Publication
Mayor Bass Suspends Permitting Fees for Eligible Reconstruction Projects Pending New City Ordinance
Quick Take
On April 25, 2025, Mayor Karen Bass issued an Emergency Executive Order No. 7 (EEO-7), which will provide financial relief for Angelenos rebuilding homes damaged or destroyed by the January 2025 wildfires (LA Fires). EEO-7 directs city departments to refrain from collecting fees for permits and plan checks associated with the repair and/or reconstruction of homes damaged or destroyed by the LA Fires, pending the City Council’s adoption of an amendment to waive these fees. Additionally, the Emergency Executive Order requests the City Attorney to prepare and present the draft urgency ordinance to waive the fees for the Council’s consideration.
Key Provisions of Emergency Executive Order No. 7
On February 19, 2025, the City Council adopted a motion calling on the City of Los Angeles to waive plan check, permit, and art fees for structures damaged or destroyed in the LA Fires.
Mayor Bass issued EEO-7 on April 25 to support the adoption of an amendment to the City Administrative Code to waive fees for residential projects that repair or replace structures in the City of Los Angeles that were damaged or destroyed by the LA Fires. EEO-7 suspends the fees associated with building permits for eligible reconstruction projects. Eligibility for the waiver would apply retroactively to projects that were already permitted or are currently in plan check. However, the waiver of suspended fees would be contingent upon the adoption of a fee waiver in the City ordinance.
On May 9, 2025, Mayor Bass issued a revised EEO-7 to clarify that the suspension of fee collection only applies to those who owned the property at the time of the LA Fires, as well as to expand the reach of the order to include all structures damaged or destroyed by the LA Fires where the owner seeks repair or rebuild of the damaged property. The revised EEO-7 maintains that the waiver of suspended fees is contingent upon adoption of the fee waiver in the City ordinance.
Snell & Wilmer will continue to monitor Emergency Executive Order No. 7 and will provide updates on our LA Fires resource page as new information becomes available.
About Snell & Wilmer
Founded in 1938, Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm with more than 500 attorneys practicing in 17 locations throughout the United States and in Mexico, including Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto and San Diego, California; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.; Boise, Idaho; Las Vegas and Reno-Tahoe, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland, Oregon; Dallas, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Seattle, Washington; and Los Cabos, Mexico. The firm represents clients ranging from large, publicly traded corporations to small businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit swlaw.com.
