AB-38 defensible space inspection in Malibu.

Does AB-38 apply when selling in Malibu?

Under Assembly Bill 38 (AB-38), selling a home in a California High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone requires documentation of a compliant defensible space inspection before close of escrow. The entire city of Malibu is designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by CAL FIRE, which means essentially every in-city residential sale is subject to AB-38. Malibu is a contract city served by LA County Fire’s Fire Prevention Division in the Santa Monica Mountains.

The 2018 Woolsey Fire burned much of Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains, destroying more than 1,600 structures across the region — the defining recent event for local sellers and insurers.

Because essentially all of Malibu is mapped Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, you should assume an AB-38 inspection applies to any residential sale here.

Who runs the inspection in Malibu

AB-38 inspections in Malibu are performed by the Los Angeles County Fire Department through its CAL FIRE Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection program — Malibu is a contract city, so it does not run its own fire department for this purpose. As Local Responsibility Area land, AB-38 currently applies here in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.

How to request an AB-38 inspection in Malibu

To request a CAL FIRE Real Estate Defensible Space Inspection through LA County Fire's online request portal, or by contacting the Defensible Space Unit directly.

• Online: LA County Fire inspection request
• Phone: (626) 969-2375
• Email: fire-defensiblespace@fire.lacounty.gov
• Official program page: Los Angeles County Fire Department

Programs, fees, and contacts change — always confirm the current process on the official agency page before scheduling.

What it costs in Malibu

The AB-38 inspection fee for Malibu is not separately published — confirm the current fee directly with the LA County Fire. LA County Fire publishes a $151 annual defensible space inspection fee, which is a separate charge from any point-of-sale inspection.

What's specific to Malibu

• Because all of Malibu is VHFHSZ, assume an AB-38 inspection applies to any residential sale in the city.
• Malibu’s own Fire Safety Liaisons are NOT authorized to perform AB-38 inspections — they are done by LA County Fire.
• LA County Fire Prevention for the Malibu area operates out of the Calabasas office (26600 Agoura Rd, Suite 110); a published local line is (818) 880-0341.

The timeline that trips sellers up

Under AB-38, the compliance documentation must come from an inspection completed within six months of the sales contract, and the seller delivers it to the buyer before close of escrow. If a passing document can't be obtained in time, AB-38 lets the buyer and seller sign a written agreement in which the buyer takes on obtaining compliance documentation within one year of closing — but that shifts the cost to the buyer and usually shows up in the negotiated price. The clean path is to request the inspection at listing, not in escrow.

How to pass the first time in Malibu

1. Run the free 12-item Zone 0 check before the inspector visits — it covers the items inspectors flag first. Start the check →
2. Clear the first 5 feet: combustible mulch, woodpiles, attached wood fencing, and dead container plants against the wall are the most-cited deficiencies.
3. Clean roof and gutters — the most visible item on any inspection.
4. Handle dead vegetation across the whole property — PRC §4291 covers the full 100 feet, not just Zone 0.
5. Request the LA County Fire inspection early so a deficiency list still leaves time to remediate and re-inspect inside the six-month window.

Related guides

• AB-38 Explained: California's Point-of-Sale Defensible Space Inspection Law
• Defensible Space Inspection: What to Expect and How to Pass
• Zone 0 Defensible Space Cost

Sources: AB 38 (Wood, 2019); California Civil Code §1102.6f and §1102.19; California Public Resources Code §4291; Office of the State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps; malibucity.org; fire.lacounty.gov. Verify the current process with the agency before scheduling.