Schools, Churches, Institutions

The Schools, Churches and Institutions Unit (Downtown) and the Valley Public Safety Unit (Valley) are responsible for the maintenance inspections for all Schools, Churches and Institutions in the City of Los Angeles. These Units also are responsible for annual Certification of Hospital Fire Manuals and the Certificate of Fitness for Healthcare Facility Instructor. These units enforce the 2020 Los Angeles Fire Code, Title 19 Health and Safety Code, 2019 California Building Code and California Fire Code.

Downtown:
Phone: (213) 978-3660 — Schools and Churches
Phone: (213) 978-3730 — Institutions
Fax: (213) 978-3612

Valley:
Phone: (818) 374-1110
Fax: (818) 778-4911

Certificate of Fitness

Fire Card Information:

Health Care (oversight)
Certificate of Fitness
Evacuation Plan Development and Approvals

Application for Certificate of Fitness Payment Form

Downtown: lafdsci@lacity.org
Fire Manual Inquiries: LAFDFireManuals@lacity.org

Schools and Churches

Schools and Churches Inspectors inspect the following occupancies:

Public Schools
Charter Schools
Private Schools
Churches with over 750 attendees
Churches with less than 750 attendees that have a school or day care attached
Commercial Adult and Child Day Cares
State Licensing inspections for Residential Day Cares (also known as Family Child Cares)

View the Schools and Churches Inspection District Map (PDF)

Institutions Unit

Institutions Inspectors inspect the following occupancies:

Acute Care Hospitals
Psychiatric Hospitals
Skilled Nursing Hospitals
Detox Facilities
Ambulatory Health Care Facilities (more than five patients)
Jails
Prisons
Juvenile Halls
Court Holding Facilities
Detention Treatment Centers
Correctional Centers
Assisted Living Facilities, including:
- Residential Care Facilities
- Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly
- Adult Residential Facilities
- Congregate Living Health Facilities
- Group Homes
- Residential Care Facilities for the Chronically Ill
- Congregate Health Living Facilities for the Terminally Ill
Social Rehabilitation Facilities, including:
- Halfway Houses
- Community Correctional Centers
- Community Treatment Programs
- Work Furlough Programs
- Alcoholism or Drug Abuse Recovery or Treatment Facilities
State Licensing Inspections for all R2.1/R3.1/R4 Residential Facilities

View the Institutions Inspection District Map (PDF)

Fire Clearances

Types of Fire Clearances:

State Requested STD 850 — Residential Facilities
General Fire Clearance (Annual, Biannual, Medicare/Medi-Cal, Insurance)
State Requested STD 850 — Day Care (Child or Adult)

A. State Requested STD 850 for Residential Facilities

This paperwork is a State Fire clearance required in in-patient settings as well as for other reasons specified by State Licensing Agencies. The STD 850 form will be sent directly from the licensing agency to LAFD. LAFD will NOT accept this form directly from the owner/operator/applicant. Please check with your licensing agency if you need an STD 850 specifically before paying this fee.

A pre-inspection/consultation for Residential Care Facilities (e.g., RCFE, ARF, SRF, ICS, Detox, Drug & Alcohol Rehab, CLHF, etc.) is required to be provided by LAFD as per HSC 13235. A fee may be charged for the pre-inspection/consultation.

Please fill out the Pre-Inspection/Consultation Payment Form — Residential Facilities and email it to:
lafdsci@lacity.org or
lafdvpsu@lacity.org (for Valley facilities)
Accounting will contact the phone number listed on the form and take payment over the phone.

L.A.M.C. 57.4703.7.1 — Pre-Inspection

As provided by the California Health and Safety Code Section 13235, a prospective State licensee of a community care facility, as defined in Section 1502 of the California Health and Safety Code, or of a residential care facility for the elderly, as defined in Section 1569.2 of the California Health and Safety Code, may request a pre-inspection of the facility prior to final clearance approval in connection with the issuance of such State license. A fee equal to, but not exceeding, the actual cost of the pre-inspection services shall be charged for the pre-inspection of these facilities. Such fee shall be paid to the Department prior to the pre-inspection by the Department. The fee shall be established in the same manner as provided for the establishment of fees under Section 106.7.1.1.

