Restaurant permits in Los Angeles, California

The city and county permits, taxes, and inspections a restaurant needs in Los Angeles (Los Angeles County), on top of the statewide California and federal credentials covered on their own pages.

Local feesRoughly $13,000 to $34,000 in local government fees for a full-liquor restaurant, driven by the alcohol path: about $22,000 for a Conditional Use Beverage permit, or about $5,910 for the faster Restaurant Beverage Program where it is available.CountyLos Angeles County

This page covers only the Los Angeles city and county permits for restaurants. The statewide California credentials and the federal credentials every restaurant needs are on their own pages.

All California requirementsRestaurants in California Federal requirementsEvery restaurant nationwide

What you need to run a restaurant in Los Angeles

Credential	Level	Fee	Renewal
LA County Restaurant Health Permit (Food Facility)	County	Scales by seat count and risk (a sit-down restaurant serving alcohol is High Risk). FY 2025-2026 High Risk fees: $1,206 a year for 0 to 30 seats, $1,309 for 31 to 60, $1,375 for 61 to 150, and $1,438 for 151 or more. Low and Moderate tiers run lower, from $319 to $932. A billable re-inspection is $145.	Annual (billed by the county on the permit anniversary)
LA County Restaurant Plan Check (New Build or Major Remodel)	County	A one-time fee by food-prep floor area: $1,044 (0 to 500 sq ft), $1,530 (501 to 1,999), $1,865 (2,000 to 3,999), $2,276 (4,000 to 9,999), and $2,723 (10,000 sq ft or more). Expedited review adds about 50 percent. A minor remodel of 300 sq ft or less is $315.	One-time per construction event
LA County Letter Grade and Inspection Placard (A, B, or C)	County	No separate fee; grading is part of the permit and routine inspection program. A re-inspection after a score of 75 or below is $145.	Replaced at each routine inspection, typically 1 to 3 times a year by risk; the card stays posted until the next inspection
City of Los Angeles Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC)	City	A gross-receipts tax, not a flat fee. A restaurant is taxed under the Retail Sales class at $1.27 per $1,000 of gross receipts, billed annually on the prior year. A Small Business Exemption zeroes it if total gross receipts are $100,000 or less, and most genuinely new businesses owe no tax for their first two years, but you still have to register and file on time.	Annual, due January 1 and delinquent after about March 1
LADBS Certificate of Occupancy, Build-Out Permits, and A-2 Assembly Occupancy	City	Permit fees are valuation-based with no flat amount; a restaurant tenant improvement commonly runs about $3,000 to $6,000 across the building permit and the 90 percent plan check fee, plus a $160 records fee and a small state surcharge. The Certificate of Occupancy issues at the end with no separate fee. Use the LADBS online fee calculator for a specific project.	One-time per project; the Certificate of Occupancy stays valid as long as the use does not change
LAFD Commercial Cooking Fire Permit and Chief's Regulation 4 Compliance	City	The commercial cooking permit fee is collected with the BTRC, but the City fire permit table does not list a standalone cooking line, so confirm the current amount with the Office of Finance. Separately, Chief's Regulation 4 requires a semi-annual test of the kitchen suppression system by an LAFD-certified contractor, typically $150 to $400 per test.	Annual permit; semi-annual Regulation 4 testing
LAFD A-2 Place of Assembly Fire Permit (Dining Room of 50 or More)	City	$764 a year for 50 to 99 occupants, $1,146 for 100 to 499, and $1,528 for 500 or more.	Annual
LASAN Industrial Wastewater Permit and Grease Interceptor (FOG)	City	A one-time application fee of about $616 (with later CPI adjustments; confirm the current amount with LASAN), plus an annual inspection and control fee of roughly $423 to $845 by class. The bigger cost is the grease interceptor itself: every new restaurant installs an outdoor gravity interceptor of at least 750 gallons, a $5,000 to $30,000-plus construction cost depending on the site.	Annual inspection and control fee; the permit stays valid while you comply
Conditional Use Permit for Alcohol (CUB) or Restaurant Beverage Program	City	A stand-alone Conditional Use Beverage permit is about $19,418 to file plus monitoring and inspection fees, roughly $22,233 in city charges, before the consultants or attorneys a contested case usually needs ($10,000 to $25,000 more). The faster Restaurant Beverage Program is about $5,910 all in where it is available, downtown locations may use the Alcohol Sales Program, and a very small restaurant (50 seats or fewer) can use a roughly $10,468 administrative clearance.	Runs with the land and does not expire, but is subject to ongoing monitoring and compliance inspections
Zoning Clearance for Restaurant Use	City	A ministerial clearance confirming a restaurant is allowed by right is handled within the LADBS building permit at no separate fee. If your site needs discretionary review, fees run from about $4,394 for a minor determination to $27,776 or more for a zone change.	One-time per new establishment or change of use
Al Fresco Outdoor Dining Permit (only with outdoor seating)	City	Only if you place seating in the public right-of-way. A new on-street dining permit runs a $1,500 LADOT review fee plus a $556 Bureau of Engineering permit and a one-time sewer charge of $138 to $165 per seat. Alcohol in the outdoor area needs a separate City Planning authorization, and insurance renews annually.	The revocable permit is permanent but can be pulled by the City at any time; insurance renews yearly
LAPD Police Commission Permit (only with entertainment or dancing)	City	Only if you add live entertainment, dancing, or similar. Cafe Entertainment and Shows (99 seats or fewer) is $789 to start and $327 a year; a Dance Hall is $463 to start and $327 a year. A plain restaurant with no entertainment needs none of these.	Annual

