Buying in Malibu is exciting, but if you plan to remodel or build, the Coastal Development Permit is the wildcard that can shape your timeline, budget, and even what is feasible. You want clarity before you commit to a property or design concept. In this overview, you’ll learn when a Malibu CDP is required, how the process works, expected timelines, common conditions, and the due diligence steps that protect you. Let’s dive in.
What a CDP is in Malibu
A Coastal Development Permit, or CDP, is the approval required for most “development” in California’s coastal zone. The California Coastal Act created this requirement statewide. Malibu has a certified Local Coastal Program, so the City administers most permits within city limits.
The City of Malibu is the primary decision maker for CDPs under its Local Coastal Program. The California Coastal Commission can hear appeals of local decisions and retains direct authority in certain areas, such as tidelands, projects that affect public access, or where substantial issues of consistency with the Coastal Act arise.
When you need a CDP
In Malibu the definition of “development” is broad. Plan for a CDP if your project involves any exterior changes or site work. Common triggers include:
- New single-family homes and most accessory structures
- Additions that increase square footage or change the building footprint
- Substantial remodels that alter the exterior, rooflines, or floor area
- Grading, new driveways, retaining walls, or work near a coastal bluff
- Shoreline devices, beach access paths, or work that affects public access
- Landscaping that changes drainage, removes sensitive vegetation, or touches wetlands or streams
Some minor repair or maintenance items can be exempt, and emergency work may be authorized on a short-term basis. Exemptions are narrow in Malibu, especially near bluffs and shorelines, and they do not cover increases in footprint or structural changes. Always confirm your scope with Malibu Planning staff before assuming an exemption applies.
How the process works
Every project follows a version of the same steps. The complexity of your site and scope will determine how deep each step goes.
Core stages
- Pre-application and intake: You or your design team submit forms, plans, required materials, and fees. The City checks for completeness.
- Staff review and environmental review: Staff decide if the project is exempt from CEQA or needs additional analysis. Larger or sensitive projects may require an initial study or full EIR.
- Public notice and hearings: Discretionary CDPs are noticed to neighbors and can be scheduled for Planning Commission. Contested or major items may go to City Council.
- Decision and conditions: If approved, the permit includes conditions you must satisfy. An appeal window follows.
- Appeal to the Coastal Commission: If appealed, the Commission reviews whether the project is consistent with the Coastal Act and Malibu’s LCP.
- Building permits: Only after a coastal approval can you pursue building permits and inspections.
Typical submittals and studies
Many Malibu properties require technical reports. Expect some of the following:
- Geotechnical and geologic reports, especially for bluff-top or steep sites
- Grading and drainage plans, with erosion and sediment control
- Biological surveys for sensitive habitats, wetlands, or protected species
- Archaeological and cultural resources assessments where disturbance is likely
- Visual simulations for scenic corridor or view protection issues
- Landscape plans with native plants and irrigation details
- Coastal hazard and sea-level rise assessments on bluff or shoreline lots
Timelines you can expect
- Small, straightforward remodels or additions with no bluff impacts can take several weeks to a few months for City review if submittals are complete. In practice, including prep time for reports and clearances, plan for roughly 2 to 6 months.
- Moderate projects, such as a modest addition with grading and required technical studies, often run 4 to 9 months or longer.
- Major projects, including new homes in sensitive locations or those needing CEQA review, often range from 6 months to 18 months or more. If appealed to the Coastal Commission, add several months to a year depending on complexity and scheduling.
Local decisions can be appealed to the Coastal Commission in specific areas or circumstances. The Commission’s appeal filing period is commonly about 20 working days after local action. If an appeal is filed, the Commission schedules a later hearing, which can add months to the process.
Conditions that shape feasibility
Approvals in Malibu often include conditions to protect coastal resources. Plan your design with these in mind.
- Setbacks and bluff stability: Strict setbacks from bluff edges are common, along with requirements to address geologic hazards. These can shrink your building envelope.
- Limits on shoreline protection: New seawalls or revetments are generally disfavored for new development. Approval is rare unless needed to protect existing primary structures and no feasible alternatives exist.
- Public access and visual protection: Projects must protect or enhance public access where feasible and minimize visual impacts with colors, materials, and landscaping.
- Stormwater and drainage: Low Impact Development measures, runoff filtration, and vegetated swales are typical requirements.
- Habitat and lighting limits: Expect native plant requirements, invasive species control, and limits on night lighting.
- Construction timing: Seasonal restrictions and biological monitors may be required to protect nesting birds or marine life.
- Recorded conditions: Some approvals require deed restrictions or notices on title that bind future owners.
For buyers, these conditions can change what is buildable. On bluff sites, setbacks and the low likelihood of new shoreline protection can make some additions or new homes infeasible. Early geotechnical and coastal hazard input is essential.
