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 is 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:
(213) 978-3660 Schools and Churches
(213) 978-3730 Institutions
(213) 978-3612 (fax)
Valley:
(818) 374-1110
(818) 778-4911 (fax)
CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS
Fire Card Information:
- Health Care (oversight)
- Certificate of Fitness
- Evacuation Plan Development and approvals
Downtown: lafdsci@lacity.org
For Fire Manual Inquiries Please Email:
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 daycare attached
- Commercial Adult and Child Daycares
- State Licensing inspections for Residential Daycares also known as Family Child cares
[Click here to view the Schools and Churches Inspection District Map]
INSTITUTIONS UNITS
Institutions Inspectors inspect the following occupancies:
Acute care Hospitals
Psychiatric Hospitals
Skilled Nursing Hospitals
Detox Facilities
Ambulatory Health Care Facility more than five patients
Jails
Prisons
Juvenile Halls
Court holding Facilities
Detention treatment centers
Correctional Centers
Assisted Living Facilities such as:
- 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 such as:
- 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 Residential Facilities
[Click here to view the Institutions Inspection District Map]
FIRE CLEARANCES
Types of Fire Clearances: (A) State Requested STD 850, (B) General Fire Clearance
A. State Requested STD 850
This paperwork is a State Fire clearance and is 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 (ex: 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 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/Medical, Insurance)
This type of fire clearance is used when there is not a specific request for a STD 850 by a licensing agency and typically given for annual certification of fire clearance for Medicare/Medical, 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 Request 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 and email it to:
lafdsci@lacity.org or
lafdvpsu@lacity.org (for Valley addresses)
If you have any questions or need assistance please contact the Downtown office or the Valley offices:
Downtown:
(213) 978-3660 Schools and Churches
(213) 978-3730 Institutions
(213) 978-3612 (fax)
Valley:
(818) 374-1110
(818) 778-4911 (fax)