A typical restaurant in Los Angeles, California needs 25 separate credentials to operate legally, and that is for one location. Federal, statewide, and local Los Angeles requirements all stack on the same restaurant, each with its own renewal date, fee, and issuing agency.

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Each restaurant credential in Los Angeles, explained

Grouped by the level of government that issues it, county then city. Every credential here is specific to operating a restaurant in Los Angeles, California.

County level

3 credentials

LA County Restaurant Health Permit (Food Facility)

The City of Los Angeles contracts its health enforcement to the county, so this CalCode food facility permit is issued and inspected by LA County Environmental Health even for restaurants inside city limits. The fee is set annually by the Board of Supervisors and climbs with seat count and risk tier, and serving alcohol or raw animal products puts a restaurant in the High Risk band. The permit is posted on site and renewed every year.

Issued by: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division
Fee: Scales by seat count and risk (a sit-down restaurant serving alcohol is High Risk). FY 2025-2026 High Risk fees: $1,206 a year for 0 to 30 seats, $1,309 for 31 to 60, $1,375 for 61 to 150, and $1,438 for 151 or more. Low and Moderate tiers run lower, from $319 to $932. A billable re-inspection is $145.
Renewal: Annual (billed by the county on the permit anniversary)
Processing: A few days to 2 weeks for a change of ownership on an existing space; 4 to 8 weeks when a plan check is needed for new construction or a major remodel

LA County Restaurant Plan Check (New Build or Major Remodel)

Required before you build a new restaurant or undertake a major renovation of the food-prep area. Plans go to the county Plan Check Program, and approval is a prerequisite for the annual operating permit, which issues after a satisfactory pre-opening inspection. The county building department will not finalize its own permits ahead of this health sign-off.

Issued by: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Plan Check Program
Fee: A one-time fee by food-prep floor area: $1,044 (0 to 500 sq ft), $1,530 (501 to 1,999), $1,865 (2,000 to 3,999), $2,276 (4,000 to 9,999), and $2,723 (10,000 sq ft or more). Expedited review adds about 50 percent. A minor remodel of 300 sq ft or less is $315.
Renewal: One-time per construction event
Processing: Standard 4 to 10 weeks; expedited available for an added fee

LA County Letter Grade and Inspection Placard (A, B, or C)

Under County Ordinance 97-0071, which the City of Los Angeles adopted in 1998, every restaurant posts the letter grade or numeric score card the inspector hands over, in public view, until the next inspection. A is 90 to 100, B is 80 to 89, C is 70 to 79, and a score below 70 is posted as the number. Two scores below 70 within 12 months can trigger closure, and because inspections are unannounced you cannot prepare for a specific date.

Issued by: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division
Fee: No separate fee; grading is part of the permit and routine inspection program. A re-inspection after a score of 75 or below is $145.
Renewal: Replaced at each routine inspection, typically 1 to 3 times a year by risk; the card stays posted until the next inspection
Processing: Issued on the day of each unannounced routine inspection

City level

9 credentials

City of Los Angeles Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC)

Every business operating in the City of Los Angeles registers for a BTRC and pays the business tax or claims an exemption. For a restaurant it works as a receipts tax rather than a flat license, so a new place often owes nothing at first but must still file. The certificate is posted on site and feeds the fire and police permit processes.

