PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The Long Beach Development Permit Center, located on the 2nd Floor of City Hall, is now open for limited in-person services by appointment only for Express Permits related to minor construction projects. Same-day appointments can be scheduled when available (walk-ins without appointments will not be allowed).

“The limited and safe reopening of our Permit Center is another positive step we are taking as the spread of COVID-19 continues to lessen,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “We know our permit customers, including homeowners and contractors, have been awaiting the opportunity to come in person to start or continue working on their various projects – and this limited opening will make that hope a reality.”

In-person appointments may be scheduled Monday through Friday, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. For detailed information and to book an appointment, visit: longbeach.gov/permits.

Patrons of the Permit Center should be aware of the following current guidelines and procedures:

• Those with appointments entering City Hall must wear a face covering and adhere to other COVID-19 safety guidelines, including occupancy restrictions.
• All appointments are for minor construction projects that qualify for an Express Permit. Examples include water heater replacements, electrical service or heating upgrades, window replacements and re-roofs. See Information Bulletin IB-058 Express Permit Service for a list of minor construction projects that qualify for this service.
• Customers should be prepared to submit all applicable materials as digital PDF files on a USB device.  
• Online services will continue to be available for other types of projects that do not qualify for in-person service. 

“We are happy and excited to begin working directly again with customers as we start returning to more normalized operations,” said Department Director Oscar Orci. “The adjustments to our digital systems and other changes we made and continue to make for services — from initial submittal to plan checks to permit issuance — will help us sustain our commitment to build a better Long Beach.”

Long Beach has taken a number of steps to improve permitting response times, including opening the Permit Center again, with backlogs for the minor project requests reducing rapidly. More information about these efforts and the causes of increased response times is available here.

About Long Beach Development Services
Serving residents, businesses, and the community at large, the Long Beach Development Services Department sets a standard for high-quality, innovative urban planning and livability efforts that create more progressive and sustainable communities in the City.

For more information, visit longbeach.gov/lbds.  Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services and more. The City also has a highly-respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 171 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths, and a Bike Share program.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.