How Much Does a Demolition Permit Cost in Orange County and Los Angeles County?
A house demolition in Orange or Los Angeles County usually carries about $550–$1,100 in government fees, plus a refundable recycling deposit in many cities. The South Coast AQMD notification runs $81.61–$2,212.92 by the building’s footprint ($249.59 for 1,001–5,000 square feet), and city demolition permits run from $244.88 in unincorporated Los Angeles County to about $550–$620 in Irvine, Newport Beach and Tustin. Irvine’s deposit is $1 per square foot, up to $50,000.
Every demolition in the South Coast air district needs the AQMD notification and its fee, even when the asbestos survey finds none, and the city can’t issue the demolition permit until it sees a copy (Health and Safety Code 19827.5).
- AQMD fees
- City fees
- Fee examples
- What the fees cover
- Questions
- For architects and contractors
- Get a firm quote
South Coast AQMD demolition notification fees
Fees from South Coast AQMD’s Rule 1403 fee notice effective July 1, 2025. Rule 301 was amended again effective July 1, 2026, raising most district fees about 3.2%, so expect slightly higher amounts in the notification web app.
| Demolition footprint or asbestos quantity | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,000 SF | $81.61 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 SF | $249.59 |
| 5,001 to 10,000 SF | $584.26 |
| 10,001 to 50,000 SF | $916.15 |
| 50,001 to 100,000 SF | $1,327.75 |
| Over 100,000 SF | $2,212.92 |
| Notice filed less than 14 calendar days before the start date (special handling) | Add $81.61 |
| Revision to start date, end date or quantity | $30.22 |
| Procedure 4 or 5 plan evaluation (damaged asbestos, such as after a fire) | $916.15 plus the notification fee |
| Cancellation | No fee |
For a demolition, the fee is set by the structure’s footprint, with or without asbestos. For an asbestos removal (renovation), it is set by the amount of asbestos removed. The notice is due 10 working days before work starts; an ordered demolition, with the agency’s order attached, skips the wait.
Demolition permit fees by city
From each agency’s posted fee schedule, on the date shown. Fees change each fiscal year; confirm with the building department before you budget.
| City or county | Demolition permit fees | Waste plan fee or deposit | Fee schedule date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irvine | Plan check $259.70 and inspection $291.02 per building | Plan fee $102.53; refundable deposit $1.00 per SF, up to $50,000 | August 15, 2026 |
| Santa Ana | Plan check $294.06 per hour and inspection $212.11 per hour; sewer cap $132.27 | Franchise hauler or self-haul; 65% diversion; no deposit listed | July 1, 2026 |
| Newport Beach | One-family house: plan review $293 (building) and $138 (planning); permit and inspection $183 | Administration fees $170 and $32; demolition deposit $564–$1,692 by valuation | July 25, 2026 |
| Laguna Beach | One-family house: permit $325, plan review $339, issuance $73.39, plus a 1.7% technology fee | Administration fee $55; refundable deposit $1,000 | February 10, 2026 (adjusted for inflation each July) |
| Tustin | Demolition $618; sewer abandonment $35.22; issuance $41 | Waste reduction and recycling plan required before the permit | September 1, 2025 |
| Costa Mesa | Valuation-based building permit; plan check 65% of the permit fee | No city fee with a franchise hauler; self-haul permit $206.60 a year plus a per-project fee from $165.28 | Fiscal year 2025-26 |
| Huntington Beach | Valuation-based building permit, plus $41 processing, plan review at 61% of the inspection fee (minimum $137) and a 6% technology fee | 65% diversion; fees not yet published | July 1, 2026 |
| San Clemente | Valuation-based building permit; plan check 65% of the permit fee; sewer abandonment $34 | Refundable deposit $1,000 plus a $60 administration fee; 75% diversion | July 1, 2026 (waste rules November 2020) |
| Dana Point | Not itemized in the fee schedule | Refundable deposit $1.00 per SF per floor; 75% diversion | 2020 |
| Unincorporated Orange County | Flat $570, covering utility capping, pool or spa removal and septic abandonment, plus $45 issuance | None listed | Fiscal year 2026-27 |
| Long Beach | Valuation-based building permit, plus $119 processing and a 5% records fee; Health Department demolition release | Administration fee $238 residential or $471 commercial; deposit 3% of valuation ($1,712 minimum, $56,999 maximum) | October 1, 2026 |
| Unincorporated Los Angeles County | Inspection $244.88, including sewer termination; issuance $41.35; plan maintenance 2% (minimum $14.82) | Deposit $500 up to 1 ton, then $60, $45 or $30 per ton by tonnage, up to $100,000; 70% diversion | July 1, 2026 |
Anaheim, Orange and Mission Viejo didn’t have current demolition fees posted in a form we could verify; call the building counter. Utility charges from SCE, SoCalGas and the water district, historic review and street-use permits are separate.
Demolition permit and notification fee examples
| Project | Price |
|---|---|
| 1,500 SF house, Irvine: AQMD notice, plan check, inspection and waste plan fee | About $900, plus a $1,500 refundable deposit |
| 1,500 SF house, unincorporated Orange County: AQMD notice, flat permit fee and issuance | About $865 |
| 1,500 SF house, unincorporated Los Angeles County: AQMD notice, inspection, issuance and plan maintenance | About $550, plus a deposit set by tonnage |
| 12,000 SF commercial building: AQMD notice | $916.15 |
| Any job: AQMD notice filed less than 14 calendar days before the start | Add $81.61 |
AQMD amounts are from the July 2025 fee table; city amounts are from the schedules listed above. The asbestos survey is separate, at $120–$145 per sample.
