ADUs in Los Angeles, explained plainly.
Plain-English information about ADUs, JADUs and garage conversions for Los Angeles County homeowners, with state rules, costs, permits and financing.
Read the guidePhoto: Seattle DADU - backyard cottage by Sightline Institute, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse (flickr).
The guides.
Six topics about accessory dwelling units, JADUs and garage conversions in LA County. Each page lists its sources.
Guide 01ADU rules
Plain-English information about the rules that shape ADUs, JADUs and garage conversions in Los Angeles County.
Guide 02ADU costs
Plain-English information about what goes into the cost of an ADU, JADU or garage conversion in Los Angeles County.
Guide 03ADU permits
Plain-English information about the permit process for ADUs, JADUs and garage conversions in Los Angeles County.
Guide 04ADU types
Plain-English information about the kinds of accessory dwelling units a Los Angeles County homeowner can consider.
Guide 05ADU financing
Plain-English information about ways homeowners pay for an ADU, JADU or garage conversion.
Guide 06Hiring an ADU builder
Plain-English information about choosing and working with professionals to design and build an ADU in Los Angeles County.
Start with your area.
Cities: guides on LA ADU Guide.
- Adu Pacoima Los AngelesPacoima: 803 ADU permits since 2020, 11th of 236 LA council areas. Declared values, sizes and permit and CofO timelines for each ADU type.
- Adu Reseda Los AngelesReseda leads every Los Angeles neighborhood council area in ADU permits since 2020: 1,410 issued. Types, declared values and permit times.
- Adu Woodland Hills Warner Center Los Angeles1,241 ADU permits were issued in the Woodland Hills-Warner Center area since 2020. See permits by year, type, declared value and timing.
- Adu Greater Valley Glen Los Angeles856 ADU permits issued in Greater Valley Glen since 2020, ranked 9th of 236 LA council areas, with costs, sizes and timelines by ADU type.
- Adu Greater Wilshire Los AngelesGreater Wilshire has 603 ADU permits issued since 2020, 18th of 236 LA council areas, mostly conversions, with timing and value data.
- Adu Lake Balboa Los AngelesLake Balboa logged 777 ADU permits since 2020, 13th of 236 LA council areas. Sizes, declared values and timelines for each ADU type.
- Adu Mar Vista Los AngelesMar Vista has 760 ADU permits issued since 2020, 14th of 236 LA council areas, with a look at conversions, new builds and JADUs.
- Adu Noho Los AngelesNoHo has 818 ADU permits issued since 2020, 10th of 236 LA council areas. See size, declared value and timing for new builds and conversions.
- Adu Sherman Oaks Los AngelesSherman Oaks has 802 ADU permits issued since 2020, 12th of 236 LA council areas, with sizes, declared values and timing by ADU type.
- Adu Sun Valley Area Los AngelesSun Valley Area has 605 ADU permits issued since 2020, 17th of 236 LA council areas, with larger median ADU sizes than the city overall.
- Adu Granada Hills South Los AngelesGranada Hills South: 880 ADU permits since 2020 and a yearly count that peaked in 2024. Median size, declared value and permit days for each ADU type.
- Adu Sunland Tujunga Los AngelesSunland-Tujunga saw 864 ADU permits since 2020, with new units waiting longest for approval. Declared values and days by type.
- Adu Sylmar Los AngelesSylmar logged 883 ADU permits since 2020. Median days from permit to CofO are 372, close to the city's 368. Full breakdown inside.
- Adu Van Nuys Los AngelesVan Nuys had 993 ADU permits issued since 2020, third in the city's areas. Larger units; median days to permit and to CofO are below the city's: declared value, size and timing by type.
- Adu West Hills Los AngelesWest Hills recorded 917 ADU permits since 2020. Its permits clear the counter faster than the city median. Data by type, value and days.
- Adu Winnetka Los AngelesWinnetka has had 903 ADU permits issued since 2020, fifth among LA areas. Permits per year, type mix, declared value and time to approval.
About this guide.
Plain-English information for Los Angeles County homeowners who are thinking about an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), a junior ADU (JADU) or a garage conversion.
What is an ADU?
An accessory dwelling unit is a second home on the same lot as your house. Gov. Code section 66313 defines it as "an attached or a detached residential dwelling unit that provides complete independent living facilities." It can be a new detached building, an addition, or space converted from a garage, basement or spare room. A JADU is smaller: "no more than 500 square feet in size and contained entirely within a single-family residence."
California law sets a floor that every city and county must follow. Los Angeles and LA County add local rules on top, but they cannot go below the state floor.
Key state rules at a glance
| Topic | State rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Units on a single-family lot | One ADU and one JADU inside existing space, plus one new detached ADU | Gov. Code 66323(a) |
| Detached size | A local ordinance may set a maximum, but not below 850 sq ft (studio or 1 bedroom) or 1,000 sq ft (2+ bedrooms). 1,200 sq ft applies only where a city has no ADU ordinance | CAL FIRE bulletin 25-004 |
| Conversions of existing space | No size limit | Section 66323(a)(1) |
| Side and rear setbacks | Four feet at most for a new detached ADU | Section 66323(a) |
| Review time | 60 days for a complete application | Section 66317 |
| Owner occupancy | Not required for ADUs, required for JADUs | AB 976; section 66333 |
| Impact fees | None for ADUs of 750 sq ft or less | Section 66311.5(c) |
The state law was renumbered in 2024 from the old section 65852.2 to sections 66310 to 66342. Older articles may still use the old numbers.
Start here
I want to rent it out. Read ADU rental income and property tax, then financing options to see how lenders treat rent.
I want housing for family. Compare the types in ADU vs JADU vs garage conversion. A garage conversion is often the simplest path, and a JADU requires the owner to live on the property. See the ADU types hub.
I want to know the cost. Start with ADU cost in Los Angeles, then impact fees and utility connections. The costs hub lists both.
I want to get a permit. Read the permit process in Los Angeles. If your lot is in the hills, read ADUs in fire hazard zones. The permits hub has the overview.
I want to know my rights under state law. Read California ADU rules explained and the rules hub. To split a lot, see SB 9 lot splits.
I am ready to hire. Read how to check a CSLB license before you sign. See the hiring hub. For factory-built options, see prefab and pre-approved plans. Unfamiliar words are in the glossary.
How this site works
LA ADU Guide is an information website. We are not a contractor, architect, lender or law firm, and we do not design, build or finance projects. Read more about us.
Every guide cites its sources: California Government Code, the state housing department (HCD), CAL FIRE, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB), LADBS and LA County. Each guide shows the date it was last reviewed. Where we could not confirm a fact from a primary source, we say so instead of guessing. We do not quote prices we cannot trace to a named, dated source.
Rules change and differ from place to place. Confirm current requirements with your building department before you spend money. Nothing here is legal advice.