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Demolition Notice & Asbestos Checker

In Orange County, South Coast AQMD Rule 1403 requires an asbestos survey before any demolition or renovation and a notification at least 10 working days before every demolition, including a single-family house and even when the survey finds no asbestos. A renovation needs the notice only when it removes 100 square feet or more of asbestos-containing material.

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The calculator

Your project

What's the work?
What kind of building?
Who's doing the work?
“Alone” means no contractor, no laborer, and no help from friends or family.
Asbestos survey
By a Certified Asbestos Consultant, or a Certified Site Surveillance Technician with a report signed by one.
Optional. Gives the earliest start date.
sq ftOptional. Sets the SCAQMD fee band.

What Rule 1403 asks of this job

Survey first, then a SCAQMD notice 10 working days before work starts

Every demolition in Orange County needs an asbestos survey and a Rule 1403 notification, whatever the building and whatever the survey finds.

Asbestos survey

Required

SCAQMD notice

Required

10 working days ahead

Why — every rule that applied

  1. 01This is a demolition under Rule 1403Rule 1403 defines demolition as "the wrecking or taking out of any load-supporting structural member of a facility" or the intentional burning of one. Taking down the whole building qualifies.Rule 1403 (c)(13)
  2. 02Houses are covered: the single-family exemptions are for renovation onlyRule 1403's "facility" includes any residential structure. Its single-unit-dwelling exemptions, (j)(9) and (j)(10), apply to renovation activities only. SCAQMD's FAQ: an asbestos survey report "is required prior to any demolition or renovation", and all demolitions require notification.Rule 1403 (c)(18), (j)(9), (j)(10); SCAQMD FAQ
  3. 03Get an asbestos survey before any work startsRule 1403 (d)(1)(A): the affected building or components "shall be thoroughly surveyed for the presence of asbestos prior to any demolition or renovation activity", including every layer of flooring down to the joists. SCAQMD accepts surveys by a Certified Asbestos Consultant (CAC), or by a Certified Site Surveillance Technician with the report signed by a CAC.Rule 1403 (d)(1)(A); SCAQMD FAQ
  4. 04Notify SCAQMD 10 working days before the demolitionRule 1403 (d)(1)(B): "The District shall be notified of the intent to conduct any demolition or renovation activity", no later than 10 working days before it begins. Working days are Monday to Friday, holidays included.Rule 1403 (d)(1)(B), (c)(41); SCAQMD FAQ
  5. 05The contractor files it onlineContractors submit through SCAQMD's Rule 1403 Notification Web Application, with the fee. "Whenever a contractor participates in the demolition work, the contractor must submit a Demolition Notification." No notification counts as received without its Rule 301 fee.SCAQMD FAQ; Rule 1403 (d)(1)(B)
  6. 06Your city will ask for a copy of the notice before the demolition permitCalifornia Health and Safety Code §19827.5 bars a city or county from issuing a demolition permit without a copy of each required asbestos notification, or the applicant's declaration that none applies.HSC §19827.5; SCAQMD FAQ

Also on the list (general guidance, not Rule 1403)

  • Pull the demolition or building permit from the city, or the county in unincorporated areas.
  • Call the gas and electric utilities early to have service shut off and meters removed.
  • Plan the debris: your city may want a recycling plan and weight tickets. Try the diversion calculator and your city’s page.
Air district
South Coast AQMD
Working days
Mon to Fri
Fee sheet
Tue, Jul 1, 2025
Threshold unit
sq ft of ACM

SCAQMD fees change each July, so the Web App’s number wins. This applies the rule to your answers; it isn’t legal advice. Questions go to SCAQMD’s asbestos line, (909) 396-2336. See our demolition page for what we do.

Worked example

Tearing down a single-family house with a clean survey

A contractor is demolishing a house with an 1,800 sq ft footprint. The asbestos survey came back clean. Plenty of people assume that means no paperwork. Here is what Rule 1403 says, in order:

  1. This is a demolition under Rule 1403. Rule 1403 defines demolition as "the wrecking or taking out of any load-supporting structural member of a facility" or the intentional burning of one. Taking down the whole building qualifies. (Rule 1403 (c)(13))
  2. Houses are covered: the single-family exemptions are for renovation only. Rule 1403's "facility" includes any residential structure. Its single-unit-dwelling exemptions, (j)(9) and (j)(10), apply to renovation activities only. SCAQMD's FAQ: an asbestos survey report "is required prior to any demolition or renovation", and all demolitions require notification. (Rule 1403 (c)(18), (j)(9), (j)(10); SCAQMD FAQ)
  3. The asbestos survey is required, and you have one. Rule 1403 (d)(1)(A): the affected building or components "shall be thoroughly surveyed for the presence of asbestos prior to any demolition or renovation activity", including every layer of flooring down to the joists. SCAQMD accepts surveys by a Certified Asbestos Consultant (CAC), or by a Certified Site Surveillance Technician with the report signed by a CAC. (Rule 1403 (d)(1)(A); SCAQMD FAQ)
  4. Notification is still required, even with no asbestos. SCAQMD's FAQ: "All demolitions require Notification to allow inspection and confirmation that there is no asbestos present in the building prior to demolition." Submit it no later than 10 working days before work begins. (Rule 1403 (d)(1)(B), (c)(41); SCAQMD FAQ)
  5. The contractor files it online. Contractors submit through SCAQMD's Rule 1403 Notification Web Application, with the fee. "Whenever a contractor participates in the demolition work, the contractor must submit a Demolition Notification." No notification counts as received without its Rule 301 fee. (SCAQMD FAQ; Rule 1403 (d)(1)(B))
  6. Your city will ask for a copy of the notice before the demolition permit. California Health and Safety Code §19827.5 bars a city or county from issuing a demolition permit without a copy of each required asbestos notification, or the applicant's declaration that none applies. (HSC §19827.5; SCAQMD FAQ)

