Los Angeles County had 2,145 roofing permits in our dataset for September 2026. That is the highest monthly count in the 24-month window we track. It compares with 1,720 in August 2026, a gain of 24.7%, and with 1,620 in September 2025, a gain of 32.4%. All figures here are recorded permits collected from public portals (the source host is data.lacity.org), not a count of every permit issued in the county.
One caution before reading too much into the jump: the latest month can be incomplete, because some portals publish filings late. In this case the latest month came in high rather than low, so the figure may still move as late filings arrive. A single strong month is a data point, not yet a trend.
The trailing 12 months
From October 2025 through September 2026, the dataset holds 20,281 recorded roofing permits. The prior 12 months held 19,175, so the trailing total is up 5.8%. The monthly average over the trailing year is 1,690, which puts September's 2,145 well above the typical month.
| Month | Roofing permits |
|---|---|
| October 2025 | 1,854 |
| November 2025 | 1,358 |
| December 2025 | 1,518 |
| January 2026 | 1,824 |
| February 2026 | 1,509 |
| March 2026 | 1,826 |
| April 2026 | 1,720 |
| May 2026 | 1,583 |
| June 2026 | 1,724 |
| July 2026 | 1,500 |
| August 2026 | 1,720 |
| September 2026 | 2,145 |
Peak and slow months
September 2026 is the peak of the trailing year at 2,145. The slowest month was November 2025 at 1,358. Outside those two extremes, the year was fairly steady: most months landed between 1,500 and 1,826. January and March 2026 were the strongest months before September, at 1,824 and 1,826.
For a year-earlier comparison, October 2025 posted 1,854, higher than the 1,620 recorded in September 2025. So last year's pattern did not simply peak in September and fade. Whether October 2026 follows the same shape is something the next report will show.
Where permits concentrate
Permits in the dataset are spread across 85 city labels, but they are heavily weighted toward one. The top five over the trailing 12 months:
- Los Angeles: 15,526 permits, 76.6% of the total
- Los Angeles County: 2,105 permits, 10.4%
- Pomona: 441 permits, 2.2%
- Whittier: 344 permits, 1.7%
- Altadena: 336 permits, 1.7%
The second entry is how those records are labeled in the source data, so treat it as its own bucket rather than a city. The takeaway is coverage: the city of Los Angeles dominates what the portal publishes, and the remaining labels share a thin slice. Coverage depends on which jurisdictions publish permits, so smaller cities may be under-represented compared with their real roofing activity.
Replacement vs repair, and job values
Among trailing-year roofing permits, 85.6% are classed as replacement and 0.7% as repair. For a contractor, the permit trail here is mostly full re-roofs, not patch work. This dataset says little about the repair segment.
Job values are listed on 17,474 of the permits. The median stated job value is $6,375. That is the value filed on the permit, which may differ from the final contract.
Roof age in the county
Our dataset tracks 339,454 homes in Los Angeles County with roof history. Of those, 94,132 have a roof under five years old and 84,152 are in the five-to-10-year bracket. Another 47,948 sit at 10 to 15 years, 31,766 at 15 to 20 years, and 81,456 are over 20 years. Homes with roofs older than 15 years make up 33.4% of the tracked group. That is the pool where a permit gap is longest.
A quick look at solar
Solar is moving the other way. September 2026 logged 1,449 solar permits, against 1,957 in September 2025, a 26% drop year over year. The trailing 12 months hold 17,955 solar permits against 18,773 in the prior 12, down 4.4%. For contractors who sell both roofing and solar, the two trades are not moving together right now.
What it means for next month
- Do not budget off September alone. The 2,145 count is a clear high, but the trailing average of 1,690 is the safer baseline for planning. Because the latest month can be revised, wait for the next update before shifting spend heavily.
- Weight canvassing toward the city of Los Angeles. With 76.6% of recorded permits, it is where most replacement activity shows up. Pomona, Whittier and Altadena are the next three named cities, and each is a small share, so they suit targeted routes rather than a full ad push.
- Pitch replacements. With replacement at 85.6% of permits and repair at 0.7%, messaging built around full roof replacement matches what is actually being permitted.
- Look at older roofs. Roofs over 15 years old cover 33.4% of tracked homes, including 81,456 over 20 years. Those are natural targets for outreach when permit activity is running above average.
- Plan for variation. Last year went from 1,620 in September to 1,854 in October, then down to 1,358 in November. Swings of that size show up in this dataset, so keep spend flexible.
Poach.rr builds its prospect lists from public permit records like these. Contractors choose a state and county, filter by permit age, and buy a prospect exclusively or shared. New accounts get free prospects to try it, no card required.
Frequently asked questions
How many roofing permits were recorded in Los Angeles County in September 2026?
Our dataset recorded 2,145 roofing permits for September 2026. That is up from 1,720 in August 2026 and 1,620 in September 2025. The latest month can be incomplete because some portals file late.
What was the slowest month for roofing permits in Los Angeles County?
In the trailing 12 months, the slowest month was November 2025 with 1,358 recorded permits. The peak was September 2026 with 2,145.
Which cities have the most roofing permits in Los Angeles County?
Los Angeles leads with 15,526 permits over the trailing 12 months, or 76.6% of the total. Pomona has 441, Whittier 344 and Altadena 336. Records labeled Los Angeles County account for 2,105.
Are most Los Angeles County roofing permits replacements or repairs?
Replacements make up 85.6% of recorded roofing permits and repairs 0.7%. The median job value on permits that list one is $6,375, across 17,474 permits.
Are Los Angeles County roofing permits up or down year over year?
The trailing 12 months hold 20,281 recorded permits against 19,175 in the prior 12, up 5.8%. September 2026 alone is up 32.4% on September 2025.
Methodology
Counts are residential roofing and solar building permits in Poach.rr's dataset for Los Angeles County, CA, collected from public permit portals (data.lacity.org). Coverage depends on which jurisdictions publish permits, so read the numbers as a consistent sample, not a census of every permit filed. Months where a source feed was incomplete are excluded from comparisons, and the latest month can rise as portals publish late filings. Data runs through September 2026; page generated October 10, 2026.