What to check before you write an offer
A smart investigation can save time, money, and frustration. Use this due diligence checklist before you commit.
- Confirm the coastal zone and LCP coverage for the property.
- Order a current title report and review for recorded deed notices, prior permits, easements, and development restrictions.
- Request prior CDPs, coastal exemptions, and administrative permits from the seller and City records.
- Collect any past geotechnical, biological, or environmental studies for the lot.
- Walk the site for red flags: bluff proximity, signs of erosion, sensitive vegetation, streams, or access corridors.
- Ask the Planning Department for a pre-application meeting to confirm likely permit requirements, needed studies, and possible constraints.
If interior changes are your only goal and no exterior work is planned, confirm with staff that a CDP is not required. Even small exterior changes can trigger review in Malibu, so do not assume.
Contract and escrow strategies
If you plan to remodel or build, structure your purchase to match the permitting risk.
- Add an explicit CDP feasibility or entitlement contingency with clear timelines.
- Define seller cooperation, document delivery, and access for surveys and studies.
- Consider an escrow holdback tied to specific approvals if the seller is pursuing permits.
- Budget for technical reports, design revisions, mitigation, and the possibility of an appeal.
For seller-developers, pre-permitting can increase buyer confidence and price, but it also opens an appeal window that can delay closing. Align your marketing and sale plan with the likely hearing calendar.
Existing approvals and expiration
Most CDPs run with the land and transfer to a new owner, but conditions remain binding. Verify the permit status, recorded conditions, and compliance history before relying on an old approval.
Planning approvals often have deadlines to start work, commonly on the order of a few years depending on the permit type. If the permit lapsed, you should not assume the project is still legal to build without reauthorization. “Vesting” against later rule changes requires specific steps and timing, so confirm the details with your team.
Projects built or started without proper coastal authorization may face enforcement, restoration orders, or after-the-fact permits and penalties. Do not inherit problems you did not plan for.
Red flags that warrant caution
- A home on an eroding bluff with limited setback and no geotechnical path forward
- Visible past work but no permits or missing records
- Recorded hazard notices or deed restrictions limiting development
- A history of neighbor appeals or contentious hearings nearby
- A design that depends on new shoreline protection for new development
- Evidence of wetlands, dunes, or sensitive species on or near the lot
Who to involve early
Complex coastal sites benefit from an experienced bench. Depending on your site and scope, consider:
- A coastal or land use attorney familiar with Malibu’s LCP and Coastal Commission proceedings
- A coastal permitting consultant or local planner to manage the process
- A licensed geotechnical engineer with bluff experience
- A biologist and cultural resources consultant if your site requires studies
- An architect and civil engineer who know Malibu standards and expectations
- A local surveyor for topography, boundaries, and elevation data
How to plan your purchase strategy
If you are buying with a remodel or new build in mind, align your strategy to the level of complexity you face.
- For small interior-focused updates: Confirm no exterior work is planned and verify CDP exemptions with staff. Keep your scope tight to avoid triggering coastal review.
- For modest additions or exterior upgrades: Budget for a CDP, basic technical reports, and a few months of processing. Build in contingency time and funds.
- For bluff-top or new construction: Start with feasibility. Order preliminary geotechnical and biological screening, schedule a pre-application meeting, and test massing against setbacks and view policies before you finalize your design or price.
A clear plan lets you negotiate with confidence and avoid paying for buildability you cannot realize.
If you want an experienced team to help evaluate feasibility and position your purchase or sale around the permitting path, reach out to RANGE REAL ESTATE for a discreet consultation.
FAQs
Do Malibu interior remodels need a CDP?
- Usually not if the work is fully interior and does not change the footprint or exterior. Any exterior alterations, grading, or bluff-related work likely needs a CDP or exemption verified by the City.
How long do Malibu CDPs take?
- Small, clear-cut projects can be a few weeks to a few months. Moderate scopes often take 4 to 9 months. Major or appealed projects can take 6 to 18 months or more.
Can a new house get a seawall in Malibu?
- New shoreline protection is highly restricted for new development. Approvals are rare unless needed to protect existing primary structures and no feasible alternatives exist.
What happens if a CDP is appealed?
- Local approvals in appealable areas can be appealed to the Coastal Commission, typically within about 20 working days. Commission review and hearing scheduling can add months.
Do CDPs transfer when a property sells?
- Most CDPs run with the land and are transferable, but all conditions remain binding. Verify status, recorded conditions, expiration dates, and any enforcement issues.
How much should I budget for studies?
- It varies by site and scope. Expect required reports such as geotechnical, biological, drainage, visual simulations, and hazard assessments. Costs can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.
