Los Angeles seismic retrofit requirements apply to two categories of older buildings: wood-frame soft-story structures under Ordinance 183893 and non-ductile concrete structures under Ordinance 184081. If the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) has served your building with an Order to Comply, you are on a fixed timeline to submit engineering plans, pull permits, and finish construction or demolition. The obligation runs with the building, and missing a deadline is a misdemeanor.
Which Buildings Are Covered
The soft-story program covers wood-frame buildings where a construction permit was filed before January 1, 1978, the building has at least one story above the ground floor, and the ground level has parking, retail, or other open space that creates weak walls with poor resistance to lateral movement.1UpCodes. Los Angeles Building Code Division 93 – Mandatory Earthquake Hazard Reduction in Existing Wood-Frame Buildings With Soft Stories If no permit can be found, LADBS decides based on whether the building appears to have been built under pre-1978 code standards.
The non-ductile concrete program targets reinforced concrete buildings designed under codes enacted before the 1976 Los Angeles City Building Code.2Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings Structural Design Guidelines The city identifies them by reviewing permit history and the structural system’s engineering characteristics.
One important boundary: the soft-story ordinance does not apply to buildings with three or fewer dwelling units used solely as residences. A small triplex with no ground-floor commercial space falls outside the mandate. Buildings already retrofitted to Division 93 standards are also exempt if the owner submits proof to LADBS.
Deadlines From the Order to Comply
Every deadline runs from the date LADBS serves the Order to Comply on the building. The dates in the code are not negotiable extensions.
Soft-Story Wood-Frame Buildings
- Within two years: submit structural plans showing existing compliance with Division 93, retrofit plans, or demolition plans.
- Within three and a half years: obtain all permits for the retrofit or demolition.
- Within seven years: complete all construction or demolition.
These milestones come directly from Section 91.9305.2 of the municipal code.3UpCodes. Los Angeles Building Code Division 93 – Mandatory Earthquake Hazard Reduction in Existing Wood-Frame Buildings With Soft Stories – Section 91.9305.2
Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings
- Within three years: submit a completed screening checklist, prepared and signed by a licensed engineer or architect, for LADBS review.
- Within ten years: submit a detailed structural evaluation and either proof of compliance with Division 95, retrofit plans, or demolition plans.
- Within 25 years: complete all retrofit construction or demolition.
The 25-year window under Section 9504.2 means buildings that received orders around the time the ordinance was adopted must finish work by roughly 2041.4UpCodes. Los Angeles Building Code Division 95 – Mandatory Earthquake Hazard Reduction in Existing Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings – Section 9504.2 The ten-year plan submission deadline is usually the hardest to hit, because concrete retrofit design is specialized work that can take years.
If You Sell the Building, the Clock Keeps Running
Both ordinances state that a transfer of title does not reset compliance dates.5UpCodes. Los Angeles Building Code Division 93 – Section 91.9305.26UpCodes. Los Angeles Building Code Division 95 – Section 9504.2 A buyer inherits whatever time is left on the timeline. That makes retrofit status a serious due-diligence item in any Los Angeles commercial or multifamily transaction.
What the Retrofit Process Looks Like
A licensed structural or civil engineer evaluates the existing frame and designs the retrofit. Soft-story work typically calls for steel moment frames, plywood shear walls, or similar bracing to stiffen the ground floor. Concrete work is more involved: the engineer must show the structure can reach at least 75 percent of the seismic base shear required by the current building code, or meet equivalent performance criteria under ASCE 41.7UpCodes. Los Angeles Building Code Division 95 – Section 9508.2
You submit the plans to LADBS Plan Check for technical review.8Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Soft-Story Retrofit Program Once LADBS approves them, you pull a building permit, and construction must follow the stamped plans exactly. The city runs multiple field inspections during the work to confirm the reinforcements and connections are installed correctly. After a final inspection, LADBS closes the permit.
If the building is a rental covered by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, you must also file a Tenant Habitability Plan (THP) with the Los Angeles Housing Department before construction starts.9Los Angeles Housing Department. Tenant Habitability Program The THP describes the scope of the work and how the owner and contractor will protect tenants and their belongings, including any temporary relocations. Filing the THP alongside your engineering plans keeps both approval tracks moving in parallel.
Penalties for Missing a Deadline
Violating either ordinance is a misdemeanor. Each violation can carry a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both.8Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Soft-Story Retrofit Program10Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Report on Penalties Imposed for Unpermitted Remodels, Additions, and Demolition of Buildings and Structures The ordinances define “any person” broadly enough to reach the owner, property manager, or anyone else in control of the building. Tenants and occupants are not subject to enforcement.
Continuing to use or occupy a noncompliant building after an Order to Comply is itself a violation, so exposure compounds over time rather than settling as a single fine.11UpCodes. Los Angeles Building Code Division 93 – Section 91.9311
What It Costs
Soft-story retrofits for Los Angeles multifamily buildings generally run between $60,000 and $200,000 per building, depending on unit count and the amount of ground-floor reinforcement. Larger or more complex projects can hit $300,000 or more. On a per-unit basis, owners typically spend $5,000 to $15,000 per apartment.
Non-ductile concrete retrofits are a different order of magnitude. These routinely start at $400,000 and can run into the millions for larger commercial or mixed-use buildings. The engineering alone takes years, and construction often requires shoring or temporarily vacating parts of the building. That cost profile is the main reason the ordinance allows 25 years to finish.
Ways to Offset the Cost
Cost Recovery Surcharge on Rent-Stabilized Buildings
Owners of rent-stabilized buildings can recover part of their retrofit spending through a temporary monthly surcharge under the city’s Seismic Retrofit Cost Recovery Program.12Los Angeles Housing Department. Cost Recovery Programs Contact LAHD for the current surcharge cap and application process.
Earthquake Brace + Bolt
California’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt program offers grants of up to $3,000 to retrofit eligible wood-frame homes built before 1980 with raised foundations. Eligibility expanded to include rental and other non-owner-occupied properties starting in 2025.13California Department of Insurance. Earthquake Brace and Bolt Grant Program Opens for 2025 Applications – Now Expanded to Rental Properties Income-eligible households earning $89,040 or less per year can qualify for supplemental grants of up to $7,000, which often covers the full cost. Funding and open enrollment periods vary each year.
PACE Financing
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing lets property owners finance seismic improvements through their property tax bills, spreading repayment over a longer period.14California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. PACE The programs require income verification and cap the financed amount at a percentage of property value. The assessment becomes a lien on the property, so it affects future sales and refinancing.
Earthquake Insurance Discount
A completed retrofit can lower California Earthquake Authority (CEA) premiums by up to 25 percent, depending on the building’s construction year and foundation type.15California Earthquake Authority. CEA Earthquake Insurance Policy Premium Discounts Houses built in 1939 or earlier with raised foundations get the full 25 percent discount. Buildings from 1940 through 1979 qualify for 20 percent with a raised foundation or 10 percent with other non-slab foundation types.