The City of Los Angeles operates two parallel ADU tracks — State (Government Code §66323) and Ordinance (LAMC 12.22 A.33) — with different size, parking, and design rules. LADBS runs an extensive Standard Plan catalog and the unique Movable Tiny House (MTH) program.
Multiple paths: Ordinance detached commonly up to 1,200 sq ft (subject to lot/zoning caps). State (§66323) detached new construction capped at 800 sq ft. Attached Ordinance ADU up to 850 sq ft (1,000 sq ft with 2+ BR). JADU max 500 sq ft. Movable Tiny House 150–430 sq ft.
State guarantee: California requires every city to allow at least an 800 sq ft ADU exempt from local lot coverage, FAR, and front-setback rules.
Height baseline: 16 ft for detached, rising to 18 ft within ½ mile of major transit. Attached ADUs follow the primary home, capped at 25 ft.
Per LAMC 12.22 A.33(c)(12) and state exemptions: typically 1 space unless within ½-mile walk of transit, near car-share, in a historic district, fully inside the existing primary/accessory envelope, certain permit-parking situations, or bundled with new dwelling permit. JADUs require no parking.
Submit through ePlanLA / LADBS electronic plan review. Ministerial 60-day action on complete applications under LAMC 12.22 A.33(c)(2). Standard Plan Program available for pre-checked plans.
State backstop: A complete ADU permit must receive a decision in 60 business days. If the city stalls past 30 business days, AB 253 lets you hire a certified private plan checker to force a 10-business-day decision.
Per City Planning ZA Memo 143: impact fees eliminated for ADUs/JADUs <750 sq ft, proportional for larger. Park Fees and Affordable Housing Linkage Fee exemptions apply. LAUSD fees can apply >500 sq ft. Connection charges must be proportionate to burden.
SB 543: No impact fees on ADUs ≤750 sq ft. Above 750 sq ft, fees scale to the ratio of ADU size vs the main home.
Visit the official Los Angeles ADU page (link in hero) for current eligibility and downloads.
Standard ADUs in Los Angeles: no owner-occupancy required (made permanent in 2023).
JADUs: limited to 500 sq ft of interior livable space within an existing single-family home. Owner occupancy is required only when sanitation facilities are shared with the main house. JADUs cannot be used as short-term rentals (AB 1154 / SB 543).
Sketch a floorplan, walk through it in 3D, and have our planners review it for size, height, and setback compliance before you submit to Los Angeles.
Heads up: Local rules change frequently. This page summarizes publicly available state law (California Government Code §§ 66310–66342) and current local guidance for general planning purposes. Always confirm specifics with the Los Angeles planning desk before submitting plans. ADUMetrics does not provide legal advice.