Timing: notice submitted October 5, 2026 + 10 working days = earliest start October 19, 2026. Fee: 1,800 sq ft falls in the 1,001 to 5,000 sq ft band: $249.59 on the July 1, 2025 sheet.

Reference

Rule 1403 at a glance

What South Coast AQMD asks of each kind of job. Working days are Monday to Friday, holidays included. The 100 sq ft threshold is surface area of asbestos-containing material removed or stripped.

South Coast AQMD Rule 1403: asbestos survey and notification by type of job
JobAsbestos surveySCAQMD noticeWhere it says so
Demolition of any building (any load-supporting member out)RequiredRequired, 10 working days before, even with no asbestos(c)(13), (d)(1)(A), (d)(1)(B); FAQ
Single-family house demolitionRequiredRequired. The house exemptions are for renovation only(c)(18), (j)(9), (j)(10); FAQ
New door or window in a load-supporting wall, no asbestosRequiredExempt per the form instructions. The FAQ calls one stud out of a bearing wall a demolitionInstructions (6/2025); FAQ
Renovation removing 100 sq ft or more of asbestosRequiredRequired, 10 working days before(d)(1)(B), (j)(1)
Renovation removing less than 100 sq ft (not a house)RequiredNot required(j)(1)
House renovation removing less than 100 sq ftNot requiredNot required(j)(10), (j)(1)
Owner-occupant personally renovating their own houseRule doesn't applyRule doesn't apply(j)(9); FAQ
Government-ordered demolitionRequiredOrdered Demolition Notification; no 10-day waitFAQ

Why other numbers circulate: federal rule vs Rule 1403

Federal asbestos NESHAP compared with South Coast AQMD Rule 1403
Federal NESHAP (40 CFR 61)SCAQMD Rule 1403
Houses and 2 to 4 unit buildingsExcluded: "residential buildings having four or fewer dwelling units"Included: any residential structure
Size thresholds260 linear ft on pipes, 160 sq ft on other components, 35 cubic ft100 sq ft of surface area (renovation exemptions only)
Notice10 working days10 working days

SCAQMD notification fees (sheet effective July 1, 2025)

South Coast AQMD asbestos notification fee by project size
Project sizeFee
Up to 1,000 sq ft$81.61
1,001 to 5,000 sq ft$249.59
5,001 to 10,000 sq ft$584.26
10,001 to 50,000 sq ft$916.15
50,001 to 100,000 sq ft$1327.75
Over 100,000 sq ft$2212.92
Revision to a notification$30.22

Demolition is charged on the footprint; renovation on the asbestos removed. Rule 301 was amended May 1, 2026, effective July 1, 2026, and we couldn’t read the new amounts, so confirm the fee in the Web App before you pay.

How to use it

In 5 steps

  1. 1Pick the work: full demolition, partial or structural, a new opening, or a remodel.
  2. 2Pick the building. Houses and 2 to 4 unit buildings are where the myths live.
  3. 3Say what the asbestos survey found, or that you don't have one yet.
  4. 4Add the date you'll send the notice and the footprint for the earliest start and the fee.
  5. 5Read every rule that fired, with its citation.

The single-family house myth

The federal asbestos rule, the NESHAP, leaves out “residential buildings having four or fewer dwelling units.” That line gets repeated as if it applied everywhere. It doesn’t apply here. Rule 1403, South Coast AQMD’s rule for all of Orange County, counts any residential structure as a facility. Its two house exemptions cover renovation only: an owner who lives there and does the work alone, and a house remodel removing less than 100 sq ft of asbestos.

Demolition means structural. Rule 1403 calls it “the wrecking or taking out of any load-supporting structural member.” SCAQMD’s FAQ is blunt: remove “as little as one (1) two-by-four from a load-bearing wall” and it’s a demolition. The form instructions carve out one case, a door or window cut through a bearing wall with no asbestos, so the two documents don’t read the same. Ask SCAQMD’s asbestos line at (909) 396-2336 before relying on that carve-out.