Issued by: City of Los Angeles, Office of Finance
Fee: A gross-receipts tax, not a flat fee. A restaurant is taxed under the Retail Sales class at $1.27 per $1,000 of gross receipts, billed annually on the prior year. A Small Business Exemption zeroes it if total gross receipts are $100,000 or less, and most genuinely new businesses owe no tax for their first two years, but you still have to register and file on time.
Renewal: Annual, due January 1 and delinquent after about March 1
Processing: Immediate online with a printable temporary certificate; the permanent one arrives by mail in about 4 weeks. It is a prerequisite for the LAFD fire permit and any LAPD permit.

LADBS Certificate of Occupancy, Build-Out Permits, and A-2 Assembly Occupancy

LADBS issues the build-out permits and the Certificate of Occupancy a restaurant needs before it can open. The wrinkle for a sit-down place is the occupant load: once the dining area is calculated at 50 or more occupants under the California Building Code, the use shifts from a B (business) to an A-2 (food and drink assembly) occupancy. That raises egress, sprinkler, and life-safety requirements and pulls in the separate LAFD A-2 fire permit below, and operators planning a 60-to-80-seat room are often surprised when the count tips them into assembly territory.

Issued by: Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS)
Fee: Permit fees are valuation-based with no flat amount; a restaurant tenant improvement commonly runs about $3,000 to $6,000 across the building permit and the 90 percent plan check fee, plus a $160 records fee and a small state surcharge. The Certificate of Occupancy issues at the end with no separate fee. Use the LADBS online fee calculator for a specific project.
Renewal: One-time per project; the Certificate of Occupancy stays valid as long as the use does not change
Processing: Counter plan check for a simple tenant improvement runs 1 to 5 days; a full build-out or an assembly-use restaurant runs 4 to 12 weeks, plus LAFD and City Planning clearances

LAFD Commercial Cooking Fire Permit and Chief's Regulation 4 Compliance

Any restaurant with a Type I hood over grease-producing cooking equipment needs an LAFD permit to operate it, under the Los Angeles Fire Code and NFPA 96. On top of that, Chief's Regulation 4, which is unique to the City of Los Angeles, requires the wet-chemical suppression system over the hood to be tested every six months by an individually LAFD-certified tester, with results filed through The Compliance Engine within 7 days and defects fixed within 30 days. Everywhere else in California this is an annual NFPA 96 check, so the twice-a-year cadence and certified-tester rule catch operators off guard.

Issued by: Los Angeles Fire Department, Bureau of Fire Prevention; permit fees collected by the City Office of Finance
Fee: The commercial cooking permit fee is collected with the BTRC, but the City fire permit table does not list a standalone cooking line, so confirm the current amount with the Office of Finance. Separately, Chief's Regulation 4 requires a semi-annual test of the kitchen suppression system by an LAFD-certified contractor, typically $150 to $400 per test.
Renewal: Annual permit; semi-annual Regulation 4 testing
Processing: 2 to 4 weeks after the BTRC and zoning clearance

LAFD A-2 Place of Assembly Fire Permit (Dining Room of 50 or More)

Once the dining room is classified A-2 (food and drink assembly) at an occupant load of 50 or more, the restaurant needs this annual LAFD operational permit on top of the building-level Certificate of Occupancy. The LAFD Public Assemblage Unit inspects assembly occupancies for fire and life safety, and the fee climbs with the occupant load.

Issued by: Los Angeles Fire Department; fees collected by the City Office of Finance
Fee: $764 a year for 50 to 99 occupants, $1,146 for 100 to 499, and $1,528 for 500 or more.
Renewal: Annual
Processing: 2 to 4 weeks after the BTRC and zoning clearance

LASAN Industrial Wastewater Permit and Grease Interceptor (FOG)

Under LAMC Section 64.30, any food service establishment that discharges grease to the sewer needs a LASAN industrial wastewater permit, and every new restaurant build (or a remodel valued at $100,000 or more) has to install an outdoor gravity grease interceptor. An indoor grease trap does not substitute, fitting an interceptor into a tight urban lot can get expensive, and commercial garbage disposals are banned in Los Angeles restaurant kitchens.

