West Hollywood ADU Regulations

• ✓Explicit matrix for when an ADU Permit is required vs building permit only
• ✓No off-street parking required and no replacement parking
• ✓JADUs need recorded deed restriction before Certificate of Occupancy
• ✓Rooftop decks banned on ADUs per published standards

WHMC §19.36.310.E: min 150 sq ft. Max 850 sq ft (studio/1BR) or 1,200 sq ft (2+ BR) for ADUs needing an ADU Permit. R1 FAR total ≤0.5 when ADU Permit triggered. Detached height 18 ft, attached 25 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.

City table: off-street parking not required. Replacement of removed spaces not required (subject to project specifics).

Many compliant ADUs get building-permit-only review within the 60-day ministerial clock. Non-conforming projects need an ADU Permit (also ministerial).

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.

FAQ on the same page states no local impact fees for ADUs.

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 West Hollywood ADU page (link in hero) for current eligibility and downloads.

Standard ADUs in West Hollywood: 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).