What the fees cover
A demolition usually pays three agencies: South Coast AQMD for the asbestos notification, the city or county building department for plan check, inspection and issuance (often with technology or records surcharges), and the city’s recycling program for the waste management plan, usually with a refundable deposit returned after the diversion report and scale tickets. Many cities also issue a separate plumbing permit to cap the sewer. DigAlert (811) is free.
Demolition permit fee questions
How much does a demolition permit cost?
It depends on the city. Posted fees range from $244.88 for the demolition inspection in unincorporated Los Angeles County to about $550–$620 in Irvine, Newport Beach and Tustin, plus issuance and technology fees. Add the South Coast AQMD notification ($249.59 for a 1,001–5,000 SF footprint) and, in many cities, a refundable recycling deposit.
How much is the South Coast AQMD demolition notification fee?
It is set by the structure’s footprint: $81.61 up to 1,000 SF, $249.59 up to 5,000 SF, $584.26 up to 10,000 SF, $916.15 up to 50,000 SF, $1,327.75 up to 100,000 SF and $2,212.92 above that, under the July 2025 table. A notice filed less than 14 calendar days before the start adds $81.61.
Do I pay the AQMD fee if the house has no asbestos?
Yes. Every demolition in the South Coast air district needs a notification, filed 10 working days ahead, and the fee is the same footprint-based amount whether or not asbestos is found.
What is a construction and demolition deposit, and how do I get it back?
It is a refundable deposit the city holds until you show that enough debris was recycled. Irvine charges $1.00 per square foot up to $50,000, Laguna Beach and San Clemente $1,000, and Long Beach 3% of the project valuation. You get it back by filing the diversion report with scale tickets and recycling receipts.
Who files the AQMD notification?
We prepare and file the South Coast AQMD notification for the demolitions and abatement we perform, and the district fee is listed in the written proposal. Homeowners doing their own work can file it themselves.
Are permit fees included in your demolition prices?
No. Permits, inspections and other government fees vary from city to city, so they are listed separately in the written proposal. See demolition prices.
Is DigAlert free?
Yes. Calling 811 or filing a DigAlert ticket costs nothing. Under state law the ticket must be filed at least 2 working days, and no more than 14 calendar days, before digging, and it stays valid for 28 days.
More plain answers: demolition, permit and asbestos questions.
For architects, engineers and contractors
Scope: Permits and agency notices for demolition
Proposals list the AQMD notification, the city demolition permit and the waste plan deposit as separate line items so they can be carried as allowances or passed through at cost, as the contract requires. Cost terms glossary · Printable unit-price sheet
What to send for a firm quote
- Address and the city or county it is in
- Square footage and footprint of each structure
- Asbestos survey, if one has been done
- Whether a pool, septic system or sewer lateral is involved
- Whether the property is in a historic district or the coastal zone
Request a project review or call (949) 446-0000
Sources
- South Coast AQMD, Rule 1403 notification fees (effective July 1, 2025)
- South Coast AQMD, Rule 1403
- South Coast AQMD, Rule 301 (amended May 1, 2026)
- City of Irvine, fee schedule effective August 15, 2026
- City of Santa Ana, FY 2026-27 miscellaneous fees
- City of Newport Beach, schedule of rents, fines and fees FY 2026-27
- City of Laguna Beach, master fee schedule
- City of Tustin, 2025-26 comprehensive schedule of fees
- City of Costa Mesa, construction and demolition requirements
- City of Huntington Beach, building permit fee schedule
- City of San Clemente, building fees and valuation
- City of Dana Point, construction and demolition recycling
- OC Development Services, fee schedule 2024-27
- City of Long Beach, building permit and plan check fees (October 1, 2026)
- Los Angeles County Public Works, 2026-27 building code fees
- Los Angeles County, C&D debris ordinance guidelines
- California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, 811 outreach guide
More cost guides
House demolition cost · Fire-damaged demolition cost · Interior demolition cost · Commercial demolition cost · Pool, wall and fence removal cost · Concrete cutting and coring cost · Concrete and asphalt removal cost · Excavation and grading cost · Land clearing cost · Asbestos removal cost · Popcorn ceiling removal cost · Floor tile and mastic removal cost · Lead paint removal cost · Tanks and hazardous materials cost · Hauling and disposal cost · Testing cost · All 2026 prices · Cost terms glossary · Our demolition services
Disclaimer: a guide, not a quote.
These prices are a guide for budgeting, not a quote. They are our 2026 price ranges for common projects in Southern California. Your written price depends on the site, access, quantities, the materials found, the schedule and the documents you provide, and it can come in above or below these ranges; the written proposal governs.
Permits, inspections and other government fees vary from city to city and county to county and are not included. Neither are plan preparation, engineering, utility planning, agency submittals and coordination, inspector standby, return trips or administrative time, other than the asbestos air-district notice we prepare and file. Testing is priced on the testing page. Worked examples illustrate their stated assumptions and are not quotes. When a project needs any of these, they’re listed in the written proposal.
A written proposal follows a site walk or a review of your plans, reports and photos.
SoCal Removal is the business name of Abajian Enterprise, a California corporation. CSLB #980451 (A, B, C-21). Certifications: HAZ, ASB (ASB for bidding only). Verify the license · Insurance and project bonding