L.A.M.C. 57.4703.7.2 — Final Clearance

The Department shall charge and collect a fee for the final clearance approval inspection in connection with the issuance of a State license to operate a residential care facility housing non-ambulatory elderly persons. The fee shall be established in the same manner as provided for the establishment of fees under Section 106.7.1.1, but shall not exceed any fee for such inspection established by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13131.5(f) of the California Health and Safety Code.

B. General Fire Clearance (Annual, Biannual, Medicare/Medi-Cal, Insurance)

This type of fire clearance is used when there is not a specific request for an STD 850 by a licensing agency and is typically given for annual certification of fire clearance for Medicare/Medi-Cal, County requests, or insurance purposes. This can be for an entire building or just a specific suite (multiple suites must be paid for separately).

L.A.M.C. 57.202 — Requested Inspection

An inspection that is requested by a business or building owner with the intent of receiving a Fire Clearance Letter stating that the building and business are Fire Code compliant at the time of the inspection. Normal periodic inspections, and inspections covered under other sections of the Fire Code, do not constitute a Requested Inspection under this definition.

L.A.M.C. 107.7.1 — Fee Charged for Requested Inspections

The Department shall charge and collect a fee for any Requested Inspection. A Requested Inspection shall be conducted at the specific request of a building or business owner to determine whether a building and business are Fire Code compliant. Upon receipt of payment of the requisite fee and verification that the building and business are Fire Code compliant, the Fire Department will provide a Fire Clearance Letter confirming said compliance. If the inspection reveals Fire Code violations that require curing, a Notice of Violation will be issued and an additional Requested Inspection fee collected prior to issuing a Fire Clearance Letter reflecting compliance.

Please fill out the Request Inspection/Fire Clearance Form — Basic Fire Clearance and email it to:
lafdsci@lacity.org or
lafdvpsu@lacity.org (for Valley addresses)

Downtown:
Phone: (213) 978-3660 — Schools and Churches
Phone: (213) 978-3730 — Institutions
Fax: (213) 978-3612

Valley:
Phone: (818) 374-1110
Fax: (818) 778-4911

C. State Requested STD 850 for Day Care (Child or Adult)

This paperwork is a State Fire clearance required for licensed Day Care facilities, excluding Small Family Day Cares. The STD 850 form will be sent directly from the licensing agency to LAFD. LAFD will NOT accept this form directly from the owner/operator/applicant. Please check with your licensing agency if you need an STD 850 specifically before paying this fee.

A pre-inspection/consultation for Large Family Day Cares, Childcare Centers, or Adult Day Cares is required to be provided by LAFD as per HSC 13235. A fee may be charged for the pre-inspection/consultation.

Please fill out the Pre-Inspection/Consultation Payment Form — Day Cares and email it to:
lafdsci@lacity.org or
lafdvpsu@lacity.org (for Valley addresses)

California Health & Safety Code, HSC 13235 — Fire Safety Inspections of Care Facilities

(a) Upon receipt of a request from a prospective licensee of a community care facility, as defined in Section 1502, of a residential care facility for the elderly, as defined in Section 1569.2, or of a child day care facility, as defined in Section 1596.750, the local fire enforcing agency, as defined in Section 13244, or State Fire Marshal, whichever has primary jurisdiction, shall conduct a preinspection of the facility prior to the final fire clearance approval. At the time of the preinspection, the primary fire enforcing agency shall provide consultation and interpretation of fire safety regulations, and shall notify the prospective licensee of the facility in writing of the specific fire safety regulations that shall be enforced in order to obtain fire clearance approval. A fee equal to, but not exceeding, the actual cost of the preinspection services may be charged for the preinspection of a facility with a capacity to serve 25 or fewer persons. A fee equal to, but not exceeding, the actual cost of the preinspection services may be charged for a preinspection of a facility with a capacity to serve 26 or more persons.

(b) The primary fire enforcing agency shall complete the final fire clearance inspection for a community care facility, residential care facility for the elderly, or child day care facility within 30 days of receipt of the request for the final inspection, or as of the date the prospective facility requests the final prelicensure inspection by the State Department of Social Services, whichever is later.

Downtown:
Phone: (213) 978-3660 — Schools and Churches
Phone: (213) 978-3730 — Institutions
Fax: (213) 978-3612

Valley:
Phone: (818) 374-1110
Fax: (818) 778-4911