The survey. SCAQMD accepts a survey by a Certified Asbestos Consultant, or by a Certified Site Surveillance Technician with the report signed by a consultant. It has to cover every material the work will disturb, including every layer of flooring. Surveys don’t expire, but they must reflect the material’s current condition.

The notice and the permit. Contractors file through the Rule 1403 Notification Web Application with the fee; a notice without its fee isn’t received. California Health and Safety Code §19827.5 bars the city from issuing a demolition permit without a copy. Then come utilities, the demolition and the debris. The diversion calculator handles the recycling side, and Planning a Demolition in Orange County walks the whole order.

FAQ

Demo notice: questions

Do I need an asbestos survey to demolish a house in Orange County?

Yes. South Coast AQMD Rule 1403 requires a thorough asbestos survey before any demolition, and its FAQ says the survey report is required for house demolitions too. The survey exemptions are for renovation only: a single-family house remodel removing less than 100 sq ft of asbestos-containing material, or an owner-occupant doing their own renovation.

Do I have to notify South Coast AQMD if there's no asbestos?

For a demolition, yes. SCAQMD's FAQ: "All demolitions require Notification to allow inspection and confirmation that there is no asbestos present in the building prior to demolition." For a renovation, no notice is needed below 100 sq ft of asbestos-containing material.

How far ahead do I have to file the Rule 1403 notice?

No later than 10 working days before work begins. SCAQMD counts Monday to Friday, holidays included, so from a weekday it's 14 calendar days. Government-ordered demolitions with the right paperwork can skip the wait.

How much is the SCAQMD demolition notification fee?

On SCAQMD's fee sheet effective July 1, 2025, a demolition with a footprint up to 1,000 sq ft is $81.61 and 1,001 to 5,000 sq ft is $249.59. Fees are adjusted under Rule 301, which was amended in 2026, so confirm the current amount in the Web App.

What counts as a demolition under Rule 1403?

Taking out any load-supporting structural member: foundation, roof framing, an exterior wall, beams or a bearing wall. SCAQMD's FAQ says even one two-by-four out of a load-bearing wall makes it a demolition.

Can a homeowner remove asbestos themselves?

Only in one case: the legal owner of a single-family house, living there as a permanent resident, doing the renovation alone with no contractor, laborer, friends or family helping. Townhouses, condos and apartments don't qualify, and the exemption doesn't cover demolition.

Something not answered here? Call or text — it’s quicker than guessing.

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Sources

Where these numbers come from

  1. [1]South Coast AQMD Rule 1403, Asbestos Emissions from Demolition/Renovation Activities (amended Oct 5, 2007) (opens in a new tab)Definitions (c)(13), (c)(18), (c)(34), (c)(41); survey (d)(1)(A); notification (d)(1)(B); exemptions (j)(1), (j)(9), (j)(10). read 2026-09-22.
  2. [2]South Coast AQMD, Rule 1403 Frequently Asked Questions (updated Oct 27, 2020) (opens in a new tab)"All demolitions require Notification"; one two-by-four from a load-bearing wall is a demolition; CAC or CSST surveys; 10 working days = 14 calendar days; ordered demolitions. read 2026-09-22.
  3. [3]South Coast AQMD, notification form instructions (revised 6/2025) (opens in a new tab)Windows and doors through load-supporting walls without asbestos are exempt from notification; homeowners may mail; contractors use the Web App. read 2026-09-22.
  4. [4]South Coast AQMD, asbestos notification fees (effective July 1, 2025) (opens in a new tab)Rule 301(o) fee bands; demolition by footprint, renovation by asbestos removed. The sheet labels its table "Fiscal Year 2023-2024" but is dated July 1, 2025. read 2026-09-22.
  5. [5]South Coast AQMD Rule 301, Permitting and Associated Fees (opens in a new tab)Amended May 1, 2026, effective July 1, 2026; asbestos fees in subdivision (o). read 2026-09-22.
  6. [6]South Coast AQMD, Asbestos Demolition & Removal (opens in a new tab)Links to the rule, survey requirements, form and the Rule 1403 Notification Web Application. read 2026-09-22.
  7. [7]South Coast AQMD, About (opens in a new tab)"the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County." read 2026-09-22.
  8. [8]40 CFR 61.141, asbestos NESHAP definitions (opens in a new tab)Federal "facility" excludes "residential buildings having four or fewer dwelling units." read 2026-09-22.
  9. [9]40 CFR 61.145, standard for demolition and renovation (opens in a new tab)Federal thresholds: 260 linear ft on pipes, 160 sq ft on other components, 35 cubic ft. read 2026-09-22.
  10. [10]California Health and Safety Code §19827.5 (opens in a new tab)No demolition permit without a copy of each required asbestos notification, or a declaration that none applies. read 2026-09-22.
  11. [11]SoCalGas, arranging abandonment of an existing service or meter (opens in a new tab)"contact SoCalGas as early as possible." read 2026-09-22.

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