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Engineering Permits

Updated January 11, 2023

JUMP TO:
Encroachment Permits | Excavation Permits |
Dig Alert—Notifying Utility Companies
| Transportation Permits |
Trash Bin Encroachment Permit

Encroachment Permits

A revocable encroachment permit is required when any person wishes to erect a building, fence, barrier, post or other obstruction on any portion of a street, avenue, alley, sidewalk, highway, public right-of-way or other public land within Cerritos. This applies to property abutting the public right-of-way. This permit is also required when temporarily locating a trash bin in the public right-of-way.

A permit and an inspection is required before any work begins. Encroachment permit applications are available at the Public Works counter on City Hall's second floor. The encroachment permit is $200 for residents and $570 for non-residents. For more information on encroachment permits, call the City's Engineering Division at (562) 916-1219.

Excavation Permits

An excavation permit is required before anyone may dig into any City street, alley, sidewalk or other public land. Excavation permit applications are available at the Public Works counter on City Hall's second floor. There is a $200 fee for Cerritos residents and $570 fee for non-residents, plus a refundable deposit that varies based on the scope of the project. For more information on excavation permits, call the City's Engineering Division at (562) 916-1219.

Dig Alert—Notifying Utility Companies

If you are planning to dig on your property where utilities such as electric, water, telephone, cable television and natural gas lines are buried, you are required to notify the affected utility companies at least two days before you begin work. This will protect you from possible serious injuries and from liability if your digging damages any underground utilities. 

If you are a Cerritos resident, you can call one toll-free number to notify all utilities of your excavation plans and to request that the utilities mark their underground lines for you. To reach Dig Alert, call (800) 422-4133 between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Pacific time, Monday through Friday.

The Dig Alert operator will ask for your address, including the city and county, and the name and telephone number of any contractors who will be handling the work for you. You will be asked to mark the area where you plan to dig with white chalk. Within a few days, a representative from the affected utility company will visit your home, check the site and mark the location of any utility lines.

Transportation Permits

A transportation permit is required for any vehicle moving a house or other structure, or an oversized load on any Cerritos street, alley or other public ground.  Transportation permits can be obtained from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. Information regarding the transportation permit process is available through the County’s website at or by phone, at (626) 458-3127.

Trash Bin Encroachment Permit

To rent a trash bin for a remodel or other home project, please call Athens Services at (833) 791-2376. Pursuant to Section 6.080.030 of the Cerritos Municipal Code, the City has entered into a contract with Athens Services to provide the exclusive waste hauling services in the City of Cerritos. No other contractor is permitted to provide trash bin rental services within the City.

When trash bins are placed in a resident’s driveway, no permit is required. However, a permit must be obtained if a trash bin is to be placed on a street. The City of Cerritos Public Works Department issues permits that allow applicants to place a trash bin on a residential street. The cost of a permit is $50, and grants the applicant permission to place a trash bin on a residential street for up to seven (7) days. The permit can be extended at no charge for an additional seven (7) days. This program is limited to trash bins, and does not apply to storage containers. To obtain a permit to place a trash bin on a residential street, contact the Cerritos Public Works Department at (562) 916-1220.

Storage Containers

Section 22.22.700(28) of the Cerritos Municipal Code limits the placement of storage containers in the front yard of a residential property for a period of up to seventy-two (72) hours. This provision does not allow for, and the Public Works Department does not issue permits for, storage containers placed in the public right-of-way. Further, storage containers in a resident’s front yard are not permitted to encroach upon the public sidewalk. Storage containers are permitted on residential streets without a permit while they are being actively loaded or unloaded and, as such, cannot be on a street overnight.

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