Sherman Oaks has seen 802 ADU permits issued since 2020, ranking 12th of 236 council areas in our data. It lies in Council District 4.
Permits issued each year
| Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permits issued | 64 | 110 | 140 | 131 | 139 | 150 | 68 |
The yearly count grew from 64 in 2020 to 110, 140, 131, 139 and then 150 in 2025, the highest single year here. 2026 has 68 so far, in a partial year.
Type by type
| Category | Count | Median sq ft | Median valuation declared | Declared $/sq ft | Median days, application to permit | Median days, permit to CofO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New detached or new construction | 169 | 654 | $91,697 | $123 | 175 | 462 |
| Garage or space conversion | 537 | 463 | $50,000 | $97 | 134 | 382 |
| JADU | 67 | 392 | $40,000 | $94 | 102 | 345 |
| All ADU permits | 802 | 495 | $60,000 | $109 | 142 | 394 |
What stands out
Two-thirds of the permits (537 of 802) are conversions, with a median declared valuation of $50,000 for 463 square feet. The guide to ADU, JADU and garage conversion is useful if you are not sure which of those fits your property.
New construction is smaller here than in the city overall. The 169 new-build permits show a median of 654 square feet and a declared $91,697, but the $123 per square foot is above the citywide $119 for new construction. JADUs total 67, at $40,000 and 392 square feet.
Permits are issued by LADBS; see the Los Angeles permit process for the steps. The data shows a hillside share of 0 percent for this area, which we report as is. Owners with sloped lots can still read the fire hazard zone page to see what could change.
Compared with the whole city
The city as a whole gives a yardstick. Across all ADU permits the medians are $60,000 declared, 558 square feet, $105 a square foot, 154 days to issue and 368 days on to CofO. New builds sit at $120,000 and 813 square feet, conversions at $50,000 and 496 square feet, and JADUs at $35,000 and 400 square feet.
For Sherman Oaks overall, the median is $60,000 declared (the same as citywide), 495 square feet (63 fewer than citywide) and $109 per square foot (4 more). Time to issue is 142 days against 154, and time from issue to CofO is 394 against 368.
The number of permits with a certificate of occupancy on record is 528 of 802, about 66 percent. Citywide it is 26,170 of 41,450, about 63 percent. The median days from issue to CofO only describe the finished projects, so they leave out ADUs still being built.
Where to go from here
Next, see how declared figures compare with real budgets in the ADU cost breakdown for Los Angeles. Then check the calendar with the ADU timeline guide. And when you start collecting bids, vetting a builder through CSLB comes first.
Source and method
Where the data comes from: the LADBS dataset "Building Permits Issued 2020 to Present" (data.lacity.org, pi9x-tg5x), which covers the City of Los Angeles only. Figures are from our own analysis in November 2026.
Process notes. Every ADU permit in this analysis was flagged as such or described as such on the record, and supplemental permits do not appear. Valuations are the applicant's own declaration and are not the full project cost once design work, fees, utility hookups and finishes are added. Days are medians for permits that got as far as each step. 2026 covers only part of the year.
