Century City Homeowner Guide: Permits, Specific Plans and Selling As-Is

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Century City sits inside the City of Los Angeles, and City Planning lists a Century City South specific plan among its plan overlays. That makes this neighborhood different from most places we cover: permits come from LADBS, land-use rules can come from a specific plan on top of the zoning, and many owners hold condominiums rather than detached houses.

This guide covers what the official sources say and what to ask before you sell.

Century City at a glance

Governing city	City of Los Angeles
Permits	LADBS, through PermitLA (Express Permit) or ePlanLA (plan check); Angeleno account required
Community plan area	West Los Angeles, per City Planning documents listing Century City with Cheviot Hills and Rancho Park
Specific plans	Century City South appears on City Planning’s specific plan list; a City Planning project document also refers to a Century City North specific plan
Code enforcement	LADBS for building complaints; LAHD for properties with two or more dwelling units, (866) 557-7368
Historic overlay	Not found: I did not find an HPOZ for Century City in the City Planning HPOZ list
Hillside and fire zone	Not found in official sources I reviewed; check the specific parcel

What makes Century City different

City Planning’s community plan material groups Century City with Cheviot Hills, Rancho Park and Sawtelle in the West Los Angeles area. Century City is better known for its commercial and high-rise core than for hillside streets, and the city’s overlay list names a Century City South specific plan.

A specific plan is a set of local rules that can add or change what the base zone allows, so the first question for any owner planning work or a sale is whether the parcel is inside one.

I did not retrieve the plan text, and I am not stating its standards here. City Planning’s ZIMAS parcel lookup and the planner on the counter can tell you what applies to your address.

Condos, HOAs and what a buyer asks for

Many Century City owners hold a condominium or townhome. In that case the building’s association rules decide a lot: which alterations need board approval, who owns the walls and plumbing, and how special assessments are handled. Those details sit in your association documents, not in a city page.

A cash buyer will still ask the usual permit questions, so gather any permit for interior remodels you made, including kitchen, bath, electrical and plumbing work, plus the association’s approval letters.

How LADBS permits work

Homes in this neighborhood are inside the City of Los Angeles, so building permits come from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), not a county office. LADBS splits permits into two tracks. Express Permit-eligible projects need no plan review and can be handled through PermitLA.

Every other permit, including projects that need plan check, goes through ePlanLA. Both systems require an Angeleno account. LADBS offers standard, virtual, and off-hour or additional-hour inspection requests, and each stage of construction must be inspected and approved before the work is covered.

The LADBS pages I reviewed did not state a permit expiration period, so ask LADBS for the status of any permit older than a year.

Code enforcement and notices

LADBS says it responds to complaints about possible code violations. For properties with two or more dwelling units, LADBS points complaints to the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) at (866) 557-7368, and LAHD issues a Notice and Order to Comply for general maintenance violations.

A single-family owner is more likely to hear from LADBS, but a duplex, a house with a back unit or a converted garage rented out can pull LAHD in. Keep every notice, and ask both agencies for the case status before you list.

ADU rules the City of Los Angeles publishes

City Planning’s ADU question-and-answer memo (ZA Memo 143) and ordinance PDF show that the standards depend on the type of unit.

The memo’s tables list a 1,200 square foot limit in one detached category and 800 square feet in another, with height limits of 16 feet, 18 feet near transit, or up to 20 feet when the roof pitch matches the main house, depending on the category.

The memo also has a question on how the city applies ADU requirements in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Hillside Areas under LAMC 12.22 A.33. Because the category decides the number, confirm your unit type with LA City Planning before you rely on any figure.

Historic and hillside checks

City Planning publishes the list of adopted Historic Preservation Overlay Zones. I did not find Century City on the list I reviewed, but a short excerpt is not a parcel search. Hillside and fire-zone status is also parcel specific, and I found no official source tying Century City to either.

Before work, look up the address in ZIMAS, which is the city’s property lookup, and ask LADBS if a hillside or fire-zone rule applies.

Permits and selling a Century City house

Buyers and lenders ask about permit history, and California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work on the Transfer Disclosure Statement. Our statewide guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains what disclosure involves, and the seller closing costs guide shows what else to budget. If tenants live in the home, read the tenant-occupied home sale guide.

When a Century City home has an open permit, an expired one, or work done without a permit, you generally have three options: finish and finalize the permit before listing, disclose the work and negotiate on the open market, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who takes the house in its current condition. Use this checklist:

• Ask the city’s building division for the permit record on your address.
• List every addition, garage conversion, enclosed patio or outbuilding, and note which have permits.
• Gather final inspection records, plans and contractor invoices.
• Ask what plans, fees and inspections it would take to permit each unpermitted item.
• Compare that cost and time with a no-repairs cash sale. New construction can also be reassessed for property tax, which our Prop 13 guide explains.

Questions to ask the Century City building division before you start

• Does my project need Planning or Engineering approval in addition to a building permit?
• Is there an exemption that applies, and what conditions come with it?
• What plan-check deposit and fees apply, and how long will review take right now?
• What inspections will be required, and in what order?
• Can an existing unpermitted structure be legalized, and what would that involve?

Common permit mistakes homeowners make

The most common problems are starting work before the permit is issued, letting a permit expire, skipping a required inspection, and assuming a contractor pulled a permit when none exists. Each one can surface years later when a buyer’s agent, appraiser or lender asks for records.

A lapsed or never-finalized permit is easier to resolve while you still own the home and can answer questions from the city. If you are not planning to stay, decide early whether finishing the permit or selling the house as it stands makes more sense.

If you hired a contractor, ask for a copy of the permit and the final inspection record and keep them with your closing documents. A finaled permit is the clearest evidence that the work was inspected. Our capital gains guide also explains how improvement costs may matter when you sell.

How to sell a house in Century City

1. Request a cash offer by phone, text or the form on this page; we ask about the address, condition and your timeline.
2. We review the property and any permit or violation issues you tell us about, then make a written cash offer with no repair demands.
3. If you accept, we open escrow, order title and confirm payoff amounts, liens and any association or tax balances.
4. You choose the closing date and can stay or move on a schedule that fits.
5. You sign at escrow and receive your proceeds with no commissions or listing fees.

See also our Century City page, the Cheviot Hills page and the Los Angeles County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in Century City?

LADBS, because Century City is within the City of Los Angeles. Express Permit projects use PermitLA and plan-check projects use ePlanLA, and both require an Angeleno account.

Is Century City covered by a specific plan?

City Planning lists a Century City South specific plan among its overlays. Check your parcel in ZIMAS or with City Planning to see which plan, if any, applies.

Who handles code complaints?

LADBS responds to complaints about possible code violations. For properties with two or more dwelling units, LAHD handles them at (866) 557-7368.

Can I sell a condo with unpermitted work?

Yes. You can disclose it and sell as-is, including to a cash buyer. Association rules may add their own requirements, so review your documents.

Are there ADU rules for Century City?

The City of Los Angeles applies the same ADU ordinance citywide. City Planning’s ZA Memo 143 explains size and height limits by unit type.

Is Century City in a historic district or hillside zone?

I did not find it in the official sources I reviewed. Confirm for your parcel through ZIMAS and LADBS.

More guides

• We Buy Houses in Century City
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• Los Angeles Building Permits Guide
• Los Angeles Code Enforcement Guide
• Los Angeles Zoning and ADU Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• LADBS: Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety
• LADBS: Code Enforcement, Complaints and Compliance
• LAHD: Understanding and Complying with Orders
• LA City Planning: ZA Memo 143 (ADU questions and answers)
• LA City Planning: Local Historic Districts (HPOZs)

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.