City ready to help with your home project
Updated April 6, 2020
City Staff is available to help make sure your home-improvement projects make the grade in safety and appearance. Residents should visit the Building and Safety counter on City Hall's second floor to obtain a City permit and/or approval before beginning work on the following projects.
On the exterior of your home, a City permit and/or approval is needed for:
- exterior painting and stucco work
- paving and parking areas
- concrete block wall and fence installation
- open or covered patio slab installation
- re-roofing or extensive roof repair
- window or exterior trim replacement (repair of termite damage is exempt)
- any extensive landscaping or structural modifications that change your home's appearance
- swimming pools, portable spas and pool fencing
- outside air compressors or conditioning units (Through-the-wall air conditioners, rotary attic vents and roof-mounted air conditioning units are not allowed.)
Inside your home, City permits and/or approval are required for:
- water heater installation or replacement
- dishwasher installation or replacement
- changes in plumbing fixtures, such as the replacement or repair of sinks, showers and tubs
- modifications to your electrical system, including "pig-tailing" of aluminum conductors
- replacement or installation of forced air, air-conditioning and air-filtering systems
Hazardous waste
After completing a home-improvement project, property owners may have excess paint, pesticides, garden herbicides or other hazardous wastes. Hazardous waste should never be disposed of with regular trash collection or dumped into home or storm drains. Los Angeles County regularly holds free Household Hazardous Waste Roundups so residents can safely dispose of hazardous waste.
For information on disposal of hazardous wastes, call (888) CLEAN-LA.
We appreciate your help in making Cerritos a safe and attractive place to live. For advice on any home-improvement or construction-related project, please call the City's Building and Safety Division at (562) 916-1209.
