The short answer
A new entry door costs about $800 to $4,000 installed in Los Angeles, a sliding patio door $1,700 to $6,850, and a garage door $1,050 to $4,550. In LA, the glass and the location decide the rest: glass in any door must be safety glass, replacement units need NFRC-rated dual glazing, and new homes in fire zones need fire-resistant doors.
What door installation costs in Los Angeles
The price table adjusts national installed prices for the local market. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers puts construction costs in the Los Angeles area at 1.14 times the national average, so a door that costs $2,000 to install in an average US city tends to cost about $2,280 here.
| Job | Los Angeles (typical range) | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Entry door, installed | $800–$4,000 | $700–$3,500 |
| Double entry doors, installed | $1,700–$7,400 | $1,500–$6,500 |
| Patio sliding door | $1,700–$6,850 | $1,500–$6,000 |
| French doors | $2,300–$8,550 | $2,000–$7,500 |
| Multi-slide or bi-fold door | $5,700–$25,100 | $5,000–$22,000 |
| Garage door | $1,050–$4,550 | $900–$4,000 |
| Storm door | $455–$1,250 | $400–$1,100 |
| Interior door, installed | $135–$650 | $120–$570 |
| New door frame | $150–$685 | $130–$600 |
Estimates for 2026, including labor and standard parts. Los Angeles prices use the metro's construction cost factor of 1.14 (US average = 1.00) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors. Your quote depends on access, materials and the condition of the home.
The entry door line covers a standard pre-hung door in an existing opening. Material moves it a lot. Using our calculator's factors on the typical LA price of about $1,800, a steel door comes to roughly $1,550, fiberglass about $1,800, and solid wood about $2,450.
Things that raise a door quote in Los Angeles:
- A wider opening. Going from a single door to a double door, or from a slider to a multi-slide wall, means a new header and plan check.
- Sidelights and glass. More glass means more tempered panels and more of the energy rating to meet.
- Rot or termite damage at the sill. A new frame adds $150 to $685 at LA prices.
Price your own door with the calculator below, or open the full door calculator. Both use the rate for your ZIP code. For national prices and how door types compare, see our door installation cost guide.
Door types for LA homes
| Door | LA installed price | What to know here |
|---|---|---|
| Entry door, single | $800 to $4,000 | Glass panels must be safety glass; check fire zone rules on a rebuild |
| Double entry doors | $1,700 to $7,400 | Usually means a wider opening and plan check |
| Sliding patio door | $1,700 to $6,850 | Same-size swap is an express permit in the City of LA |
| French doors | $2,300 to $8,550 | Swing space and a sill that sheds winter rain |
| Multi-slide or bi-fold | $5,700 to $25,100 | Needs a structural header for the wide opening |
| Garage door | $1,050 to $4,550 | New openers need battery backup in California |
| Storm or screen door | $455 to $1,250 | Light-duty, often on a back or side door |
| Interior door | $135 to $650 | Garage-to-house doors have their own fire rules |
Entry doors
Fiberglass resists dents and can look like wood, steel costs the least, and wood suits Craftsman and Spanish Revival houses but needs refinishing. Our entry doors guide covers materials and hardware. If the door faces west or south and you want a dark color, ask what the finish warranty says about sun exposure.
Patio, French and multi-slide doors
A sliding door saves floor space, French doors give a wide, traditional opening, and multi-slide or bi-fold doors can open most of a wall. Compare them in our guides to patio doors, French doors and multi-slide doors. Downtown LA gets about 82% of its 14.25 inches of yearly rain from December through March, and the February 2024 atmospheric river dropped 7.03 inches in two days (LA Almanac, NBC Los Angeles). A wide door with a flush threshold needs a sill pan, flashing and drainage that can handle that kind of storm. Ask how the installer will handle water at the bottom of the opening.
Garage doors
A garage door is one of the few projects that returns more than it costs at sale. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report puts the average garage door replacement at $4,672 and the value it adds at 268% of that (Cost vs. Value). Our garage doors guide covers materials and openers. California adds its own rule for the opener, covered below.
Glass in doors: safety and energy rules
Safety glass
The California Residential Code treats glass in any swinging, sliding or bifold door as a hazardous location, so it must be tempered or laminated safety glass. Small openings that a 3-inch ball cannot pass through and decorative glass are exempt. Glass within 24 inches of either side of a door with its bottom edge less than 60 inches above the floor also needs safety glass (CRC R308.4). Sidelights next to an entry door usually fall under that second rule.
LADBS adds a local trigger. On a house or duplex, a permit valued at $10,000 or more brings safety glazing and a seismic gas shut-off valve up to current rules (LADBS retrofit list). A large patio door project can cross that line on its own.
