What Is Manhattan Beach's Residential Building Report, and Why Do You Need One Before You Sell?

Published July 15, 2026

Manhattan Beach requires a Residential Building Report before any home sale or exchange, at a cost around $299.

Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Chapter 9.24 requires every seller to obtain a Residential Building Report from the city's Building and Safety Division before entering a sale or exchange agreement. The report discloses permit history and known code issues on file with the city, currently runs about $299, and most escrow companies will not close without it in hand.

The rule most landlords forget until escrow calls

Owners who have held a Manhattan Beach rental for years tend to think about title, disclosures under Civil Code section 1102, and lead paint forms. What catches people off guard is a purely local requirement. Chapter 9.24 of the Manhattan Beach Municipal Code requires a Residential Building Report, sometimes called a Report of Residential Building Records, be obtained from the city before a residential property changes hands by sale or exchange. This is a city compliance document, separate from the state mandated Transfer Disclosure Statement, and separate from a home inspection.

The report is generated from the city's own permit and code enforcement files. It shows the permit history on record for the structure, whether any additions or alterations lack a matching permit, and any open code violations the city has logged. Buyers, lenders, and title companies rely on it to confirm that what is being sold matches what the city has approved.

What it costs and when to order it

Expect a fee in the neighborhood of $299 payable to the city, and plan for real lead time. Because the report requires city staff to research permit and inspection records, it is not something you can grab same day at a counter. If you are listing a property, or even thinking about listing one in the next few months, ask the city's Building and Safety Division for current turnaround times and order the report early rather than during a tight escrow window. Escrow officers and real estate agents in the South Bay generally know this step exists, but out of area sellers and long distance owners often do not, and it is an easy thing to discover late in a transaction when it can delay closing.

Where this fits alongside your other disclosure obligations

The Residential Building Report supplements, it does not replace, your state law disclosure duties. Under California Civil Code section 1102 and related sections, sellers of residential property still owe buyers a Transfer Disclosure Statement covering known material defects, plus natural hazard disclosures, and, where applicable, disclosures tied to the property's history and condition. A clean Residential Building Report does not excuse you from disclosing a known issue the city's file does not happen to capture, such as a leak you patched yourself without a permit. The two obligations run in parallel.

What this means for you

If you plan to sell a Manhattan Beach rental this year, add "order the Residential Building Report" to your pre-listing checklist alongside your Civil Code 1102 disclosures, and do it early. An unpermitted patio cover, garage conversion, or added bedroom that shows up in the report can turn into a negotiation point or a delay if it surfaces for the first time in escrow rather than before you list.

If you would rather not chase down permit records and city forms yourself, that is what we do for owners across the South Bay.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm with a licensed professional before you act.

Sources

1. City of Manhattan Beach, Residential Building Reports service page: https://www.manhattanbeach.gov/Home/Components/ServiceDirectory/ServiceDirectory/220/5088
2. City of Manhattan Beach, Residential Building Reports, contact details: https://www.manhattanbeach.gov/Home/Components/ServiceDirectory/ServiceDirectory/220/2119
3. Manhattan Beach Municipal Code, Chapter 9.24, Report of Residential Building Records: https://library.municode.com/ca/manhattan_beach/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT9BURE_CH9.24REREBURE
4. California Civil Code section 1102 et seq. (Transfer Disclosure Statement), California Legislative Information: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1102
5. City of Manhattan Beach, Building and Safety Division: https://www.manhattanbeach.gov/departments/community-development/building-and-safety

Last verified: July 2026.

Topics: compliance, Manhattan Beach, property sale, disclosure, escrow

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