Skip to main content
alpha dream

The Los Angeles ADU permit process, step by step

11 min read · Reviewed 2026-05-15

There is no faster way to lose four months on an ADU than to file an incomplete LADBS package. The 60-day ministerial clock that AB 68 promised only starts when the city accepts your submittal as 'complete' — and 'complete' is a much higher bar than most owners assume.

This is the actual order our project managers run on every City of LA ADU we permit. The same flow works in Pasadena, Long Beach, Santa Monica, and Glendale with minor jurisdictional swaps; the agency names change but the sequence does not.

  1. Step 1 — Pre-application research

    3–5 business days · $0

    Pull the property record at ZIMAS (LA City Planning's parcel viewer). Confirm the underlying zone (R1, R2, RD1.5, etc.), any overlay flags (HPOZ, BHO hillside, Coastal Zone, soft-story, methane), and the date of the last permit. Cross-check the LADBS permit history. If the lot is in an HPOZ or Coastal Zone, the project will need a separate review track before LADBS will issue.

    This step is free, takes 15 minutes per parcel once you know where to look, and saves months of rework. Skip it and you risk discovering halfway through plan check that your lot needs a Coastal Development Permit.

  2. Step 2 — Schematic & structural drawings

    3–6 weeks · $4,000–$12,000

    A licensed designer or architect produces schematic floor plans, elevations, a site plan with setbacks dimensioned, and structural drawings stamped by a CA-licensed engineer. For ADUs over 800 sqft on hillside lots, you also need a soils report from a licensed geotechnical engineer ($4,000–$10,000).

    This is the single largest pre-permit expense. Skipping the engineer and using shop drawings is a common mistake that LADBS catches at first plan check, costing 2–4 weeks of rework.

  3. Step 3 — Title 24 energy compliance

    1–2 weeks · $400–$900

    A certified energy analyst prepares a CF1R (Certificate of Compliance, Residential) showing the building envelope, HVAC, water heating, and lighting all meet Title 24 Part 6 minimums. ADUs over 700 sqft generally require solar PV unless an exemption applies. The analyst stamps the report; it's submitted with the permit package.

    Failing Title 24 is the #1 cause of plan-check rejection on ADU projects.

  4. Step 4 — Electronic submittal via LADBS ePlan

    1 day · Permit fees due at issuance, not submittal

    Upload structural drawings, architectural set, Title 24 calcs, soils report (if required), and proof of property ownership through the LADBS ePlan portal. The system auto-routes to a plan-check engineer based on scope and zone.

    The ministerial clock starts once LADBS marks the package 'complete.' Don't expect that on day one — typical first-acceptance review is 5–10 business days.

  5. Step 5 — Plan-check corrections

    4–8 weeks (usually 2 rounds) · $0 (engineer time only)

    LADBS returns correction sheets identifying issues. Common items: structural connections need clarification, energy calcs need refresh, soils report missing slope-stability appendix, fire-department access path not shown. The engineer revises and resubmits.

    Most ADU projects clear plan check in 2 rounds. A third round signals that the original drawings were under-detailed; budget more engineer time on the next project.

  6. Step 6 — Permit issuance & fee payment

    1–3 days · $13,000–$26,000 (City of LA, 700 sqft ADU)

    When all corrections are cleared, LADBS issues the permit. You pay plan-check, building permit, school fees (LAUSD's Developer Fee), LADWP water/power connection, and LAFD review at this point. All fees are itemized and pass through at cost — there is no markup.

    The permit is now active. You can break ground the same day if your contractor is ready.

Construction itself takes 14–22 weeks for a typical 700 sqft detached ADU, with 6–10 inspections along the way (foundation, framing, rough plumbing, rough electrical, mechanical, insulation, drywall nail, final). LADBS schedules inspections within 48–72 hours. Each must pass before the next phase can be covered up.

At final inspection, LADBS issues a Certificate of Occupancy (CofO). The unit can be legally occupied or rented from that day forward.

FAQ

Can I start construction before the permit is issued?
No. Building without a permit voids your homeowner's insurance, exposes you to triple permit fees if discovered, and the unpermitted work haunts you at resale. We've never seen a case where pre-permit construction saved time once the math is done.
Does the 60-day clock really mean my permit will be issued in 60 days?
It means LADBS must approve or deny within 60 days of marking the application complete. In practice, most City of LA ADU permits issue in 8–11 weeks of total elapsed time because the 'complete' acceptance and the correction rounds reset portions of the clock. AB 2221 (2022) tightened this — cities can no longer game the timer with repeated incomplete notices.
What if my lot is in an HPOZ?
Detached ADUs hidden from public view are typically approved at staff level without a Board hearing. Anything visible from the street — additions, exterior remodels, even some window replacements — needs HPOZ Board approval, which adds 6–12 weeks. Each HPOZ has its own Preservation Plan.
What's the most common cause of delay?
Three things tied for first place: (1) under-detailed structural drawings that fail first plan check, (2) Title 24 calcs not refreshed for the as-submitted plans, and (3) LADWP service-upgrade delays running parallel to the building permit. We start the LADWP paperwork the same day we submit for permits to avoid #3.
Do I need a contractor to apply for the permit?
Owners can apply themselves under the owner-builder exemption, but for any project over $500 the work itself must be done by a CSLB-licensed contractor (or by you, with all the liability that implies). Most LA-area lenders require a licensed general contractor before approving construction-to-perm financing.

Sources

← All field guides
Call