Issued by: City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Sanitation (LASAN), Industrial Waste Management Division
Fee: A one-time application fee of about $616 (with later CPI adjustments; confirm the current amount with LASAN), plus an annual inspection and control fee of roughly $423 to $845 by class. The bigger cost is the grease interceptor itself: every new restaurant installs an outdoor gravity interceptor of at least 750 gallons, a $5,000 to $30,000-plus construction cost depending on the site.
Renewal: Annual inspection and control fee; the permit stays valid while you comply
Processing: 4 to 8 weeks for initial review; plan submittal is required for the interceptor

Conditional Use Permit for Alcohol (CUB) or Restaurant Beverage Program

This is the single most important and most expensive local step for a restaurant that pours, and the one most operators do not see coming. Before the state ABC will issue a Type 41 or Type 47 license for a new location, the City of Los Angeles requires its own approval: a Conditional Use Beverage permit under LAMC Section 12.24 W.1, a discretionary land-use entitlement decided after a public hearing. The Restaurant Beverage Program and the downtown Alcohol Sales Program are faster, cheaper administrative alternatives, but only in eligible areas, so check ZIMAS before you sign a lease assuming your address qualifies.

Issued by: Los Angeles Department of City Planning, Beverage and Entertainment Streamlining (BESt) Unit
Fee: A stand-alone Conditional Use Beverage permit is about $19,418 to file plus monitoring and inspection fees, roughly $22,233 in city charges, before the consultants or attorneys a contested case usually needs ($10,000 to $25,000 more). The faster Restaurant Beverage Program is about $5,910 all in where it is available, downtown locations may use the Alcohol Sales Program, and a very small restaurant (50 seats or fewer) can use a roughly $10,468 administrative clearance.
Renewal: Runs with the land and does not expire, but is subject to ongoing monitoring and compliance inspections
Processing: A stand-alone CUB typically runs 9 to 18 months through a public hearing and a Zoning Administrator decision, after which the state ABC license adds another 3 to 6 months; the Restaurant Beverage Program clears in about 4 weeks with no hearing

Zoning Clearance for Restaurant Use

Restaurants are permitted by right in most Los Angeles commercial zones and many mixed-use zones, and the clearance comes through LADBS as part of the building or fire permit. Discretionary review is triggered by things like a specific plan area, a site next to a residential zone, a historic building, or alcohol in a zone that requires a permit. Check ZIMAS for the zoning, overlays, and alcohol-program eligibility before you commit to a location.

Issued by: Los Angeles Department of City Planning and the LADBS Zoning Section
Fee: A ministerial clearance confirming a restaurant is allowed by right is handled within the LADBS building permit at no separate fee. If your site needs discretionary review, fees run from about $4,394 for a minor determination to $27,776 or more for a zone change.
Renewal: One-time per new establishment or change of use
Processing: Ministerial clearance is same day to 2 weeks within the LADBS plan check; discretionary review runs 3 to 12 months

Al Fresco Outdoor Dining Permit (only with outdoor seating)

The permanent Al Fresco program lets a restaurant put tables on the sidewalk or in an on-street parking lane under a revocable permit, with LADOT checking street eligibility and the Bureau of Engineering issuing the permit. Serving alcohol in that outdoor area requires its own City Planning authorization on top of the dining permit. None of this applies if you only seat customers indoors or on your own private patio.

Issued by: Los Angeles Department of Transportation (eligibility) and the Bureau of Engineering (revocable permit); City Planning for outdoor alcohol
Fee: Only if you place seating in the public right-of-way. A new on-street dining permit runs a $1,500 LADOT review fee plus a $556 Bureau of Engineering permit and a one-time sewer charge of $138 to $165 per seat. Alcohol in the outdoor area needs a separate City Planning authorization, and insurance renews annually.
Renewal: The revocable permit is permanent but can be pulled by the City at any time; insurance renews yearly
Processing: About 4 to 12 weeks for a new applicant

LAPD Police Commission Permit (only with entertainment or dancing)

A standard sit-down restaurant does not need a police permit just to serve food or alcohol; the CUB or Restaurant Beverage Program covers the alcohol land-use side. But the moment you add live music, a DJ, performances, or public dancing, LAMC Chapter X kicks in: Cafe Entertainment and Shows for entertainment, or a Dance Hall permit for dancing, each reviewed by the Police Commission and renewed annually.

Issued by: Los Angeles Police Department, Commission Investigation Division; fees collected by the City Office of Finance
Fee: Only if you add live entertainment, dancing, or similar. Cafe Entertainment and Shows (99 seats or fewer) is $789 to start and $327 a year; a Dance Hall is $463 to start and $327 a year. A plain restaurant with no entertainment needs none of these.
Renewal: Annual
Processing: 4 to 8 weeks or more depending on caseload; a Police Commission hearing may be required

See how other restaurants in Los Angeles are managing every permit, license, and renewal in one place with CredentiAlert.

