PE-stamped structural evaluations and retrofit engineering for LA Ordinance 183893 — from Phase 1 checklist through permitted retrofit plans.
Serving all LA City and LA County jurisdictions · LADBS Non-Ductile Concrete Retrofit Unit experience
LADBS serves written notice by certified mail to the property owner of record. Most orders were issued 2016–2018.
Submit completed checklist confirming whether your building qualifies as non-ductile concrete. Deadline has lapsed for most buildings notified before 2022.
Submit proof of previous retrofit, a complete structural analysis per ASCE 41-23, or plans to retrofit or demolish. 2026–2028 for most notified buildings.
Permit obtained and construction completed, or building demolished.
Final close-out with LADBS. Building removed from non-compliant list.
If you have not submitted your structural analysis, your Year 10 deadline may be within 12–24 months. Engineering takes 4–6 months minimum. Start now.
Los Angeles Ordinance 183893, passed in 2015, mandates seismic strengthening of concrete buildings constructed before January 13, 1977.
The ordinance applies to buildings where concrete walls or columns support floors or roofs — regardless of whether LADBS has formally identified your building.
If your building was permitted before that date, you may be subject to the ordinance whether you have received a notice or not.
Not sure if your building qualifies? We review your permit history and building characteristics as part of every Phase 1 engagement.
Every NDC engagement runs through the same engineering desk. You always know which phase you’re in, what’s in the deliverable, and when LADBS receives the submittal.
Owners who have received an Order to Comply. Required first step for all affected buildings.
Buildings confirmed non-ductile after Phase 1. Required to meet the Year 10 milestone.
Buildings where Phase 2 confirms deficiency and retrofit is the chosen compliance path.
All three phases can be contracted together at a reduced combined fee. Ask about bundled pricing.
Many owners received an Order to Comply years ago and have not tracked their deadline milestones. LADBS enforcement actions, fines, and liens can follow non-compliance. A Phase 1 review gives you a clear answer in 3–4 weeks.
Fee uncertainty is the most common reason owners delay. We provide a written Phase 1 scope and fixed fee before you commit to anything. No ambiguity about what the first step costs.
The engineering firm you choose files the report under their PE license. That report becomes part of your building’s permanent LADBS record. You need a firm that knows the ordinance, the submission process, and ASCE 41-23 — not a generalist working off outdated code.
Los Angeles’s structural design guidelines for non-ductile concrete retrofit, updated through Information Bulletin IB-P-BC-2020-152 and referencing the 2026 Los Angeles Existing Building Code, require analysis under ASCE 41-23 Tier 3 using the BSE-1E and BSE-2E seismic hazard levels.
Material properties must be established through testing — concrete cores, rebar investigation, and soil data — before any analytical model is valid.
We build our evaluation workflow around these requirements from the start, which means fewer LADBS corrections and a faster path to your Certificate of Compliance.
Firms still working off ASCE 41-17 or earlier code cycles may produce reports that require revision before the city will accept them.
Any concrete building — where floors or roof are supported by concrete walls or columns — with a permit application submitted before January 13, 1977 is subject, whether or not LADBS has formally notified you. You can check your building’s permit history in the LADBS Property Activity Report online, or we can review it as part of a Phase 1 engagement.
Likely yes if you have not submitted the NDC Checklist. The 3-year checklist deadline has lapsed for most buildings notified before 2022. However, the most consequential deadline — the 10-year structural analysis and plans submission — is still approaching for most owners. Engaging an engineer now is the correct next step regardless of prior delays.
Yes. Phase 1 may determine that your building does not meet the technical definition of non-ductile concrete under the ordinance, or that a prior retrofit qualifies as compliant. If exempt, LADBS closes your file and no further action is required.
The most common approaches are adding new reinforced concrete shear walls, steel braced frames, or steel moment frames — systems that provide the ductility and lateral strength the original structure lacks. The specific system is determined by the Phase 2 analysis based on the building’s geometry, existing structural system, and owner objectives.
Construction costs are typically $50 to $100 per square foot of building area, depending on building height, structural system, and site conditions. Engineering and permitting fees add approximately 10–20% on top of construction cost. We provide preliminary cost estimates as part of Phase 2 deliverables.
Yes. We routinely coordinate with property managers, ownership attorneys, and general contractors throughout the process. If you prefer, all communications can route through a designated representative.
Fill out the form below and we will respond within one business day with your building’s ordinance status and a Phase 1 scope and fee.
