Home / Inland Empire / Current page: ▸ PermitsInland Empire · Permits
Inland Empire ADU permits, step by step The Inland Empire is the easiest jurisdiction we work in. Big lots, flat topography, and city building departments that already process high volumes of ADU permits mean a clean 60-day ministerial review is the norm. The only variables are the Very High Fire Hazard zones at the foothills and a few unincorporated pockets that run through Riverside or San Bernardino County directly.
What's specific to this area ☐ Riverside, Corona, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga: ministerial ADU portals, 5–8 weeks typical. ☐ VHFHSZ on north-facing foothill parcels — Chapter 7A exterior assemblies required. ☐ Unincorporated parcels routed through county building & safety — slower on inspection scheduling. ☐ SCE service drops are the most common schedule risk on detached new-build ADUs out here. On-the-ground notes ☐ Generally the most permissive corner of our service area — flat lots, big parcels, fast review. ☐ VHFHSZ at the San Bernardino mountains foothills → Chapter 7A on north-facing slopes. ☐ Some unincorporated parcels run through county directly — faster for ADUs, slower on inspections. Permit clock
Ministerial (state ADU law) 5–9 weeks
Discretionary review (when triggered) 12–20 weeks Reference
Terms and guides for this page Glossary terms Ministerial Review Permit review based purely on objective standards — no public hearing, no discretion.
Title 24 California's energy efficiency code — required for all new construction and most additions.
Setback Minimum distance a structure must be from a property line.
LADBS (LA Department of Building and Safety) The City of Los Angeles agency that issues building permits and conducts inspections.
ePlan LADBS's fully electronic plan-check portal for residential and commercial permits.
AB 68 2020 California law that streamlined ADU permits — 60-day clock, parking exemptions, ministerial review.
Field guides The Los Angeles ADU permit process, step by step Permitting an ADU inside the City of Los Angeles takes about 8–11 weeks of plan check (LADBS) plus 2–4 weeks of pre-submittal prep. State law caps ministerial review at 60 days from a complete submittal. Total city + utility fees for a 700 sqft detached ADU typically run $13,000–$26,000.
From the journal
Further reading permits · 10 min read
Every step of the LADBS ADU permit pipeline — pre-application, plan check, corrections, fees, and the inspections that decide your schedule.
permits · 8 min read
What the Coastal Commission actually requires for ADUs in the LA Coastal Zone — process, timeline, fees, and the design choices that make a CDP application sail through.