MALIBU—On Friday, January 23, the city of Malibu announced that Los Angeles County Fire Department will waive or refund permit fees for eligible Malibu homeowners rebuilding single-family homes damaged or destroyed in the 2025 Palisades Fire.
The action was proposed by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and unanimously approved by the LA County Board of Supervisors, easing a significant financial burden for families facing high rebuilding costs and insurance gaps. On November 23, 2025, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Horvath to remove the County permit fee cost for Malibu homeowners rebuilding after the 2025 Palisades Fire.
Eligible properties must have been owner-occupied primary residences prior to January 7, 2025. The city of Malibu will use its existing eligibility process and share approved applicants directly with County Fire—no additional verification is required. Homeowners who already paid permit fees and are determined eligible will receive refunds within 6–8 weeks, with confirmation sent by email. The Fire Department’s Financial Management Division will process and issue refunds. The timeline for the refunds will start at the time the city of Malibu has provided the Fire Department with the eligibility list.
The Fire Department will send an email to the property owner to confirm that their address is in process to receive a refund. For any questions regarding the fee waivers or refunds contact Deputy Fire Chief Nick Duvally at Nick.Duvally@fire.lacounty.gov. For more details, visit: https://tinyurl.com/mp7eubxy.