Energy ratings
The LADBS express permit for a door change-out requires dual glazing labeled and certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (LADBS bulletin P/GI 2020-003). California's Title 24 treats glazed doors as fenestration, with a maximum U-factor of 0.30 and SHGC of 0.23 in climate zones 6, 8 and 9, which cover most of the LA basin (Energy Code Ace, Table 150.1-A). A replacement of 75 square feet of glass or less may use U-0.40 and SHGC 0.35 instead. Measure the glass of a large multi-slide door before you count on that exception.
For ENERGY STAR, LA is in the South-Central zone. A swinging door with more than half its face in glass needs a U-factor of 0.28 or lower and an SHGC of 0.23 or lower to qualify, a door with up to half glass U-0.23, and a solid door U-0.17 (ENERGY STAR Version 7.0). The federal tax credit that once covered exterior doors ended for doors placed in service after December 31, 2025 (IRS).
Fire zones and wildfire-rated doors
The January 2025 fires destroyed 6,845 structures in the Palisades Fire and 9,419 in the Eaton Fire (CAL FIRE), so door choices matter on every rebuild in those areas. CAL FIRE also issued new fire zone maps for the City of LA in March 2025 (LAFD).
For new homes and rebuilds in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the California Residential Code sets these door rules (CRC R337.8):
- The exterior surface must be noncombustible or ignition-resistant, or the door must be solid core wood with stiles and rails at least 1 3/8 inches thick and panels at least 1 1/4 inches thick, or carry a 20-minute fire rating, or pass the ASTM E2707 test.
- Glass in exterior doors, including glass in garage doors, must be multipane with at least one tempered pane, glass block, 20-minute rated, or tested to the state fire marshal's standard.
These rules apply to new buildings. If you are only replacing a door on an existing house in a fire zone, you can still ask for a door that meets them: a steel door has a noncombustible surface, and the glass can be ordered dual-pane with a tempered pane.
Garage door rules in California
Battery backup on openers
Since July 1, 2019, any automatic garage door opener sold or installed in a California home must have a battery backup that works in a power outage, under Senate Bill 969 (California Legislative Information). If your door replacement includes a new opener, check that the model has the backup and that the installer connects it.
Auto-reverse
Federal rules require automatic residential garage door openers to meet entrapment protection standards, which make the door stop and reverse (Federal Register, 16 CFR 1211). After installation, the installer should test the reversing function and the photo eyes in front of you.
The door between the garage and the house
The door from an attached garage into the house is a fire separation. The code allows a solid wood or steel door at least 1 3/8 inches thick, or a 20-minute fire-rated door, and in California it must be self-latching with a self-closing or automatic-closing device. No door may open from a garage straight into a bedroom (CRC R302.5.1). A hollow-core interior door does not qualify, so check this when you replace it.
Do you need a permit for a new door in Los Angeles?
In the City of Los Angeles, a same-size, same-type door change-out on a home is an express permit from the Department of Building and Safety, with no plan check. Making the opening wider is structural, so it goes through plan check, usually at the counter for a single-family house (Green Design and Build, citing LADBS rules).
| Job | What to expect in the City of LA |
|---|---|
| Swap a door in the same opening, same type | Express permit; NFRC dual glazing for glass doors |
| Widen an opening for double, French or multi-slide doors | Plan check for the new header |
| Permit valued at $10,000 or more on a house or duplex | Safety glazing and gas shut-off retrofits |
| Security bars on a bedroom door or window | Express permit; quick-release required |
| House in an HPOZ | Added review against the district's Preservation Plan |
Los Angeles calls its historic districts Historic Preservation Overlay Zones. City Planning says all exterior work proposed in an HPOZ gets added review, by staff or by the district's board (LA City Planning). A new front door on a contributing house is exterior work, so check before you order.
Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Santa Monica, Long Beach, Torrance and the Orange County cities have their own building departments and fees. The state residential code applies across the metro, so the glass, garage and fire zone rules above apply everywhere.
Lead paint around old door frames
The median LA home was built around 1965 (LA Neighborhood Data), so many door frames and trim carry paint from before 1978. Under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, paid work that disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface inside or 20 square feet outside in a pre-1978 home needs a certified firm and lead-safe practices (EPA). Pulling an old frame and its casing often goes over those limits.
How to check a door installer before you hire
California has several licenses that cover doors. The CSLB D-28 Doors, Gates and Activating Devices classification covers installing and repairing residential doors of all types, including garage doors, sliding glass doors and door operators (CSLB). C-6 finish carpentry contractors install doors and trim, C-17 glazing contractors install glass doors, and B general contractors handle doors within larger projects such as a new header.
- Look up the license on the CSLB website and check that it is active and the name matches the bid.
