The Los Angeles 110% Fire Rebuild Rule: What You Can Actually Build

When wildfires hit spots like Pacific Palisades and the foothill canyons, we saw plenty of neighbors get buried in city red tape. So, as you plan your rebuild, keep it simple. What can you actually build on your lot without spending years in hearings, fighting environmental reviews, or meeting wild code demands? You have probably heard folks talking about the 110% rebuild rule. But many treat it like a free pass to slap 10% onto every side of their house. That is a dangerous way to look at it. Trust us, that assumption leads to massive bills during the plan check. The City of Los Angeles emergency recovery orders use specific math. The difference between your existing footprint, your interior square footage, and your roofline determines whether your permit takes three months or two years. If you lost your home, you need to understand these rules before you sign a contract with anyone. We are going to look at how the 110% provision works, how it hits your zoning, and how we get your project on the fast track.

Key Takeaways

• Under City of Los Angeles Emergency Executive Order No. 1, the 110% allowance applies to the original building footprint and building height. This means your interior floor area isn't strictly capped if you stay within that building envelope.
• You need to pull a valid LADBS building permit by January 13, 2032. Make sure you finish the work within three years to keep your fast-track status and fee waivers.
• We can skip some standard discretionary reviews under the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance and Baseline Hillside Ordinance for eligible rebuilds that hit the 110% limit.
• LADBS permit fees are usually waived for owners who held the title before the fire. So, you end up saving a good chunk of change on planning costs.
• You can add a state-exempt accessory dwelling unit (ADU) up to 800 or 1,200 square feet while we work on your main rebuild. And that new square footage won't count toward your 110% footprint or height limit.

What Is the 110% Rebuild Rule?

We work under Mayor Karen Bass's Emergency Executive Order No. 1 and similar directives for LA fire recovery. These orders give us a faster, ministerial path when we replace homes lost to disasters. Normally, rebuilding an old house means you have to meet every current code, like setbacks, parking minimums, or coastal permits. The 110% rule lets us build you a replacement house that stays close to your original floor plan with a little extra room to grow, all without dragging you into public hearings.

The City of Los Angeles keeps this rule pretty simple. That 110% number only hits two spots:

• Building Footprint: Your new foundation and exterior walls can't cover more than 110% of your old footprint.
• Building Height: Your new roof peak can't go higher than 110% of your original roof height, based on the records we have for your site.

And pay attention to what isn't on that list. Your interior square footage isn't the main focus here. So, we actually have more room to adjust your layout than you might think.

Footprint vs. Interior Square Footage

This matters for your design. Since LA zoning focuses on footprint and height rather than total floor area, you can grab more usable space than just a flat 10% gain. Say you own a 2,400-square-foot hillside ranch from the 1960s. Your footprint can grow by 10% to 2,640 square feet. But that does not mean you are capped at 2,640 square feet for the whole house.

If your place is on a slope, we might be able to add finished space right under your main floor. So long as that new foundation stays within your 110% footprint and the roofline stays under the 110% height limit, you have plenty of room to work with. Basements below the finished grade usually do not count toward your height limits. It is a smart way to squeeze in extra living area while keeping your fast-track permit status. You can check the local building safety requirements at dbs.lacity.gov.

Interacting with BMO and BHO Overlays

Building a custom home in LA means dealing with the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance on flat lots or the Baseline Hillside Ordinance if you are on a slope. These city rules cap your floor area, limit how much dirt you can move, and dictate your setbacks. But we have a buffer for fire survivors called the 110% rule. So, if your old place was 3,500 square feet and current code says you only get 2,800, this rule keeps your non-conforming rights intact. You don't have to shrink to that lower cap as long as you stay inside your original envelope. And if you go over that 110% mark? You lose those protections. Then you have to follow every current, stricter city code. You can check your property zone over at the Los Angeles City Planning website.

Permit Timelines and Deadlines

The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety runs a center specifically for disaster recovery. They aim for a 30-day initial review, but we suggest you plan for a longer wait. Real-world experience tells us these permits often hit 90 to 120 days. That is because we need time for structural and geological reports. You have to pull your permit by January 13, 2032. If you miss that deadline, you lose your exemptions. Then you are stuck with the standard, much slower, permit process.

Planning Your Soft Costs

The city waives plenty of permit fees, which saves you some serious cash. But you still have to pay for the professional work needed to get your plans approved. At 1 Smart Build, we tell folks to budget for these:

• Topographical Survey: This nails down your property lines and contour elevations.
• Geotechnical Report: Your home might have stood there for decades, but the city requires a fresh report to verify soil stability. So check out state resources for geological standards at conservation.ca.gov.
• Structural Engineering: We use this to make sure your new foundation meets today's seismic safety standards.
• Civil Engineering: This covers drainage. We need this to keep water moving away from your home and your neighbors.

Building an ADU

We can build an ADU while we rebuild your main house. It won't count against your 110% footprint. State law often beats local city rules, so this is a solid way to add value to your property. Did you lose a detached garage in the fire? We can rebuild that structure and turn it into an ADU. But we can also build a new one from scratch if it fits on your lot. So, let's plan the electrical service and utility lines right now. Doing that saves you money later instead of treating it like a separate project down the road.

Safety and Code Requirements

The 110% rule keeps your zoning rights intact, but it doesn't get you out of following safety codes. We make sure your new home meets current state standards. Here is what you need to know:

• Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) standards: You have to use materials that hold up against heat and embers. Think non-combustible siding and tempered glass.
• Fire Sprinklers: Every new home needs an automatic fire sprinkler system installed.
• Solar Energy: So, you are going to need a rooftop solar system to hit those state energy goals.

And for more details on state fire safety, take a look at fire.ca.gov.

How to Prove Your Past Home

You need to show us exactly what was standing there before the fire. Start hunting for these records right now:

• Original building permits and plans.
• County Assessor property records.
• Any past land surveys you might have.
• Historical aerial photos.
• Your insurance adjuster’s scope of loss report.

Getting Started

Rebuilding a home is a heavy lift. We handle the coordination at 1 Smart Build so you don't have to sweat the details. From the initial soils report through that final inspection, we keep your project moving. We are a general contractor, license #1076428, working all over Los Angeles. So if you need to see what's possible on your lot, just give us a ring at 1 (866) 419-8840. And we are ready to start planning your next move.