and translate them into everyday English for you.
Why do I need a Public Works Permit Expert Consultant?
The city will make the process seem straight forward. They have a glossy website and it looks user friendly. Friends, it is not.
The city provides an entire 6-page document enumerating the necessary information needed to apply for an A-Permit.
A-Permits are probably one of the more common permits to pull for minor construction projects in Los Angeles. Because they are so common and cover just minor construction, A-Permits can take as little as 1-3 days to pull. This doesn’t mean that the application process is easy.
A permit-expeditor has extensive knowledge and experience in applying for A-Permits. Instead of slogging through the city’s document with all its technical jargon, just hire a permit expeditor.
Need Help With Your A-Permit Project?
A-Permit.com handles the entire permit process — from application to BOE inspection.