Get a Public Health Permit/License
in Los Angeles County

Annual Fiscal Year Billing for FY24-25 has been completed and invoices will be delivered by US Mail starting 05/20/24. Payments for FY 24-25 invoices are due on or before 06/30/24.

If you receive an invoice and no longer own the business or if you receive an invoice for your business in the prior owner's name, please follow the instructions on the back of the invoice to inform us of the ownership change.

If you do not receive your invoice by May 24, please contact the Permits & Licensing Unit at EHPermits@ph.lacounty.gov or call 626-430-5350 to receive a copy of your invoice.

Obtaining a Public Health Permit/License

Welcome to the Environmental Health Division's Public Health Permit/License page. To obtain a permit for a newly constructed business, or change of ownership for an existing business, please see the instructions below.

New Facilities

• New businesses that are not required to obtain construction approval from the Department of Public Health - Environmental Health (DPH-EH), such as hotels, commercial and self-service laundries, pet food stores, garment manufacturers, theaters, massage establishments, portable toilet rental agencies, sewage pumper trucks, and residential facilities such as condominiums, boarding homes, and interim housing must contact the appropriate program and request an inspection of the business prior to beginning operation. Please see the instructions for your type of business below for information on how to request a site evaluation of your business in order to obtain a permit.
• New food facilities, body art facilities, swimming pools, organized and children's camps, and cannabis facilities require approval of the design and construction by DPH-EH and must submit plans to be approved through the plan check process. Once plans are approved, construction is completed, and you are requesting the final inspection, a permit application will be provided by the plan checker. Complete the application and provide it to the plan checker along with the required documents during the final construction inspection. Please see the instructions for your type of business below for instructions on how to submit plans.

Change of Ownership

Changes of ownership for any business must contact the program or district office to schedule an inspection to determine if the business is in compliance with appropriate health and safety codes. Complete the application and provide it to the inspector along with all the required documents when they come to complete the inspection. Please see the instructions for your type of business below for information on how to request a site evaluation of your business in order to obtain a permit.

Submitting Your Plan Electronically

Visit our Plan Check Program page to see which plan check type applies to you.

Pre-Application Consultations

Pre-Application Consultations provide architects and designers with an opportunity to meet with a plan check specialist or subject matter experts to answer questions on State and local requirements for food facilities, public pools, body art facilities, cannabis facilities, water wells, onsite wastewater treatment systems, alternate water projects, solid waste sites, children's camps, or to discuss a proposal for a project.

The Pre-Application Consultations can assist applicants with code requirements and identify major site-specific issues prior to formal submission of a plan check service request application. This service also helps applicants to navigate efficiently through the various permitting and application processes.

To apply for this service, complete the Plan Check - Additional Services Request form . Request forms are available online, or at all Plan Check public counters.

To submit the Additional Services Request form online, contact the applicable programs below to receive a secured email:

• For Food Facilities, contact the Plan Check Program at (626) 430-5560 or (213) 351-7352 to schedule an appointment.
• For Public Pools Plan Check, contact the Recreational Waters Program at (626) 430-5360.
• For Alternate Water Projects, contact Cross Connections and Water Pollution Control Program at (626) 430-5290.
• For Water Wells, contact the Drinking Water Program at (626) 430-5420.
• For Onsite wastewater treatment systems, contact the Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program at (626) 430-5380.
• For Solid Waste Sites, contact Solid Waste Management Programs at (626) 430-5540.
• For Childrens Camps contact the Camps and Schools Program at (626) 813-3428 or email campsandschools@ph.lacounty.gov
• For discretionary land use reviews referred from the Department of Planning, contact (626) 430-5201.
• For Body Art facilities, contact the Community Health Program at (626) 430-5570 or email bodyartprogram@ph.lacounty.gov

Requests may be submitted in-person at 5050 Commerce Drive, Baldwin Park, CA 91706, between the hours of 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, except for holidays. Contact the offices above to obtain instructions on how to submit by email.

Fees for Pre-Application Consultations are based on hourly rates (minimum of 1 hour), as specified in the Public Health and Financial Management Fee Schedule . Do not submit your payment until you have received an invoice. Payment may be made in the following methods:

• Pay Online: Pay online using Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover), Debit Card, and Electronic Check (ECheck). Please note that there is an additional convenience fee charge using online payment.
• Pay by Mail: Make check, cashier's check, or money order payable to:County of Los Angeles
  • Mail to:

  Department of Public Health
  5050 Commerce Drive
  Baldwin Park, CA 91706

  To help us prepare for your consultation, please submit any questions regarding code interpretation or requests for variances in writing with your application to allow adequate time to research your question or concern prior to the appointment. For the scheduled Pre-Application Consultation appointment, be sure to have a detailed list of questions and any available drawings of the project.

  Note: The Department of Public Health may not have authority to grant variances for all State and local ordinances. In some cases, laws do not allow for the granting of variances and in other cases only the State may grant a variance.

  Resources

  Payment and Questions

  Do not send a payment for a Public Health Permit or License unless you have received an invoice from Public Health. When submitting a payment, please be sure to include the detachable portion of the invoice with your payment and write the account number and invoice number on your check. If you need a copy of a previously issued invoice, or have questions regarding what applications you need and the current fees, please contact our Permits and Licensing Program at EHPermits@ph.lacounty.gov or at (888) 700-9995, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (except for Holidays).

  Animal Keeper

  For complete information about Animal Keeper, please visit our Animal Keepers Page.