LA is 88 cities: why the city on your deed matters
Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and the City of Los Angeles are separate governments with their own rules, permits, utilities and taxes. Here's why that matters when you buy.
When people say "LA," they usually mean a sprawling region that stretches from the beach to the mountains to the Valley. On paper, though, Los Angeles County is made up of 88 separate incorporated cities, plus large unincorporated areas governed directly by the county. The City of Los Angeles is the biggest of them, but Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Culver City, Malibu, Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena are all their own cities.
For a buyer, that's more than trivia. The city a home sits in decides who issues your permits, who provides some of your utilities, which local taxes and rules apply, and how much you can build. This is general information, not legal or tax advice, so verify the details for any specific property with the city and county sources linked here.
Neighborhood names aren't city names
A lot of well-known LA places are neighborhoods inside the City of Los Angeles, not cities of their own. Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Eagle Rock, Hancock Park, Venice, Mar Vista, Studio City, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Bel Air and the Bird Streets are all part of the City of LA.
Meanwhile, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Malibu are separate cities with their own city councils, building departments and rules.
And mailing addresses can blur the lines further. Some homes have a Beverly Hills mailing address but sit in the City of LA, in the area often called Beverly Hills Post Office. Some zip codes are split between West Hollywood and the City of LA. Studio City and other Valley neighborhoods have their own postal names but are part of the City of LA. The mailing address is not always the city.
What changes from city to city
- Permits and building rules. Each city has its own building and planning department. Zoning, setbacks, height limits, ADU rules and design review vary. The City of LA also has hillside rules and historic preservation overlay zones (HPOZs) in some neighborhoods, including Hancock Park. Other cities have their own historic and design review processes.
- Transfer taxes. LA County charges a documentary transfer tax on sales countywide. Some cities, including the City of LA, Santa Monica and Culver City, add their own, and some of those rise steeply at higher prices. Who pays is negotiable, though local custom often puts it on the seller. Check the current rates with the city before you buy or sell.
- Utilities. In the City of LA, power and water generally come from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Many other cities are served by Southern California Edison for electricity, and some, like Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena, run their own municipal utilities. Rates and service can differ.
- Rental rules. If you're buying a duplex, a property with a guest house, or anything you might rent out, local rules matter a lot. The City of LA, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and others have their own rent and tenant regulations, and short-term rental rules differ widely.
- City services. Fire department, trash pickup, parking permits, street trees and sidewalk repair are all handled locally, and the details differ.
Unincorporated areas
Some places are not in any city at all. Areas like Marina del Rey and Topanga are unincorporated, which means LA County handles planning, permits and many services there. That isn't better or worse, just different, and it's worth knowing which office to call.
Layers on top of the city
Some rules come from above the city level. Properties in the coastal zone, which covers parts of Venice, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades and most of Malibu, may need approvals connected to the California Coastal Commission for certain projects. State fire hazard maps, flood maps and earthquake fault zones apply regardless of city. These typically show up in the seller's natural hazard disclosure.
How to check a specific address
- The LA County Assessor's parcel viewer shows basic parcel information, including the tax rate area.
- ZIMAS, the City of LA's zoning map, shows zoning, overlays, hillside and fire zone designations for addresses in the City of LA.
- The city's own planning department is the best source for anything outside the City of LA.
When you start looking at homes, it helps to ask one simple question about each one: which city is this actually in? It shapes more of ownership than most buyers expect. For more of the basics, see our guide to buying in LA from out of town.
