Bolthole Index

Los Angeles County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lomita, California

The City of Lomita, California issues its own building permits through its Building and Safety Division, and the city, not Los Angeles County, sets zoning inside city limits12. LA County Building and Safety no longer provides services to Lomita2. Septic permits and wells were not confirmed for addresses inside the city; ask the city's Building and Safety Division first.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the City of Lomita Building and Safety Division1
Zoning
Lomita adopts its own zoning, with residential districts PRD, A-1, R-1, R-2 and R-33
Minimum lot
5,000 sq ft and 50 ft wide in A-1, R-1 and R-2; R-3 varies4
Manufactured homes
Allowed in residential zones on a permanent foundation, at least 20 ft wide5
Accessory dwellings
ADUs and JADUs allowed with an ADU permit and a building permit6
RV and tiny home living
Not confirmed for Lomita; California law generally limits RV occupancy to RV and mobilehome parks7
Septic
Not confirmed inside the city; ask Building and Safety2

Who to call

Building permits

City of Lomita Building and Safety Division

Plan checking, building, grading, demolition, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, and inspections inside Lomita

(310) 304-3788

[email protected]

24320 S. Narbonne Ave., Lomita, CA 90717

Zoning

City of Lomita Planning Division

Zoning and land-use questions inside Lomita, at the planning counter or by email

(310) 325-7110

[email protected]

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Lomita means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Lomita, California?

Yes. Construction inside the City of Lomita needs a building permit, and the city's own Building and Safety Division issues it1. The city's page lists permits for building, grading, demolition, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, and the division also inspects permitted construction against approved plans28.

The city's page does not state which small projects, if any, are exempt, so call Building and Safety before assuming a fence, shed or interior remodel is exempt1. An owner-builder can be exempt from California's contractor-licensing rules, but that is not a building-permit exemption9.

Who issues building permits in Lomita, and how do you reach them?

The City of Lomita Building and Safety Division issues building permits inside the city. It is at 24320 S. Narbonne Ave., Lomita, CA 90717, phone (310) 304-3788, email [email protected]2. The city states that it now provides all building and safety services and that the LA County Building and Safety Division no longer serves Lomita2.

If an older page or search result sends you to an LA County Public Works district office, that office handles unincorporated county land, not Lomita addresses1. For land outside city limits, see the Los Angeles County page.

Does Lomita have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size, setbacks and manufactured homes?

Lomita adopts its own zoning for land inside city limits, with residential zones PRD, A-1, R-1, R-2 and R-33. Questions go to the Planning Division at (310) 325-7110 or [email protected]10.

In A-1, R-1 and R-2 the minimum lot area is 5,000 sq ft and the minimum width is 50 ft; R-3 varies4. Setbacks in A-1 and R-1 are 20 ft in front, 5 ft on the sides (or 10% of lot width, at least 3 ft, but need not exceed 5 ft), and 20 ft in the rear11. Principal buildings in A-1, R-1 and R-2 are limited to 27 ft, and homes south of Pacific Coast Highway are limited to 16 ft and one story unless a height variation permit is granted12.

Manufactured homes are allowed in residential zones if they have a HUD insignia, a permanent foundation, a width of at least 20 ft, and city-approved exterior materials5. ADUs and JADUs need both an ADU permit and a building permit, and a JADU is capped at 500 sq ft6.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Lomita?

We could not confirm whether Lomita allows living in an RV or a tiny home on a residential lot, so ask the Planning Division before buying10. California generally limits RV occupancy to mobilehome parks and special occupancy parks unless a local ordinance allows otherwise7.

Camping on public property, including streets, sidewalks and parks, is unlawful in Lomita; the section we reviewed does not address private property13.

How do septic permits work inside Lomita?

We could not confirm who handles septic permits inside Lomita, or whether septic systems are allowed at all in this city. Start with the city's Building and Safety Division at (310) 304-37882. In California, new and replacement septic systems generally need a permit from the local agency14. In unincorporated Los Angeles County, the County Department of Public Health approves septic plans15, but that county rule is scoped to unincorporated land, so confirm whether it applies to a Lomita address.

Building a home in Lomita: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Planning Division at (310) 325-7110 to confirm the zone (PRD, A-1, R-1, R-2 or R-3) and its lot, setback and height standards1016.
  2. If you are splitting a lot or building a planned residential development, expect city subdivision review; a final tract or parcel map must be recorded before building permits issue17.
  3. Check whether the lot is in a special flood hazard area, where the city reviews new development for flood damage18.
  4. Apply for the building permit with the Building and Safety Division at (310) 304-37882.
  5. Schedule inspections through the same division as work proceeds8.

What stays with Los Angeles County, and what to check before you buy in Lomita?

Land outside Lomita city limits follows Los Angeles County rules, not the city's; see the county page for unincorporated areas. Los Angeles County's effective property tax rate is 0.7%19, and its typical home value is about $888,42620.

Before buying, confirm the zone and lot standards with the city's Planning Division, ask Building and Safety which code edition applies, and verify sewer, septic and fee details; we could not confirm the adopted code edition or the fee schedule2.

