Real Property Report in Laguna Beach

What the report is

Before residential property in Laguna Beach is sold, the city requires the seller to hand the buyer a record of certain city information. The city’s page calls it the Real Property Report, or RPR. The municipal code calls it a real property disclosure, in Chapter 14.76. A July 2025 city notice described a streamlined Real Property Disclosure process, “formerly known as the Real Property Report”. Both names refer to the same document.

The code says the city adopted the requirement so that a buyer of residential property gets certain matters of city record before the sale, and so the buyer is protected against undisclosed restrictions on the property’s use.

When it is required

The code applies to real property “zoned or used for dwelling purposes”, improved or not, including its buildings. It requires the owner or an authorized representative to obtain the disclosure before entering an agreement of sale or exchange. The owner or representative then delivers it to the buyer before the sale or exchange closes. The buyer signs a receipt, and that receipt goes to the Community Development Department as proof that the requirement was met.

The fee schedule also lists a commercial report fee. The code’s own definition covers property zoned or used for dwelling purposes, so ask Community Development whether your property is covered.

What the report includes

The code lists two things: any delinquent city utility charges, and the regularly authorized use, occupancy and zoning classification of the property. It also says the disclosure shall include the information a city council resolution sets, and that resolution was not found for this page. The code adds that the city carries no liability for errors or omissions in the disclosure.

The city’s page described the document differently in 2022. That version said it summarized authorized use, occupancy and zoning, plus special permit history and any unresolved issues of record. The current page lists no contents, so confirm with Community Development what your report will show.

Fees as of October 2026

The city’s Master Fee Schedule, updated May 12, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, with Community Development fees effective July 12, 2026, lists:

• Residential report: $40 per report.
• Commercial report: $40 per report.
• Extension: $40 per report.

The city’s 2025 notice says it cut the fee from $400 to $40 effective July 1, 2025. The ordering guide says the property type determines the fee, and that staff will not issue the report until the fee is paid.

One mismatch: the code says an extension endorsement carries no fee, while the fee schedule lists $40. Ask Community Development which applies when you request one.

How to order

The city’s RPR page tells you to submit requests through its Public Permit Portal.

1. If you have never used it, register an account. The city links a registration guide on its RPR page.
2. Sign in and submit a Real Property Disclosure request. Choose Real Property Report, then add the property by address or by parcel number. If you search by APN, type the hyphens.
3. Order one property at a time. The city’s guide says each order covers one address and one APN.
4. Pick the property type, which sets the fee, and add any contacts who should receive the report. The account holder is always listed as the applicant.
5. Sign digitally, submit, and pay through the cart.

Timing and validity

In July 2025 the city said requests would be processed within a few business days instead of several weeks. The city’s current page posts no turnaround time. Report validity comes from the code: no more than six months from the issue date. If you ask before it expires, the department can issue one endorsement extending it six more months and showing changes to the original information. Because the report must reach the buyer before closing, order it before the agreement of sale and watch the six-month clock if the sale slips.

Exemptions and penalties

The code exempts the first sale of a commercial and residential building or vacant lot in a subdivision whose final map was approved and recorded no more than two years before that sale. Anyone who violates the chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. The code also says a sale is not invalidated only because someone failed to comply, unless the failure would otherwise be grounds to rescind the sale.

If you are selling

The building permits and design review guide explains the same Public Permit Portal and how permits work. If a sale is your next step, Realatrends Real Estate (DRE #00925482), the real estate sponsor of Search Laguna, publishes Laguna Beach home pages at realatrends.com.

Contacts

Community Development is at (949) 497-0712, and Planning is at (949) 497-0713. The counter at City Hall, 505 Forest Avenue, is open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the last sign-in at 12:45 p.m.