Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
An Accessory Dwelling Unit, is a small, separate living space on the same property as a single-family home. It can be attached to the main house, or it can be a separate structure, like a converted garage or backyard cottage.
The ADU Ordinance
On December 11, 2019, the City of Los Angeles adopted the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance (Ordinance 186,481) which went into effect on December 19, 2019. This ordinance added a new section, Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 12.22A.33, which includes local development standards and requirements for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs), and Movable Tiny Houses (MTHs) as outlined in Government Code (GC) Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22.
Types of ADU
According to the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance (Ordinance 186,481) three types of ADU’s have been defined to include: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs), and Movable Tiny Houses (MTHs).
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a small, separate living space on the same property as a single-family home. It can be attached to the main house or be a separate structure such as a converted garage or backyard cottage. These units provide independent living facilities such as a place to sleep, eat, cook and have personal hygiene. ADU's are located in the same lot as the main house, and it is a great way to increase living space options for family members, renters, or as a source of income for homeowners.
Movable Tiny House (MTH)
Movable Tiny House (MTH)
A Moveable Tiny House (MTH) is a small, portable living space that meets certain requirements set by the state of California. To be considered a MTH, the space must meet all the following requirements:
- Is licensed and registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
- Meets the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 119.5 requirements or the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1192 standards, and is certified for ANSI or NFPA compliance. A 3rd party inspection agency (Design Approval Agency/Quality Assurance Agency) shall certify the MTH meets this requirement (List of approved 3rd party Design Approval Agencies (DAA) and Quality Assurance Agencies (QAA)).
- Cannot move under its own power.
- Is no larger than allowed by California State Law for movement on public highways
- Is no smaller than 150 and larger than 430 square feet as measured within the exterior faces of the exterior walls.
Development Standards and Requirements
ADUs, Junior ADUs, and Manufactured Tied Homes can be built in any area that allows residential use. Parking isn't required for new ADUs if they are within a half-mile walk of public transit. If you remove covered parking to build an ADU, you don't need to replace it.
ADUs must follow all zoning, building, and residential codes. Fire sprinklers aren't required if they're not necessary for the main house. Detached ADUs built from scratch must have solar panels.
ADU Approved
Standard Plans
Program
The Standard Plan Program makes it easier for LADBS customers to get permits for building Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) built repeatedly. Using standard plans shortens the time needed to review the plans through plan check, and corresponding permits are issued more quickly.
Under The Standard Plan Program private licensed architects and engineers create plans suitable for different types of sites. LADBS pre-approves these plans to make sure they meet building, residential, and green codes. If you choose an approved plan, LADBS will review it to make sure it fits your property, following zoning codes and foundation needs.
Additional Resources
Find ADU-related PDFs and forms here. For more options, visit our Forms and Publications page.
- Forms & Publications
- FAQ
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Check the equipment approval letter. Every approval letter indicates the models that are included. You may check the approval letters on the "LA Research Reports" page.
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To open a new public record request, please contact the LADBS Custodian of Records via email at
ladbs.custodianofrecords@lacity.org. In the subject line, please indicate that it is a Public Records Act Request.
In the body, please include the property address, the specific documents you are requesting, and your contact information.
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Find all the forms to make a data request on our Service Requests forms page.
The areas that provide records include the Plan Check and Inspection System (PCIS) and Code Enforcement Information System (CEIS).
The forms package includes:
- Request to Purchase PCIS/CofO/CEIS Data
- Instructions for Obtaining PCIS/CofO/CEIS data
- Record layout for Building Permit data from PCIS
- Record Layout for Building Permit Data with CofO Data from PCIS
- Record Layout for Mechanical and Electrical Permit Data from PCIS
- Record Layout for Code Enforcement Cases from CEIS
- Record Layout for Customer Service Request from CEIS
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Please contact the designer of the pre-approved standard plan to inquire about fees. Please see the link, ‘For further information on this standard plan click here.’ listed under each plan.
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Homeowners wishing to use a standard plan must coordinate directly with the plan author for access and to understand any associated costs
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Building and Safety addresses issues for single-family residential, commercial, industrial and vacant buildings inside the City of Los Angeles. You can report a code violation online, or call 3-1-1 to request an investigation
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During the regular plan check submittal process, an additional set of plans is collected and routed for Green Building section for review and approval process, if required.
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Our goal is to assign an application in approximately 5 weeks to one of our engineers and an additional 3-7 weeks (depending on the complexity of the submittal) for the evaluation to be completed, a draft copy of the research report to be written, and the final copy of the research report signed. If the substantiating data is incomplete, such as missing test reports, testing not conducted by an approved testing agency, incomplete or missing engineering calculations, etc., the time to obtain a Los Angeles City Research Report may take longer.
Expedite report review is available pursuant to section 98.0422 of the Los Angeles City Municipal Code. The amount of the fee for this service is in addition to the normal review fee and is equal to one-half of the review fee.
The intent of the expedite service is to reduce the time to assign your application from approximately 5-weeks to 2- weeks.
For an estimate of the current assignment time for the expediting service you may call the Building Research Section at (213) 202-9812.
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A claim for refund of fees paid to the Department of Building and Safety must be filed:
- Within one year from the date of payment of the fee (L.A.M.C. Section 22.12 & 22.13)
- Within one year from the date of expiration of extensions on building or grading permits granted by the Department of Building and Safety (L.A.M.C. Section 98.0420).
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At the time of filing:
- For single family or duplex submittal, one set if the job is not in a hillside area, and two sets if it is.
- For apartment or commercial project submittal, two sets of plans are required. If it is a Title 19 project, a third set is required for Fire Department review.
- At permit issuance
- For residential project permit issuance, two sets of plans if the job is not in a hillside area, and three sets if it is.
- For commercial project permit issuance, two sets of plans are required.
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