Watch-outs

  • Older LA County Building and Safety pages and fee tables for Lomita are out of date because the city now provides all building and safety services2.
  • We could not confirm exemption thresholds for building permits, the adopted building code edition, or permit fees inside Lomita; ask Building and Safety at (310) 304-37882.
  • Only the residential zones were reviewed, so commercial and other districts need a call to the Planning Division16.

Sources

  1. Community & Economic Development - City of Lomita (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Lomita Building and Safety Division (lomitacity.com)
  3. Lomita Code Sec. 11-1.30.03 Development standards (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  4. Lomita Code Sec. 11-1.30.03 Development standards (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  5. Lomita Code Sec. 11-1.30.10 Manufactured homes (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  6. Lomita Code Sec. 11-1.30.07 Accessory and junior accessory dwelling units (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  7. hcd.ca.gov (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Community & Economic Development - City of Lomita (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  9. California Business and Professions Code Section 7044 (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Lomita Planning Division (lomitacity.com)
  11. Lomita Code Sec. 11-1.30.03 Development standards (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  12. Lomita Code Sec. 11-1.30.03 Development standards (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  13. Lomita Code Sec. 3-17.02 Unlawful camping (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  14. 2023 OWTS Policy (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Local Agency Management Program (LAMP), quoted and re-checked
  16. Lomita Code Sec. 11-1.30.03 Development standards (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  17. Lomita Code Sec. 11-1.30.18 Planned residential development (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  18. Lomita Code Sec. 10-10.15 Standards for subdivisions or other proposed new development (Lomita), quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Lomita

Lomita’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Lomita city; city's own Building and Safety Division issues permits

    • The city page says LA County no longer provides services to the city
    • Exemption thresholds not found
    “issuing permits (including building, grading, demolition, electrical, plumbing and mechanical)”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Lomita city

    • Inspections tied to permitted projects
    “inspecting construction projects to ensure compliance with code standards and consistency with approved plans”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Lomita city limits

    • Residential zones: PRD, A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3
    “Table 11-1.30.B: Residential Zones Development Standards”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Residential zoning districts PRD, A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3 inside Lomita city

    • Only residential districts reviewed; commercial and other districts not opened
    “Table 11-1.30.B: Residential Zones Development Standards”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lomita A-1 (agricultural/residential) and R-1 (single-family) zones; R-2 also 5,000 sq ft; R-3 varies

    • Minimum lot area 5,000 sq ft and width 50 ft in PRD, A-1, R-1, R-2 per table
    • 50 feet of frontage on a dedicated street except urban lot splits

    minimum lot area A-1 and R-1: >= 5000 sq ft (R-3 varies) · minimum lot width: >= 50 feet (cul-de-sac turnaround lot may be 40 feet)

    “Fifty (50) feet of frontage must be on a dedicated public or private street, except”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lomita A-1 and R-1 zones (same standards in R-2, R-3 front/side)

    • Modifications via site plan review
    • Garages 20 ft from secondary front line

    front yard: >= 20 feet · side yard: >= 5 feet (10% of lot width, min 3 ft, need not exceed 5 ft) · rear yard A-1/R-1/R-2: >= 20 feet (R-3 15 ft) · secondary front on corner lot: >= 10 feet

    “Setback equals ten (10) percent of the lot width, but not less than three (3) feet and need not exceed five (5) feet.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lomita A-1, R-1 (27 ft), R-2 (27 ft), R-3 (35 ft); accessory 16 ft

    • South of Pacific Coast Highway limited to 16 ft and one story unless height variation permit granted
    • Accessory structures one story except ADUs/JADUs

    principal structure height A-1/R-1/R-2: <= 27 feet (16 ft south of Pacific Coast Highway) · accessory structure height: <= 16 feet

    “Residential properties located south of Pacific Coast Highway shall be limited to”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping inside Lomita city; the ban found applies to public property only

    • Private-property camping not addressed in opened sections
    • Exception for public property designated by the city for such purposes (Sec. 3-17.04)
    “It is unlawful for any person to camp or maintain camp paraphernalia or an encampment in or upon any public property, including in any street, sidewalk, or park.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Manufactured homes in Lomita residential zones

    • HUD insignia of approval
    • Permanent foundation system and compliance with building regulations
    • Minimum width 20 feet
    • Exterior material approved by community development director
    • Roof pitch at least 2:12 with eaves
    • Porch consistent with neighborhood architecture

    minimum width: >= 20 feet

    “Manufactured homes are permitted provided that they meet the following requirements:”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    ADUs and JADUs inside Lomita city

    • Ministerial ADU permit and building permit required
    • JADU max 500 sq ft within a single-family structure
    • City decides within 60 days of complete application

    JADU maximum size: <= 500 sq ft

    “Every ADU and JADU requires an ADU permit and a building permit.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivisions and planned residential developments inside Lomita city

    • Planned residential developments require administrative site plan review
    • Final tract or parcel map must be recorded before building permits
    “No building permit shall be issued for any building within an approved planned residential development”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in areas of special flood hazard inside Lomita city

    • Applies to subdivisions and other new development in special flood hazard areas
    • Proposals reviewed for flood damage minimization, utilities, and drainage
    “any such proposals shall be reviewed to assure that:”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Lomita or Los Angeles County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder inside Lomita city
  • Building code adopted — Building code adopted inside Lomita city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Lomita city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Lomita residential zones
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Lomita city
11 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Lomita publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Los Angeles County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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