Lakewood, CA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- No permit issued for non-conforming work (§ 8000)
- Fence exemption
- Wire fences up to 12 ft, other fences up to 6 ft
- Masonry wall threshold
- Over 42 inches requires a permit
- Appeals body
- Building Rehabilitation Board
- Construction hours
- 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon-Sat, no Sundays/holidays
Summary
Lakewood requires a building permit before any work not in conformity with the adopted Building Code, and a permit issued in violation of that Article is void. The City's own amendment exempts only wire fences up to 12 feet and other fences up to 6 feet from that permit requirement.
§ 8000. Building Code. ...No building permit shall be issued by any officer, official or employee of the City of Lakewood for any building or structure not in conformity with the provisions of this Article. If any such permit is so issued contrary to the provisions of this Article, such permit shall be void. ... § 8102.b. Work Exempted/Fences and Walls. ...Section 105.2, Item 2, of the 2025 California Building Code, pertaining to work exempted from the Building Code, is hereby amended by replacing subsection 2 thereof to read: Section 105.2 Work exempt from permit. 2. Wire fences not over 12 feet in height, and other fences not over six feet in height, provided that all masonry walls of a height of over 42 inches are subject to this Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4901715; v5 updated 2026-04-28; through 04-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
Lakewood Municipal Code § 8000 adopts a comprehensive Building Code covering erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, conversion, occupancy, equipment, height, area, and maintenance of buildings and structures, including swimming pools, and expressly bars City officials from issuing a building permit for anything that does not conform to that Article; a permit issued in violation is void on its face. a designates the Building Rehabilitation Board as the local board of appeals with jurisdiction to hear appeals, grant variances, and rule on alternate materials or construction methods.
2, Item 2 of the 2025 California Building Code, Lakewood's own list of work exempt from a permit, to specifically exempt wire fences up to 12 feet in height and other fences up to six feet in height, while requiring a permit for any masonry wall over 42 inches. 1 depending on zone, in digits at least four inches tall with a one-inch stroke, visible from the street. or at all on Sundays and Council-designated holidays, with exceptions for emergency repairs and work by residential owners on their own property, and a Community Development Director waiver process for special circumstances.
Violations & Fines
Starting work without a required permit, or performing work under a permit issued contrary to the Building Code, voids the permit under § 8000 and exposes the responsible party to a stop-work order from the Chief Building Official. Violations of the Building Code carry the citywide § 1200 misdemeanor penalty: a fine up to the state maximum, up to six months in County Jail, or both, with each day of continued unpermitted work counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Lakewood?
What happens if I build without a required permit?
Who hears an appeal if the Building Official denies my permit?
What hours can construction happen in Lakewood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
California rules heatmap·Compare Lakewood to another location·View the California building safety overview
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