Los Angeles-specific things to watch for

1The alcohol Conditional Use Beverage permit is the most expensive and slowest local step, and the state ABC will not issue a license for a new location without it. A stand-alone CUB is about $22,000 in city fees before consultants and takes 9 to 18 months through a public hearing. The Restaurant Beverage Program is roughly $5,910 and about 4 weeks, but it is not citywide, so check ZIMAS before assuming your address qualifies.

2The 50-occupant assembly threshold triggers a cascade. Once the dining room is calculated at 50 or more occupants the use becomes A-2 assembly, not ordinary business occupancy, which raises egress and sprinkler requirements, can force a sprinkler upgrade, and adds an annual LAFD A-2 fire permit ($764 to $1,528). It is a floor-area calculation, not just a seat count, so a mid-size room can land there unexpectedly.

3LAFD Chief's Regulation 4 is unique to the City of Los Angeles. Everywhere else in California a kitchen suppression system gets an annual NFPA 96 inspection; in the city it must be tested every six months by an individually LAFD-certified contractor, with results filed through The Compliance Engine within 7 days and defects fixed within 30 days. Letting it lapse is a common violation that can cost the permit.

4The business tax is a receipts tax, not a flat license fee, and the first two years are usually tax-free. It runs $1.27 per $1,000 of gross receipts, so a restaurant grossing $1 million owes $1,270, but a place under $100,000 in receipts owes nothing. Either way you must register and file the renewal on time, or you lose the exemption.

5Every new restaurant has to install an outdoor gravity grease interceptor of at least 750 gallons under LAMC 64.30, and an indoor grease trap does not count. Fitting one into a dense lot with limited outside access can run $5,000 to $30,000 or more, and Los Angeles also bans commercial garbage disposals in restaurant kitchens, so plan the plumbing early.

6The letter grade is county-issued and stays in the window between inspections. The inspector hands over the A, B, or C card on the day of an unannounced routine visit, and it has to stay posted until the next one. Two scores below 70 within 12 months can lead to closure, and you cannot take the card down because the number looks bad.

How long does it take?

Plan on 12 to 24 months for a full-liquor restaurant, because the alcohol Conditional Use Beverage permit is the long pole: a public hearing and City Planning decision run 9 to 18 months, then the state ABC license adds another 3 to 6. Without alcohol, or with the roughly 4-week Restaurant Beverage Program where you are eligible, you can open in 6 to 12 months once the LADBS and county plan checks and construction are done.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a restaurant health permit in Los Angeles?

The health permit is issued by LA County, not the City, and the fee scales by seat count and risk. A sit-down restaurant serving alcohol is High Risk, so the FY 2025-2026 annual fee is $1,206 for 0 to 30 seats, $1,309 for 31 to 60, $1,375 for 61 to 150, and $1,438 for 151 or more. A new restaurant also pays a one-time plan check fee of $1,044 to $2,723 depending on the size of the kitchen.

Do I need a conditional use permit to serve alcohol in LA?

In most cases yes. The City of Los Angeles requires its own Conditional Use Beverage permit from City Planning before the state ABC will issue an on-site alcohol license for a new location. A stand-alone CUB costs about $22,000 in city fees and takes 9 to 18 months through a public hearing. The faster Restaurant Beverage Program (about $5,910, roughly 4 weeks) and the downtown Alcohol Sales Program are alternatives, but only in eligible areas, so check ZIMAS for your address.

How long does it take to open a restaurant in Los Angeles?

A restaurant without alcohol can realistically open in 6 to 9 months from signing a lease, gated by the scope of the build-out and how fast LADBS and LA County process plans. Adding alcohol stretches it to 12 to 24 months because of the Conditional Use Beverage permit and then state ABC licensing. Using the Restaurant Beverage Program in an eligible area can compress the alcohol piece to about 4 to 6 weeks.

What is LAFD Chief's Regulation 4?

It is a City of Los Angeles rule requiring fire protection systems, including a restaurant's kitchen wet-chemical suppression system, to be tested by an LAFD-certified contractor and the results filed through The Compliance Engine within 7 days. If your kitchen has a Type I hood with a suppression system, which any grease-producing cooking line needs, you must have it tested every six months, more often than the annual NFPA 96 check required elsewhere in California.

Official sources

Last verified 2026-06-13. Requirements change. Always confirm with the issuing department before applying.