- Get the door brand, material, glass type and NFRC ratings, and whether it is pre-hung, in writing.
- Ask who pulls the permit and whether the price includes a new frame, sill pan and trim.
- For a garage door, confirm the opener has battery backup and that the installer tests the auto-reverse.
- Keep the deposit small. California caps a home improvement down payment at $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less (CSLB).
Every installer in the GOLDGCP network passes six-step vetting: license verification, an insurance check, a background and business check, a portfolio review, client reference calls, and onboarding with a quality score. You pay in milestones, each one after you approve that stage. Read more about how milestone payments work.
Areas we cover
GOLDGCP door installers work across greater Los Angeles and Orange County:
- Los Angeles
- Pasadena and Glendale
- Burbank and the San Fernando Valley
- Santa Monica and Torrance
- Long Beach
- Orange County, including Irvine and Anaheim
Enter your ZIP code to see door prices for your street and get matched with a local installer.
How GOLDGCP works
- Tell us about the door: entry, patio or garage, the size of the opening, and whether you want to widen it. Use the form, call or send a WhatsApp message.
- See prices for your ZIP code, then get matched with 3 vetted, licensed installers.
- Your installer measures, confirms the glass ratings and any fire zone rules, and pulls the permit.
- You pay by milestone, for example after the door is delivered and after the final inspection, and follow the job in the client portal.
Replacing windows too? See our Los Angeles window replacement guide. Our windows and doors showroom shows the doors we supply.
Frequently asked questions
How much does door installation cost in Los Angeles?
An entry door costs about $800 to $4,000 installed in Los Angeles, double entry doors $1,700 to $7,400, a sliding patio door $1,700 to $6,850 and French doors $2,300 to $8,550. A garage door runs $1,050 to $4,550. A new frame adds $150 to $685.
Do I need a permit to replace a door in Los Angeles?
In the City of LA, a same-size, same-type door change-out on a home is an express permit with no plan check, and glass doors need NFRC-rated dual glazing. Widening the opening needs plan check. Pasadena, Long Beach and the Orange County cities issue their own permits.
Does a glass door need tempered glass in California?
Yes. The California Residential Code treats glass in swinging, sliding and bifold doors as a hazardous location, so it must be safety glass, tempered or laminated. Sidelights within 24 inches of the door and less than 60 inches above the floor usually need it too.
Does a new garage door opener need a battery backup in California?
Yes. Since July 1, 2019, Senate Bill 969 requires any automatic garage door opener sold or installed in a California home to have a battery backup that works during a power outage. Ask your installer to confirm the model and connect the battery.
What door is required between the garage and the house in LA?
A solid wood or steel door at least 1 3/8 inches thick, or a 20-minute fire-rated door. In California it must also be self-latching and self-closing. No door may open from the garage directly into a bedroom. A standard hollow-core door does not meet the rule.
What front door do I need in a Los Angeles fire zone?
For new homes and rebuilds in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the exterior door must be noncombustible or ignition-resistant on the outside, solid core wood of set thickness, 20-minute fire-rated, or tested to ASTM E2707. Any glass needs at least one tempered pane.
What license does a door installer need in California?
Door installers can hold a CSLB D-28 Doors, Gates and Activating Devices license, a C-6 finish carpentry license or a C-17 glazing license. B general contractors install doors within larger jobs. Check the license at cslb.ca.gov before you sign.
How we calculate these prices
GOLDGCP starts from national price ranges for each job, taken from published 2026 cost guides and checked against local price guides where they exist. To get a local price, we multiply the national range by the construction cost factor for the metro from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors (US average = 1.00). For ZIP codes outside the 50 largest metros, the calculator uses the state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. Ranges include labor and standard materials but not unusual site conditions, so a written quote after an inspection is always the final price.
Sources
- How much does it cost to replace a front door? · HomeGuide
- Express Permits (No Plan Check Required), P/GI 2020-003 · Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety
- 2022 California Residential Code, Chapter 3: Building Planning · UpCodes (California Building Standards Commission)
- SB-969 Automatic garage door openers: backup batteries · California Legislative Information
- Safety Standard for Automatic Residential Garage Door Operators · Federal Register (CPSC)
- Table 150.1-A: Component Package, Single-Family Standard Building Design · Energy Code Ace (California Energy Commission)
- D-28 Doors, Gates and Activating Devices Contractor · Contractors State License Board
- Cost vs. Value Report 2025 · Journal of Light Construction / Zonda
- Area Cost Factors, PAX Newsletter 3.2.1 (2024) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Regional Price Parities by State · U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
About this guide
Written by the GOLDGCP editorial team. Prices come from national cost guides adjusted with official construction cost factors for Los Angeles; rules and statistics come from the agencies and reports linked in the text. We update this page when prices or codes change.
